Estrogen receptors in pain modulation: cellular signaling

doi:10.1186/s13293-021-00364-5

Review

. 2021 Feb 10;12(1):22.

doi: 10.1186/s13293-021-00364-5.

Estrogen receptors in pain modulation: cellular signaling

Qing Chen^#¹, Wenxin Zhang^#¹, Neeti Sadana², Xinzhong Chen³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
² Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. chenxinz@zju.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33568220
PMCID: PMC7877067
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00364-5

Review

Estrogen receptors in pain modulation: cellular signaling

Qing Chen et al. Biol Sex Differ. 2021.

. 2021 Feb 10;12(1):22.

doi: 10.1186/s13293-021-00364-5.

Authors

Qing Chen^#¹, Wenxin Zhang^#¹, Neeti Sadana², Xinzhong Chen³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
² Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. chenxinz@zju.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33568220
PMCID: PMC7877067
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00364-5

Abstract

Sensory perception and emotional disorders are disproportionally represented in men and women and are thus thought to be modulated by different sex hormones in various conditions. Among the most important hormones perceived to affect sensory processing and transduction is estrogen. Numerous previous researchers have endeavored to demonstrate that estrogen is capable of modulating the activity of sensory neurons in peripheral and central sites in female, male, or castrated animals. However, the underlying mechanisms of its modulation of neuronal activity are somewhat unclear. In the present review, we discuss the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the modulation of nociception by estrogen.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
The mechanisms of ER activation and the effects of the activated ER in pain modulation

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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[1] Raja SN, et al. The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain: concepts, challenges, and compromises. Pain. 2020;161(9):1976–82. - PMC - PubMed

[2] Raja SN, et al. The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain: concepts, challenges, and compromises. Pain. 2020;161(9):1976–82. - PMC - PubMed

[3] Shughrue PJ, Lane MV, Merchenthaler I. Comparative distribution of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta mRNA in the rat central nervous system. J Comp Neurol. 1997;388(4):507–525. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19971201)388:4<507::AID-CNE1>3.0.CO;2-6. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Shughrue PJ, Lane MV, Merchenthaler I. Comparative distribution of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta mRNA in the rat central nervous system. J Comp Neurol. 1997;388(4):507–525. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19971201)388:4<507::AID-CNE1>3.0.CO;2-6. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Hubbard CS, et al. Estrogen-dependent visceral hypersensitivity following stress in rats: An fMRI study. Mol Pain. 2016;12:1–10. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Hubbard CS, et al. Estrogen-dependent visceral hypersensitivity following stress in rats: An fMRI study. Mol Pain. 2016;12:1–10. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Xiao X, et al. Estrogen in the anterior cingulate cortex contributes to pain-related aversion. Cerebral Cortex (New York, NY: 1991) 2013;23(9):2190–2203. - PubMed

[8] Xiao X, et al. Estrogen in the anterior cingulate cortex contributes to pain-related aversion. Cerebral Cortex (New York, NY: 1991) 2013;23(9):2190–2203. - PubMed

[9] Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science (New York, NY) 1965;150(3699):971–979. doi: 10.1126/science.150.3699.971. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science (New York, NY) 1965;150(3699):971–979. doi: 10.1126/science.150.3699.971. - DOI - PubMed

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Estrogen receptors in pain modulation: cellular signaling

Affiliations

Estrogen receptors in pain modulation: cellular signaling

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Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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