Mice studies disentangle the role of estrogen in gallstone formation

Autores: Krawczyk Marcin, Krasnodebski Maciej, Krawczyk Marek, Lammert Frank

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Comment: Gallstone disease represents one of the most commonly encountered diseases in gastroenterology. To facilitate the diagnosis and to help to remember the risk factors of gallstones, medical students are taught the mnemonic ‘5Fs’ (or ‘7Fs’) gallstone rule, which, among others, points to female gender and fertility. Indeed, it has been appreciated that female gender and pregnancies increase gallstone risk. This is commonly contributed to the induction of hepatic cholesterol synthesis and biliary cholesterol secretion by estrogens and the relaxation of the gallbladder by progesterone. Gallbladder walls from cholecystectomized patients showed that estrogen receptors are overexpressed in gallbladders from women with gallstones and that gender differences exist in the coexpression of estrogen and progesterone receptors. Along this line, gallstone disease is also more prevalent in girls receiving oral contraceptives as well as in postmenopausal women using estrogen therapy.6 Experimental studies in gonadectomized inbred mice showed that the prolithogenic action of estrogens is modulated by estrogen receptor α (ERα), whereas the second receptor ERβ is not involved in this process.

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2016-06-23   |   147 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 15 Núm.1. Enero-Febrero 2016 Pags. 141-142 Ann Hepatol 2016; 15(1)