Estrogen receptor-β:: Recent lessons from in vivo studies

The unexpected discovery of a second form of the estrogen receptor (ER), designated ER beta, surprised and energized the field of estrogen research. In the 9 yr since its identification, the remarkable efforts from academic and industrial scientists of many disciplines have made significant progress in elucidating its biology. A powerful battery of tools, including knockout mice as well as a panel of receptor-selective agonists, has allowed an investigation into the role of ER beta. To date, in vivo efficacy studies are limited to rodents. Current data indicate that ER beta plays a minor role in mediating estrogen action in the uterus, on the hypothalamus/pituitary, the skeleton, and other classic estrogen target tissues. However, a clear role for ER beta has been established in the ovary, cardiovascular system, and brain as well as in several animal models of inflammation including arthritis, endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and sepsis. The next phase of research will focus on elucidating, at a molecular level, how ER beta exerts these diverse effects and exploring the clinical utility of ER beta-selective agonists.