Estradiol Role in Metabolic Modulation: Receptor Interactions and Implications in Menopause

• Grant number: 24/19526-7
• Support Opportunities: Generation Project Research Grant
• Start date: July 01, 2026
• End date: June 30, 2031
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Débora Santos Rocha
• Grantee: Débora Santos Rocha
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Alicia Juliana Kowaltowski ; Ariel Mariano Silber ; Eloisa Aparecida Vilas Boas ; Fernando Rodrigues de Moraes Abdulkader

Abstract

Estradiol has genomic (ER alpha and ER beta) and non-genomic (GPER) actions, influencing several metabolic pathways in tissues such as pancreas, liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. The interaction between ER alpha and ER beta, including the homo and heterodimerization, is essential to understand its physiological effects, especially in menopause. The proposed project aims to investigate the selective modulation of estradiol receptors and their influence on metabolism, using in vivo and in vitro approaches. Three main steps include the characterization of menopause models by early follicular depletion, the study of the effects of selective receptor activation and the analysis of homo- and heterodimers, focusing on the evaluation of metabolic flux and associated outcomes in hepatocytes, adipocytes and myocytes. Thus, the present project aims to elucidate the metabolic role of estradiol receptors in physiological models, in order to reveal new targets for therapeutic interventions. (AU)