Membrane initiated steroid signaling (MISS): computational, in vitro and in vivo evidence for a plasma membrane protein initially involved in genomic steroid hormone effects.

Steroid hormones are indispensable for control of vital processes, development, reproduction and modulation of behavior. Lack or complete dysfunction of glucocorticoid (GC) signaling, in particular, have lethal consequences. Even a minor change in the level of circulating cortisol can be of physiological and clinical significance.

Association of progesterone receptor polymorphism with recurrent abortions.

Objective: The current study sought for polymorphisms within the progesterone receptor (PR) gene. Allele and genotype frequencies of patients with repeated abortions were compared to a control group.

Design: All exons of the PR of 42 women with repeated abortions and 40 controls were screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP).

Membrane-initiated steroid signaling (MISS): genomic steroid action starts at the plasma membrane.

Unlabelled: Plasma membrane (PM) steroid recognition sites are thought to be responsible only for rapid, non-genomic responses without any link to the nuclear receptor-mediated genomic effects of steroids. We focused on a PM "glucocorticoid-importer" (GC-importer) that imports GC into rat liver cells. This site interacts also with particular gestagens (progesterone, P; medroxyprogesterone, MP; ethynodiol, Ethy) and estrogens (ethinylestradiol, EE(2); mestranol), which do not bind to the nuclear GC receptor (GR).