Selective estrogen receptor modulators are already widely used active ingredients in therapy, but there is still a lot we do not know about them. Selective estrogen receptor modulators are unusal because they can act as agonists on estrogen receptors in one tissue and as antagonists in another tissue. Tamoxifen, bazedoxifene, raloxifene, 4-hydroxytamoxifen, ospemifene and toremifene are all examples of selective estrogen receptor modulators. They are used for treating breast cancer, osteoporosis and vulvovaginal atrophy. They could also be useful for alleviating postmenopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and sweating.
In our master’s thesis we implemented a validated in vitro test using HeLa9903 cell line (OECD 455) to determine agonistic and antagonistic effects of selected estrogen receptor modulators on estrogen receptor α.
First we had to determine the highest non-cytotoxic concentration of our compounds. The results showed that we can use the concentrations up to 25 µM for bazedoxifene, raloxifene and ospemifene; 10 µM for tamoxifen and toremifene and up to 5 µM for 4-hydroxytamoxifen.
The next step was determining the action of our compounds on the estrogen receptor α, using luciferase test. Excluding bazedoxifene, all of the other compounds acted as agonists on the estrogen receptor α with EC50 values either picomolar (raloxifene, 4-hydroxytamoxifen) or nanomolar (tamoxifen, toremifene, ospemifene). Despite the low EC50 values the maximum response of raloxifene, ospemifene and toremifene was quite low (10-20% of response given by positive control), while tamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen reached up to 50% of response given by positive control (1 nM E2). When testing for antiestrogenic properties all of the compounds except toremifene showed at least a 30% reduction in activity compared to spike in control, therefore we can classify all of these compounds as antagonists on the estrogen receptor α. Raloxifene showed the lowest IC50, followed by bazedoxifene, then 4-hydroxytamoxifen, ospemifene and lastly, tamoxifen with the lowest potency.
If we wish to understand selective estrogen receptor modulators fully, then more research will need to be done in this area. Our thesis covers only a portion of the undiscovered area. There are still more facts to be gathered surrounding their mechanism of action.
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