Premium
Quantitative analysis of estrogen receptor‐β mRNA and its variants in human breast cancers
Author(s) -
Iwao Kyoko,
Miyoshi Yasuo,
Egawa Chiyomi,
Ikeda Noriko,
Noguchi Shinzaburo
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0215(20001201)88:5<733::aid-ijc8>3.0.co;2-m
Subject(s) - estrogen receptor , breast cancer , messenger rna , estrogen receptor alpha , estrogen receptor beta , estrogen , medicine , biology , beta (programming language) , endocrinology , mammary gland , cancer , cancer research , gene , biochemistry , computer science , programming language
We have carried out a quantitative analysis of ER‐α and ER‐β mRNA expression in normal (n = 11) and breast cancer (n = 112) tissues using a real‐time (Taq‐Man) PCR assay. Expression of ER‐β mRNA variants has also been studied by triple‐primer PCR assay. ER‐α mRNA levels in normal breast tissues were significantly ( p < 0.01) lower than those in ER‐positive breast cancers but not significantly different from those in ER‐negative breast cancers. However, ER‐β mRNA levels in normal breast tissues were significantly ( p < 0.01) higher than those in ER‐positive and ER‐negative breast cancers. Proportions of ER‐β1 and ER‐β2 mRNA expression among total ER‐β mRNA expression were significantly higher and those of ER‐β5 and ER‐β5` mRNA were significantly lower in normal breast tissues than in ER‐positive and ER‐negative breast cancers. ER‐β mRNA levels and proportions of ER‐β mRNA variants did not show any significant correlation with age, tumor size, lymph node status and histological grade. Our results demonstrate that ER‐α mRNA is up‐regulated and ER‐β mRNA is down‐regulated during carcinogenesis of breast cancers. Changes in proportions of ER‐β mRNA variants are also implicated in this process. Int. J. Cancer 88:733–736, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.