PMID: 8966507Oct 12, 1996Paper

Action of natural estrogens on the vessel wall: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications

Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift
T F LüscherZ Yang

Abstract

Myocardial infarction is the major cause of death in the Western world. Men are more prone to develop coronary artery disease than women, who rarely develop coronary disease before menopause. Although epidemiological data has long been available showing a protective effect of estrogen on the vascular system, the underlying mechanisms have been investigated more thoroughly only in recent years. Meta-analysis studies have revealed that only half of the protective effect on estrogen replacement therapy is due to its positive effects on the lipid profile and that a large part of this protection is caused by mechanisms distinct from lipid metabolism. It is now known that estrogens also exert effects on vascular function and structure of the vessel wall involving numerous cellular and molecular mechanisms. Here we review actions of natural estrogens on human vascular cells and arteries. Estrogens can modulate vascular function by increasing nitric oxide production via stimulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and decreasing endothelin-1 levels in vivo. Furthermore, 17 beta-estradiol is an inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, phenomena that play a major role in atherosclerotic vascular di...Continue Reading

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