Proliferative effects of estradiol- or ethinylestradiol-progestogen combinations on human breast cancer cells in an intermitted and a long-term regimen

Currently the use of natural estradiol as estrogenic component in oral contraceptives is more and more extended. It is unknown whether the application of this estrogen is associated with a different breast cancer risk as compared to the common use of the synthetic ethinylestradiol. In addition with the intention to reduce menstruation associated symptoms and bleeding periods an extended-cycle regimen is currently considered. In the present in vitro work, we have compared the effect of these different estrogenic compounds and the different treatment regimens on breast cancer risk. Human breast cancer cells (ZR75-1 and HCC1500) were incubated with equimolar concentrations of estradiol or ethinylestradiol combined with various progestogens, dienogest, drospirenone, keto-desogestrel, levonorgestrel, and nomegestrel. Usual and extended cycle was mimicked by incubation periods of 3 days with 1 day hormones off and 4 days, respectively. Molecular markers for proliferation and apoptosis were investigated by Western blot. In both cell lines estradiol and ethinylestradiol elicited a significant increase in the proliferation rate without difference between the 2 estrogens. The effect in the long-term cycle tended to be more pronounced than in the intermitted cycle. Progestogen addition most significantly reduced the estrogen-induced proliferation rate. The molecular markers were influenced by the progestogens mostly in the same manner, reducing the proliferation/apoptosis rate. Our results indicate that both estrogenic based combinations with progestogens may not increase breast cancer risk independent from the regimen, intermitted or long-term cycle. However clinical studies are necessary to prove these in vitro results.     

Importance of estrogen sulfates in breast cancer

Estrogen sulfates are quantitatively the most important form of circulating estrogens during the menstrual cycle and in the post-menopausal period. Huge quantities of estrone sulfate and estradiol sulfate are found in the breast tissues of patients with mammary carcinoma. It has been demonstrated that different estrogen-3-sulfates (estrone-3-sulfate, estradiol-3-sulfate, estriol-3-sulfate) can provoke important biological responses in different mammary cancer cell lines: there is a significant increase in progesterone receptor. On the other hand, no significant effect was observed with estrogen-17-sulfates. The reason for the biological response of estrogen-3-sulfates is that these sulfates are hydrolyzed, and no sulfatase activity for C17-sulfates is present in these cell lines. [3H]Estrone sulfate is converted in a very high percentage to estradiol (E2) in different hormone-dependent mammary cancer cell lines (MCF-7, R-27, T-47D), but very little or no conversion was found in the hormone-independent mammary cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436). Different anti-estrogens (tamoxifen and derivatives) and another potent anti-estrogen: ICI 164,384, decrease the concentration of estradiol very significantly after incubation of estrone sulfate with the different hormone-dependent mammary cancer cell lines. No significant effect was observed for the uptake and conversion of estrone sulfate in the hormone-independent mammary cancer cell lines. Progesterone provokes an important decrease in the uptake and in estradiol levels after incubation of [3H]estrone sulfate with the MCF-7 cells. It is concluded that in breast cancer: (1) Estrogen sulfates can play an important role in the biological response of estrogens; (2) Anti-estrogens and progesterone significantly decrease the uptake and estradiol levels in hormone-dependent mammary cancer cell lines; (3) The control of the sulfatase and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities, which are key steps in the formation of estradiol in the breast, can open new possibilities in the treatment of hormone-dependent mammary cancer.     

Selective toxicity of dihydroartemisinin and holotransferrin toward human breast cancer cells.

Artemisinin becomes cytotoxic in the presence of ferrous iron. Since iron influx is high in cancer cells, artemisinin and its analogs selectively kill cancer cells under conditions that increase intracellular iron concentrations. We report here that after incubation with holotransferrin, which increases the concentration of ferrous iron in cancer cells, dihydroartemisinin, an analog of artemisinin, effectively killed a type of radiation-resistant human breast cancer cell in vitro. The same treatment had considerably less effect on normal human breast cells. Since it is relatively easy to increase the iron content inside cancer cells in vivo, administration of artemisinin-like drugs and intracellular iron-enhancing compounds may be a simple, effective, and economical treatment for cancer.     

