Membrane Estrogen Receptors - Improving Predictions of Responsiveness of Breast Cancers to Anti-Estrogenic Therapies
Abstract
An alternative mechanism of action of steroids B action via a membrane form of steroid receptors B is not well studied. The pathway for steroid action is likely to be just as important as the well-studied genomic pathway for predicting responsiveness of cells for a variety of functions. There are basic responses to steroids that have not been fully explained; the most clinically important of these is how a steroid causes a cancer cell to divide. The significance of the membrane form of the estrogen receptor-a (mER) in estrogen-induced cell proliferation is unexplored. If the mER is involved, its measurement should contribute to the accuracy of clinical tests for predicting if breast cancer patients will respond to estrogen-antagonist therapies. We used immunocytochemical strategies to distinguish mER from the nuclear receptor to determine the expression levels and appearance of mER in mER+ and mER- breast cancer cells. We adapted an enzyme-linked detection and quantitation system, nuclear and membrane forms of ERalpha, and made these measurements in mER+, mER-, and wild type MCF-7 cells. We used determinations of cell number to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis responses of mER+, mER-, and wild-type cells to a wide range of concentrations of estrogens.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADB283877
Entities
People
- Cheryl S. Watson
Organizations
- University of Texas Medical Branch