In vitro study of the effects of cadmium on the activation of the estrogen response element using the YES screen

Estrogenic potential of environmental samples is frequently assessed using receptor-based functional assays. Using the yeast estrogen screen (YES) developed by Routledge and Sumpter, we assessed the ability of cadmium to activate the estrogen receptor-mediated response. No induced transcriptional activity was observed with a range of CdC12 concentrations (I nm- I mM). But, when combining cadmium with the model compound 17p-estradiol, cadmium was able to significantly potentiate the induced estrogenic response for concentrations ranging from 15 nM to I pM. A maximal effect was observed at 0.5 pM with a ten fold reduction of the 17p-estradiol EC50. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.