Figure 2

Estrogen receptors and androgen receptor expression. Representative western blots and corresponding densitometric analyses of estrogen receptor α (A, B) and estrogen receptor β levels (C, D), estrogen receptor α/estrogen receptor β ratio (E), and androgen receptor levels (F). Panel A includes MCF-7 cells, which express estrogen receptor α, as positive control and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). (B) Includes DLD-1 cells, which express estrogen receptor β, as positive control and MDMs from Fs (white bar), FOCA⁺ (circle bar) and FOCA^- (striped bar). (F) Includes DU145 cells, which express androgen receptors, as positive control and MDMs. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of at least four independent experiments. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.001 vs Fs; ^· P < 0.05 between FOCA⁺ and FOCA^-; ^·· P < 0.001 between FOCA⁺ and FOCA^-. AR = androgen receptor; ERα = estrogen receptor α; ERβ = estrogen receptor β; ERα/ERβ = estrogen receptor α/estrogen receptor β ratio; FOCA⁺/FOCA^- = FOCs further stratified as a function of androgenic (FOCA⁺) and non-androgenic (FOCA^-) properties of progestins; FOCs = women treated with OCs for at least 3 months; Fs = women who had not used OCs for at least 3 months to ensure a sufficient washout period; OC = oral contraceptive.