表柔比星化疗对乳腺癌转移潜能的影响

目的:比较乳腺癌细胞经过表柔比星处理前后的生物学行为,探讨表柔比星化疗对乳腺癌转移潜能的影响及机制。方法:人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7和MDA-MB-231分别给予正常培养和表柔比星6小时处理,通过划痕实验和transwell实验比较两组细胞迁移和侵袭能力的差别。MCF-7细胞经过表柔比星处理不同时间后,通过real-time PCR分析细胞中转移相关蛋白1(Metastasis Associated Protein 1,MTA1)表达水平的变化。建立小鼠4T1乳腺癌模型,观察表柔比星化疗对小鼠肺表面乳腺癌转移灶的数量的影响。结果:划痕实验中,处理组MCF-7和MDA-MB-231细胞24小时内平均划痕愈合距离均显著长于对照组细胞(P0.05);transwell实验中,处理组MDA-MB-231细胞24小时内穿膜细胞数显著多于对照组细胞(P0.01),MCF-7细胞本身侵袭性低难以穿膜;real-time PCR结果显示,表柔比星处理使MCF-7细胞中MTA1转录水平出现显著上调(P0.05);动物实验结果显示,处理组小鼠肺表面转移灶数量显著多于对照组(P0.01)。结论:表柔比星处理可以在体内和体外增强乳腺癌细胞的转移潜能,这一改变可能与其诱导MTA1的表达有关。     

The effects of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives on the endogenous estradiol metabolism.

The estradiol metabolism may be of clinical relevance in the pathophysiology of various diseases; the increase in D-ring metabolites over A-ring metabolites in breast cancer patients is of special interest. Since estrogen therapy has been blamed for increasing the risk of breast cancer, the effects of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and oral contraception were investigated on the ratio of the main D-ring metabolite, 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16-OHE1), to the main A-ring metabolite, 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1). In our study, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women consisted of administration of estradiol valerate either with or without addition of the progestin dienogest. In the second part of the study, women of reproductive age received ethinylestradiol plus dienogest or ethinylestradiol plus norethisterone acetate as oral contraceptives (OC). 2-OHE1 and 16-OHE1 were measured by enzyme immunoassay in 8 h night-urine collected before and after 3 months of hormone administration. With HRT, that is, estradiol valerate or estradiol valerate plus dienogest, the ratios before treatment were 0.47 and 0.60; after 3 months, they were 0.54 and 0.52, respectively. There were no significant differences. With oral contraception, that is, ethinylestradiol plus dienogest or norethisterone acetate, the ratios before administration were 0.62 and 0.68, vs. 0.31 and 0.54 after 3 months, respectively. The ratio after ethinylestradiol and dienogest was significantly lower after treatment. HRT and OC in the estrogen-progestin combinations tested did not impose any negative effects on estradiol metabolism--they did not elicit a higher D-ring metabolism, which is considered to increase breast cancer risk.     

Dose-dependent changes of the ratio of apoptosis to proliferation by norethisterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate in human breast epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE: There is increasing evidence that adding progestogens to estrogen replacement therapy may do more harm than good; however, whether all progestogens act equally on breast cells is debatable. Apart from estrogens, mitogenic growth factors from stromal breast tissue are important in growth-regulation of breast cells, and may modify the response to progestogens. We investigated the effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) as well as norethisterone (NET) in the presence of a growth factor mixture and/or estradiol in normal and cancerous human epithelial breast cells. METHODS: MCF10A cells (human epithelial, estrogen- and progesterone-receptor negative, normal breast cells), HCC1500 (human estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive primary breast cancer cells) and MCF-7 cells (human estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer cell line) were used in the experiments. The cells were incubated with progestogens at concentrations of 10(-10) to 10(-6) M for 7 days and growth factors (GFs), estradiol (E2) alone and a combination of GFs + E2. Cell proliferation rate was measured by ATP assay. Apoptosis was measured by cell death assay. Ratios of cell death : proliferation were calculated from these results. RESULTS: In MCF10A cells growth factors elicited a decrease in the ratio of apoptosis to proliferation. This effect was further stimulated by the addition of MPA, whereas NET had no effect. In HCC cells growth factors and estradiol alone and in combination led to a reduction in the ratio. This effect could be partly reversed dose-dependently by the addition of MPA and NET, being more pronounced for MPA. Similar results were found for MCF-7 cells stimulated by estradiol. CONCLUSION: The results of our investigations demonstrate that there are differences between the two progestogens NET and MPA investigated with respect to their effects on normal and cancerous cells. By increasing the mitotic rate of normal epithelial cells, MPA may increase breast cancer risk in women when used in long-term treatment. In this respect NET reacts neutral. The mitosis of pre-existing cancerous cells may be partly inhibited by the addition of both progestogens. Thus, our results indicate that it is necessary to differentiate between normal and malignant breast cells concerning the assessment of progestogens as a risk factor for breast carcinogenesis.     

