Phytoestrogen genistein acts as an estrogen agonist on human osteoblastic cells through estrogen receptors ? and ?

Genistein, a soybean isoflavone, has estrogen‐like activity in mammals, including the prevention of bone loss. However, whether its mechanism of action on bone turnover is distinct from that of estrogen or raloxifene is unknown. Although genistein has been reported to bind both estrogen receptor (ER) isoforms (α and β), little is known concerning differential activation of gene expression via these ER isoforms. To examine this question,...