Figure 4
Combined effect of ERβ and effect of 17β-estradiol. (A) Combined effect of ERβ expression and shear stress on MMP-1 promoter activity. HIG-82 cells were exposed to 8 h of intermittent pulsatile 0.8–10 dynes/cm 20.5 Hz fluid flow-induced shear stress in a Flexcell Streamer apparatus. MMP-1 promoter activity reported relative to ER negative, unloaded control 1G promoter activity. (n = 15, *p < 0.05 with respect to matching ER negative controls, †p < 0.05 with respect to matching 1G variant). (B) Effect of 17β-estradiol on ER-β-mediated response for MMP-1 promoter activity. HIG-82 cells were transfected with 1G or 2G promoter-luciferase reporter plasmids ± co-transfection with ER-β expression plasmids then exposed to 8 h intermittent pulsatile 0.8–10 dynes/cm2 0.5 Hz fluid flow-induced shear stress in a Flexcell Streamer apparatus with, ±10−8 M 17β-estradiol (+shown by orange bars) in medium. MMP-1 promoter activity reported relative to ERβ positive, unloaded control 1G promoter activity. (n = 9 except ERβ + Estrogen n = 6, *n.s. wrt matching ER negative, 0 M estrogen controls).