Enhanced tight junction function in human breast cancer cells by antioxidant, selenium and polyunsaturated lipid

Paracellular permeability (PCP) is governed by tight junctions (TJs) in epithelial cells, acting as cell-cell adhesion structures, the aberration of which is known to be linked to the dissociation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. This study hypothesized that the function of TJs in human breast cancer cells can be augmented by gamma linolenic acid (GLA), selenium (Se), and iodine (I) in the presence of 17-beta-estradiol, as these molecules are known to increase TJ functions in endothelial cells, using assays of trans-epithelial resistance (TER), PCP, immunofluorescence, and in vitro invasion and motility models. GLA, I, and Se individually increased TER of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The combination of all three agents also had a significant increase in TER. Addition of GLA/Se/I reduced PCP of both breast cancer cell lines. GLA/Se/I reversed the effect of 17-beta-estradiol (reduced TER, increased PCP). Immunofluorescence revealed that after treatment with Se/I/GLA over 24 h, there was increasing relocation to breast cancer cell-cell junctions of occludin and ZO-1 in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, treatment with GLA/Se/I, alone or in combination, significantly reduced in vitro invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells through an endothelial cell barrier (P < 0.0001) and reduced 17-beta-estradiol induced breast cancer cell motility (P < 0.0001). Our previous work has demonstrated that GLA, I, and Se alone, or in combination are able to strengthen the function of TJs in human endothelial cells; this has now proved to be true of human breast cancer cells. This combination also completely reversed the effect of 17-beta-estradiol in these cells.     

Nicotine increases cancer stem cell population in MCF-7 cells

Epidemiological studies have suggested that cigarette smoking is related to increased breast cancer risk. Nicotine is most likely related to the risk in cigarette smoking. However, the mechanisms by which nicotine promotes cancer development are not fully understood. It has recently been suggested that development of breast cancer are originated from cancer stem cells, which are a minor population of breast cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effects of nicotine on the population of cancer stem cells in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, using flow cytometry with a cancer stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). We found that nicotine increased ALDH-positive cell population in a dose-dependent manner. We further demonstrated that a PKC-Notch pathway is involved in the effect of nicotine. In addition, the effect of nicotine was blocked by treatment with the α7 subunit-selective antagonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) α-Bungarotoxin. These data suggest that nicotine increases the stem cell population via α7-nAChR and the PKC-Notch dependent pathway in MCF-7 cells. These findings reveal a relationship between nicotine and the cancer stem cells in human breast cancer.     

Drug protein conjugates--III. Inhibition of the irreversible binding of ethinylestradiol to rat liver microsomal protein by mixed-function oxidase inhibitors, ascorbic acid and thiols

The metabolism of [6,7-3H]ethinylestradiol [( 3H]EE2) by rat liver microsomes was studied in vitro. After incubation of [3H]EE2 with rat liver microsomes for 20 min, 90% of the substrate was metabolised and 18% of the 3H-labelled material irreversibly bound to microsomal protein. Ascorbic acid (1 mM) decreased irreversible binding of 3H and produced an accumulation of 2-hydroxyethinylestradiol (2OH-EE2), while mixed-function oxidase inhibitors (0.5 mM) decreased binding of 3H to protein by inhibiting EE2 2-hydroxylation. Addition of thiols gave water-soluble metabolites which were characterised as 1(4)-thioether derivatives of 2OH-EE2 by co-chromatography with synthetic products. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the chemically reactive metabolite of EE2 formed in vitro is either a quinone or o-semiquinone derived from 2OH-EE2 [1].     

Antagonism between estrogens and androgens on GCDFP-15 gene expression in ZR-75-1 cells and correlation between GCDFP-15 and estrogen as well as progesterone receptor expression in human breast cancer

The androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) caused a maximal 65% inhibition of proliferation of the human breast cancer cells ZR-75-1 after a 10-day incubation period. The same treatment, on the other hand, stimulated by 25-fold the secretion of the breast marker protein GCDFP-15 (gross cystic disease fluid protein-15). The stimulatory effect of DHT on GCDFP-15 mRNA accumulation was already significant (1.6-fold, P less than 0.01) after a 12 h exposure and reached a maximal 25-fold increase after a 12-day incubation period. On the other hand, a 2-day exposure to 1 nM 17 beta-estradiol (E2) alone decreased by 60% GCDFP-15 mRNA levels while it completely blocked the 2.5-fold stimulation of GCDFP-15 secretion induced by concomitant incubation with DHT. Furthermore, a 10-day incubation with E2 increased by 4-fold the proliferation of ZR-75-1 cells whereas such treatment decreased by about 85% both GCDFP-15 mRNA accumulation and the secretion of the glycoprotein. The presence of GCDFP-15 mRNA in human breast cancer samples was restricted to estrogen receptor positive tumors and was significantly correlated with progesterone receptor expression.     

