Regulation of specific target genes and biological responses by estrogen receptor subtype agonists

Estrogenic effects are mediated through two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ. Estrogens are the most commonly prescribed drugs to treat menopausal conditions, but by non-selectively triggering both ERα and ERβ pathways in different tissues they can cause serious adverse effects. The different sizes of the binding pockets and sequences of their activation function domains indicate that ERα and ERβ should have different specificities...