[Estrogen receptors in the human liver].

Human hepatic estrogen receptors (ER) were investigated in 17 healthy subjects (13 males and 4 females) and 70 patients with chronic liver disease (45 males and 25 females). Characterization of the estrogen binders in cytosol from human male liver showed two classes of binders, the first of them corresponding to estrogen receptor (Kd = 10(-10) M), and the second representing a low affinity binder (KD = 10(-8) M). Increased ER levels were found in males with chronic liver disease, patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) having about twice the levels of normal males. Normal females had basal values about three times higher than control males; during the progression of chronic liver disease, ER levels fell to arise again slowly so that, in PHC, values were about half of those in normal females. Prolonged alcohol abuse appeared to induce a marked increase in ER levels both in male and in female patients. The increase was maximal in patients who were still actively drinking and in those with histological signs of acute alcoholic hepatitis.