Melatonin increases p53 and p21WAF1 expression in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro.

The aim of the present work was to study whether melatonin, at physiological concentrations, exerts its antiproliferative effects on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by inducing the expression of some of the proteins involved in the control of the cell cycle. MCF-7 cells were cultured for 48 h in DMEM media containing either melatonin (1 nM) or the diluent (0.001% ethanol). At this concentration, after 48 hours of incubation, melatonin reduced the number of viable cells in relation to controls. The decreased cell proliferation was coincident with a significant increase in the expression of p53 as well as p21WAF1 proteins. These results demonstrate that melatonin inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation by inducing an arrest of cell cycle dependent on an increased expression of p21WAF1 protein, which is mediated by the p53 pathway.     

Adhesion of nonmetastatic and highly metastatic breast cancer cells to endothelial cells exposed to shear stress

The mechanical stimulus of shear stress has to date been neglected when studying the adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium. Confluent monolayers of endothelial cells were subjected to either 4 or 15 hours of arterial shear stress. Adhesion of nonmetastatic (MCF-7) and highly metastatic (MDA-MB-435) human breast cancer cells was then quantified using a detachment assay carried out inside the parallel plate flow chamber. Four hours of shear stress exposure had no effect on adhesion. However, 15 hours of shear stress exposure led to marked changes in the ability of the endothelial monolayer to bind human breast cancer cells. An increase in adhesive strength was observed for nonmetastatic MCF-7 cells, while a decrease in adhesive strength was observed for highly metastatic MDA-MB-435 cells. Hence, endothelial shear stress stimulation does influence the adhesion of cancer cells to the endothelium and can have different effects on the adhesion of cancer cells with different metastatic potentials. Furthermore, adhesion of nonmetastatic and highly metastatic human breast cancer cells may be controlled by two different endothelial cell adhesion molecules that are differentially regulated by shear stress. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that shear stress did in fact differentially regulate endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression.     

Catechol estrogen quinones as initiators of breast and other human cancers: implications for biomarkers of susceptibility and cancer prevention

Exposure to estrogens is associated with increased risk of breast and other types of human cancer. Estrogens are converted to metabolites, particularly the catechol estrogen-3,4-quinones (CE-3,4-Q), that can react with DNA to form depurinating adducts. These adducts are released from DNA to generate apurinic sites. Error-prone base excision repair of this damage may lead to the mutations that can initiate breast, prostate and other types of cancer. The reaction of CE-3,4-Q with DNA forms the depurinating adducts 4-hydroxyestrone(estradiol) [4-OHE1(E2)-1-N3Ade and 4-OHE1(E2)-1-N7Gua. These two adducts constitute more than 99% of the total DNA adducts formed. Increased levels of these quinones and their reaction with DNA occur when estrogen metabolism is unbalanced. Such an imbalance is the result of overexpression of estrogen activating enzymes and/or deficient expression of the deactivating (protective) enzymes. This unbalanced metabolism has been observed in breast biopsy tissue from women with breast cancer, compared to control women. Recently, the depurinating adduct 4-OHE1(E2)-1-N3Ade has been detected in the urine of prostate cancer patients, but not in urine from healthy men. Mutagenesis by CE-3,4-Q has been approached from two different perspectives: one is mutagenic activity in the lacI reporter gene in Fisher 344 rats and the other is study of the reporter Harvey-ras gene in mouse skin and rat mammary gland. A-->G and G-->A mutations have been observed in the mammary tissue of rats implanted with the CE-3,4-Q precursor, 4-OHE2. Mutations have also been observed in the Harvey-ras gene in mouse skin and rat mammary gland within 6-12 h after treatment with E2-3,4-Q, suggesting that these mutations arise by error-prone base excision repair of the apurinic sites generated by the depurinating adducts. Treatment of MCF-10F cells, which are estrogen receptor-alpha-negative immortalized human breast epithelial cells, with E2, 4-OHE2 or 2-OHE2 induces their neoplastic transformation in vitro, even in the presence of the antiestrogen ICI-182,780. This suggests that transformation is independent of the estrogen receptor. The transformed cells exhibit specific mutations in several genes. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas develop when aggressively transformed MCF-10F cells are selected and injected into severe combined immune depressed (SCID) mice. These results represent the first in vitro/in vivo model of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis in human breast epithelial cells. In other studies, the development of mammary tumors in estrogen receptor-alpha knockout mice expressing the Wnt-1 oncogene (ERKO/Wnt-1) provides direct evidence that estrogens may cause breast cancer through a genotoxic, non-estrogen receptor-alpha-mediated mechanism. In summary, this evidence strongly indicates that estrogens can become endogenous tumor initiators when CE-3,4-Q react with DNA to form specific depurinating adducts. Initiated cells may be promoted by a number of processes, including hormone receptor stimulated proliferation. These results lay the groundwork for assessing risk and preventing disease.     

