Table 1 Sex hormone receptors in humans and their mechanisms of action

From: The testobolome in microbial testosterone metabolism and human health

Binding hormone

Cellular location

of the receptor

Receptor name

Receptor mode of action

Estrogens

Nucleus

ERα129

Transcription factor

ERβ129

Membrane

mERα130

Signal transduction

mERβ130

GPER1 (GPR30)131

G-protein coupled receptor

ER-X*132

ERx*133

Gq-mER*134,135,136

Testosterone (and other androgens)

Nucleus

AR43

Transcription factor

Membrane

TRPM8*44

Calcium ion channel

OXER1*44

G-protein coupled receptor (inhibited by testosterone)

GPRC6A*44

G-protein coupled receptor

ZIP9*44

Zinc transporter

  1. The outlined estrogen receptors bind all or a selection of estrogen family members at different affinity (estradiol > estrone > estriol)137. A similar gradient of binding affinities is observed for the androgen receptors (dihydrotestosterone (DHT) > testosterone > androstenedione)138. Those receptors that have been proposed, but not confirmed, to bind sex steroids are indicated by *.
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