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17‐Beta‐Estradiol induces transformation and tumorigenesis in human breast epithelial cells
Author(s) -
Russo Jose,
Fernandez Sandra V.,
Russo Patricia A.,
Fernbaugh Rachael,
Sheriff Fathima S.,
Lareef Hasan M.,
Garber James,
Russo Irma H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.05-5399com
Subject(s) - carcinogenesis , cancer research , estrogen receptor , estrogen , malignant transformation , biology , breast cancer , cancer , neoplastic transformation , malignancy , estrogen receptor alpha , estrogen receptor beta , medicine , endocrinology
Breast cancer is a malignancy whose dependence on estrogen exposure has long been recognized even though the mechanisms whereby estrogens cause cancer are not clearly understood. This work was performed to determine whether 17β‐estradiol (E 2 ), the predominant circulating ovarian steroid, is carcinogenic in human breast epithelial cells and whether nonreceptor mechanisms are involved in the initiation of breast cancer. For this purpose, the effect of four 24 h alternate periods of 70 nM E 2 treatment of the estrogen receptor alpha (ER‐α) negative MCF‐10F cell line on the in vitro expression of neoplastic transformation was evaluated. E 2 treatment induced the expression of anchorage‐independent growth, loss of ductulogenesis in collagen, invasiveness in Matrigel, and loss of 9p11–13. Only invasive cells that exhibited a 4p15.3–16 deletion were tumorigenic. Tumors were poorly differentiated ER‐α and progesterone receptor‐negative adenocarcinomas that expressed keratins, EMA, and E‐cadherin. Tumors and tumor‐derived cell lines exhibited loss of chromosome 4, deletions in chromosomes 3p12.3–13, 8p11.1–21, 9p21‐qter, and 18q, and gains in 1p, and 5q15‐qter. The induction of complete transformation of MCF‐10F cells in vitro confirms the carcinogenicity of E 2 , supporting the concept that this hormone could act as an initiator of breast cancer in women. This model provides a unique system for understanding the genomic changes that intervene for leading normal cells to tumorigenesis and for testing the functional role of specific genomic events taking place during neoplastic transformation.—Russo, J., Fernandez, S. V., Russo, P. A., Fernbaugh, R., Sheriff, F. S., Lareef, H. M., Garber, J., Russo, I. H. 17‐Beta‐estradiol induces transformation and tumorigenesis in human breast epithelial cells. FASEB J. 20, 1622–1634 (2006)