Different effects of estradiol and various antiestrogens on TNF-alpha-induced changes of biochemical markers for growth and invasion of human breast cancer cells

In the field of estrogen therapy breast cancer risk is one of the most controversially discussed topic. Actually, the as yet largest placebo-controlled study, the Women's Health Initiative, rather showed a risk reduction, in contrast to observational studies. In the present study we have investigated the effect of estradiol on TNF-alpha-induced changes of various markers in human breast cancer cells and compare it with the effect of the antiestrogens tamoxifen and 2-methoxyestradiol. MCF-7 cells were used for the experiments, the incubation time was 96 h. TNF-alpha elicited a 3-4-fold increase of monocyte-attracting protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) as compared to the control value, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were enhanced by 30 to 40%. E2 alone had no effect on MCP-1, slightly reduced the synthesis of MMP-9 and increased VEGF concentrations by about 20%. In combination with TNF, E2 induced a further stimulation of MCP-1, IL-8 and VEGF, whereby the MMP-9 synthesis was not changed. Tamoxifen and the endogenous estradiol metabolite 2-methoxyestradiol seem to be able to partly inhibit the action of TNF-alpha and estradiol. Our results suggest that estrogens may slightly increase tumor growth and spreading beyond the effect of chemokines such as TNF-alpha. However, the magnitude of this E2 effect seems to be marginal as compared to the effect of TNF-alpha alone. The risk of recurrence of breast cancer in patients taking hormone therapy after breast cancer may be slightly enhanced by estrogens, but seems mainly to be driven by the potency of still existing tumor cells to secrete chemokines which can stimulate tumor growth and spreading.     

Denbinobin suppresses breast cancer metastasis through the inhibition of Src-mediated signaling pathways

Denbinobin (5-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxy- 1,4-phenanthraquinone), a biologically active chemical isolated from Ephemerantha lonchophylla, has been demonstrated to display anti-cancer activity. Breast cancer is the leading cause of female mortality, and the high mortality is mainly attributable to metastasis. Src kinase activity is elevated in many human cancers, including breast cancer, and is often associated with aggressive disease. In the present study, we examined the anti-metastatic effects of denbinobin through decreasing Src kinase activity in human and mouse breast cancer cells. Denbinobin caused significant block of Src kinase activity in both human and mouse breast cancer cells. Moreover, phosphorylation of the signaling molecules focal adhesion kinase, Crk-associated substrate and paxillin downstream of Src was also inhibited by denbinobin. Furthermore, denbinobin inhibited the in vitro migration, invasion and in vivo metastasis of breast cancers in a mouse metastatic model. The denbinobin-treated group showed a significant reduction in tumor metastasis, orthrotopic tumor volume, and spleen enlargement compared to the control group. In addition, transfection of breast cancer cells with a plasmid coding for a constitutively active Src prevented the denbinobin-mediated phosphorylation of Src and downstream molecules and cell migration. Our findings provide evidences that denbinobin inhibits Src-mediated signaling pathways involved in controlling breast cancer migration and metastasis, suggesting that it has therapeutic potential in breast cancer treatment.     

