Molecular mechanisms of estrogen receptor alpha modulating the inflammatory response in systematic lupus erythematosus

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Ninety percent of those diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are women, with peak incidence between the ages of 15 and 45, when women are most hormonally active. Despite significant research effort, the mechanisms underlying this sex bias remain unclear. Our laboratory previously backcrossed estrogen receptor alpha knockout (ERαKO) mice onto the NZM2410 lupus prone background. We demonstrated that female NZM/ERαKO mice had significantly less renal disease and significantly prolonged survival compared to WT littermates despite similar serum autoantibodies and glomerular immune complex deposition. ERαKO mice are not ERα null, but rather express an N-terminally truncated ERα. They have physiologic deficiencies including infertility due to disruption of a critical activation domain (AF-1). We showed that dendritic cell (DCs) from NZM/ERαKO mice have a blunted inflammatory response to Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. When these mice were ovariectomized, the protective phenotype was lost. Upon estradiol-repletion, protection was restored. True ERα null mice are not protected, suggesting that estrogen in the presence of the AF-1 mutant confers protection, rather than the absence of the full-length ERα66. Interestingly, the truncated ERα expressed in the ERαKO animal is structurally similar to ERα46, an endogenous ERα splice variant that lacks the AF-1 domain, and is a negative regulator of gene transcription. ERα46 has an identical DNA binding domain to ERα66 and is a powerful inhibitor of ERα66. We hypothesize that ERα46 expression has a protective effect in lupus. The goal of this project is to determine the role of ERα46 in SLE and TLR-induced inflammation and to improve our understanding of ERα-mediated transcription in the setting of inflammation. In order to accomplish this, Dr. Cunningham will (1) Define the in vitro molecular mechanisms underlying ERα46- and ERα66-regulated transcriptional activity impacting the innate inflammatory response of murine DCs, (2) Determine ex vivo and in vivo the role of ERα46 in TLR-induced lupus utilizing a murine strain expressing an A/B truncation mutant of ERα (ERαAF10), and (3) Use human peripheral blood monocyte (PBMC)-derived DCs to define the role of ERα46 and ERα66 in regulation of the innate immune response in DCs from controls vs. lupus patients. Dr. Cunningham is a clinician-investigator with a long-term career goal of becoming an independent basic and translational researcher in the field of immunology with a focus on SLE. To facilitate her transition to independence, she seeks to further her training in dendritic cell biology, ChIPseq and bioinformatics, and the use of human cells from patient samples. Dr. Cunningham has a mentorship team with an outstanding mentoring track record and wide expertise to support her project. The studies proposed in this K08 mentored grant application will significantly advance the field by providing understanding of ERα-mediated transcription in the setting of TLR-induced inflammation, including ERα binding partners, gene targets, and modulation by ERα46, which represents a potential therapeutic agent.