17 beta-Estradiol stimulates the expression of hepatic calcium-binding protein regucalcin mRNA in rats.

The effect of nuclear receptor-related hormones on the expression of hepatic calcium-binding protein regucalcin mRNA in rats was investigated. The change of regucalcin mRNA levels was analyzed by Northern blotting using liver regucalcin cDNA (0.9 kb of open-reading frame). A single subcutaneons administration of 17 beta-estradiol (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg body weight) in rats induced a remarkable increase of regucalcin mRNA in liver; the level was about 200% of control at 24 h after the administration of 2.0 mg/kg. The increase showed about 350% even at 6 h after the administration. Meanwhile, hepatic regucalcin mRNA level was not appreciably altered by a single subcutaneous administration of thyroxine (T4) (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg) or hydrocortisone (10 and 30 mg/kg) in rats. The present study demonstrates that the expression of hepatic regucalcin mRNA is stimulated by estrogen action in the liver nuclei of rats.