Response of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer tumorspheres to antiestrogen treatments

Estrogen signaling plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Because the majority of breast carcinomas express the estrogen receptor ERα, endocrine therapy that impedes estrogen-ER signaling reduces breast cancer mortality and has become a mainstay of breast cancer treatment. However, patients remain at continued risk of relapse for many years after endocrine treatment. It has been proposed that cancer recurrence may be attributed to cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (TICs). Previous studies in breast cancer have shown that such cells can be enriched and propagated in vitro by culturing the cells in suspension as mammospheres/tumorspheres. Here we established tumorspheres from ERα-positive human breast cancer cell line MCF7 and investigated their response to antiestrogens Tamoxifen and Fulvestrant. The tumorsphere cells express lower levels of ERα and are more tumorigenic in xenograft assays than the parental cells. Both 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) and Fulvestrant attenuate tumorsphere cell proliferation, but only 4-OHT at high concentrations interferes with sphere formation. However, treated tumorsphere cells retain the self-renewal capacity. Upon withdrawal of antiestrogens, the treated cells resume tumorsphere formation and their tumorigenic potential remains undamaged. Depletion of ERα shows that ERα is dispensable for tumorsphere formation and xenograft tumor growth in mice. Surprisingly, ERα-depleted tumorspheres display heightened sensitivity to 4-OHT and their sphere-forming capacity is diminished after the drug is removed. These results imply that 4-OHT may inhibit cellular targets besides ERα that are essential for tumorsphere growth, and provide a potential strategy to sensitize tumorspheres to endocrine treatment.     

Antiproliferative effect of adiponectin on MCF7 breast cancer cells: a potential hormonal link between obesity and cancer.

Adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipose tissue, circulates at high concentrations in human plasma. Paradoxically, plasma levels of adiponectin are approximately 50% lower in obese than in lean subjects. An association between low plasma levels of adiponectin and higher risk of developing breast and other cancers was recently reported. Obesity and overweight have also been associated with increased mortality from cancer. To test the hypothesis that adiponectin exerts direct antiproliferative and/or pro-apoptotic effects on cancer cells, we used the MCF7 human breast adenocarcinoma cell line. The proliferation rate of the MCF7 cells was measured using the MTT method, while apoptosis was examined by quantifying the DNA fragmentation using an ELISA assay. In addition, adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and AdipoR2 mRNA expression was detected using RT-PCR. Adiponectin diminished the proliferation rate of MCF7 cells; this effect was significant after 48-96 hours of treatment. The presence of receptor expression suggested that the effect of adiponectin on cell proliferation was most likely specific and adiponectin receptor-mediated. Adiponectin induced no apoptosis of MCF7 cells over 48 hours. We conclude that adiponectin inhibits proliferation but causes no apoptosis of MCF7 breast cancer cells. These data suggest that adiponectin may represent a direct hormonal link between obesity and cancer.     

Modulation of MicroRNA-194 and cell migration by HER2-targeting trastuzumab in breast cancer

Trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the extracellular domain of the HER2 oncoprotein, can effectively target HER2-positive breast cancer through several mechanisms. Although the effects of trastuzumab on cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis have been investigated in depth, the effect of trastuzumab on microRNA (miRNA) has not been extensively studied. We have performed miRNA microarray profiling before and after trastuzumab treatment in SKBr3 and BT474 human breast cancer cells that overexpress HER2. We found that trastuzumab treatment of SKBr3 cells significantly decreased five miRNAs and increased three others, whereas treatment of BT474 cells significantly decreased two miRNAs and increased nine. The only change in miRNA expression observed in both cell lines following trastuzumab treatment was upregulation of miRNA-194 (miR-194) that was further validated in vitro and in vivo. Forced expression of miR-194 in breast cancer cells that overexpress HER2 produced no effect on apoptosis, modest inhibition of proliferation, significant inhibition of cell migration/invasion in vitro and significant inhibition of xenograft growth in vivo. Conversely, knockdown of miR-194 promoted cell migration. Increased miR-194 expression markedly reduced levels of the cytoskeletal protein talin2 and specifically inhibited luciferase reporter activity of a talin2 wild-type 3'-untranslated region, but not that of a mutant reporter, indicating that talin2 is a direct downstream target of miR-194. Trastuzumab treatment inhibited breast cancer cell migration and reduced talin2 expression in vitro and in vivo. Knockdown of talin2 inhibited cell migration/invasion. Knockdown of trastuzumab-induced miR-194 expression with a miR-194 inhibitor compromised trastuzumab-inhibited cell migration in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Consequently, trastuzumab treatment upregulates miR-194 expression and may exert its cell migration-inhibitory effect through miR-194-mediated downregulation of cytoskeleton protein talin2 in HER2-overexpressing human breast cancer cells.