Evidence for cell-specific changes with age in expression of oestrogen receptor (ER) α and β in bone fractures from men and women

Oestrogen is recognized as important for maintaining bone mass in men and women. Oestrogen receptor (ER) α and the recently described ER‐β are both expressed in bone cells, but have different affinities for oestrogen agonists and plant oestrogens, which could be important in developing treatments for bone loss in both men and women. It is unclear, however, which isoform predominates in bone; cell type and age may influence their relative expression. The present study has compared ER‐α and ER‐β expression in serial sections of human fracture callus from males (n = 19, age range 5–72 years) and females (n = 15, age range 3–86 years) by indirect immunoperoxidase. Fracture callus was used as it can be readily obtained from individuals over a wide age range and contains a variety of bone cells. Antibody specificity was confirmed by western blotting and comparison of immunoreactivity in sections of breast tumour and benign prostate hyperplasia. No gender difference in ER expression was found in bone from individuals less than 40 years old. Proliferative chondrocytes were positive for both isoforms, but few larger hypertrophic cells were immunoreactive. ER‐α and ER‐β were co‐expressed in osteoclasts, suggesting that oestrogen may act directly on these cells. Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and mesenchymal cells also expressed both isoforms. In women over 40 years of age, however, relatively fewer biopsies contained osteocytes positive for ER‐α and ER‐β. Likewise, the proportions of osteoblasts and mesenchymal cells expressing ER‐β were reduced but ER‐α remained unaffected. In contrast, in men over 40 years, only the proportion of biopsies containing ER‐β‐positive mesenchymal cells was lower. In these older men and women, ER‐α and ER‐β expression was retained by the small proliferative chondrocytes. These results demonstrate that gender, age, and cell type are important determinants of ER isoform expression in skeletal cells. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.