New publications
Scientists Uncover Link Between Estrogen and Heart Health in Women
Last reviewed: 15.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
A new preclinical study by scientists at Monash University has revealed the role of the female sex hormone oestrogen in protecting the hearts of women with high blood pressure – a link that has remained poorly understood until now.
A study conducted by the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and published in the journal Communications Biology found that oestrogen increased levels of a natural protein called annexin-A1 (ANXA1) in female mice. The MIPS team had previously found that ANXA1 plays a key role in regulating blood pressure.
In the current study, the researchers found that without ANXA1, high blood pressure caused more severe damage to the heart and large vessels, especially in females.
The findings suggest that the link between estrogen and ANXA1 plays an important role in protecting women’s hearts from damage caused by hypertension. This discovery could pave the way for new treatments, such as drugs that mimic the action of ANXA1 and are specifically designed to improve heart health in women.
What do the study authors say?
Dr Jaidrip Singh, first author and Honorary Research Fellow at Monash University, explained:
"Our study reveals a biological link between the female hormone estrogen and a protein called ANXA1, which protects the heart, something scientists did not know before. We found that estrogen helps increase levels of the protein ANXA1, and its absence makes the heart more vulnerable to damage due to disruption of the mitochondria, the body's energy system."
Dr. Singh noted that the discovery is important for developing cardiovascular treatments specifically targeted at women, which has rarely been considered in medical research before:
"We are excited that this could lead to new drugs that enhance the action of ANXA1 and provide better protection for women with hypertension. These therapies could help prevent serious problems like heart failure, given the unique characteristics of women's hearts and blood vessels."
Dr Chengxue Helena Qin, co-author of the study, added:
"There is a major gap in understanding how hypertension and its treatments affect men and women differently. Historically, clinical trials have underestimated sex differences, leading to underrepresentation of women in research and clinical protocols."
What's next?
The scientists plan to move on to studying how estrogen regulates ANXA1 in humans to see if the mechanism works the same way as in animals. The team will soon begin testing new drugs that stimulate ANXA1 in animal experiments to see if they can protect the heart from damage caused by high blood pressure.
The researchers also plan to investigate whether this protective system is involved in other heart diseases that affect men and women differently.
According to Professor David Greening, senior author and head of molecular proteomics at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute:
"This study demonstrates the power of proteomics – the large-scale study of proteins – to advance our understanding of the causes of heart and vascular disease. It also provides molecular explanations for why men and women experience these conditions differently, and helps move towards more precise and personalised treatments for hypertension and related heart problems."
Ultimately, the team hopes to advance the study's findings into clinical trials to help women with high blood pressure.