Estradiol Increases the Bax/Bcl-2 Ratio and Induces Apoptosis in the Anterior Pituitary Gland

Abstract

Our results demonstrate that estradiol increases the ratio between proapoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family. This effect could participate in the sensitizing action of estrogens to proapoptotic stimuli and therefore be involved in the high apoptotic rate observed at proestrus in the anterior pituitary gland.