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Endocrine Treatment of Breast Cancer pp 45–58Cite as

Studies on Mechanisms of Estrogen and Antiestrogen Action in Human Breast Cancer

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Abstract

Since the original identification of cytoplasmic estrogen receptors (ER) in human breast cancer (Jensen et al., 1971), rapid progress has been made towards linking presence of the receptor with endocrine responsiveness of the tumor. It is now known that the likelihood of a successful response to endocrine therapy is increased at least tenfold in patients whose tumors are positive for ER (ER+) (McGuire et al., 1975). However, not all ER-containing tumors respond, and this has led to the concept that ER are necessary but not sufficient markers of hormone dependence. We have demonstrated progesterone receptors (PgR) in human breast tumors (Horwitz et al., 1975a) and have proposed that this receptor, whose synthesis is known to be controlled by estrogen in the uterus, might serve as a marker of estrogen action in breast cancer (Horwitz et al., 1975b). Thus, the presence of PgR in a tumor would indicate that the entire sequence involving estrogen binding to cytoplasmic receptor, movement of the receptor complex into the nucleus, and stimulation of a specific end product can be achieved in the tumor cell, and would rule out the existence of a defect beyond the binding step. Though this proposal assumes that PgR are under control of estrogen acting through ER, this priming effect had not been demonstrated in human breast cancer. We have used the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line to study the response of PgR to estrogens and antiestrogens. The MCF-7 cell line, derived from a patient with metastatic breast cancer (Soule et al., 1973), is ideally suited to study the mechanism of PgR induction. These cells are in permanent tissue culture, contain ER (Brooks et al., 1973; Horwitz et al., 1975a), and are estrogen-responsive (Lippman et al., 1976).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Science Center, The University of Texas, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78284, USA

    K. B. Horwitz & W. L. McGuire

Authors
  1. K. B. Horwitz
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  2. W. L. McGuire
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chirurgische Klinik, Klinikum der Universität Heidelberg, Kirschnerstraße 1, D-6900, Heidelberg 1, Germany

    B. Henningsen  & F. Linder  & 

  2. ICI-Pharma, Clinical Research, Postfach 103109, D-6900, Heidelberg 1, Germany

    C. Steichele

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© 1980 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Horwitz, K.B., McGuire, W.L. (1980). Studies on Mechanisms of Estrogen and Antiestrogen Action in Human Breast Cancer. In: Henningsen, B., Linder, F., Steichele, C. (eds) Endocrine Treatment of Breast Cancer. Recent Results in Cancer Research / Fortschritte der Krebsforschung / Progrès dans les recherches sur le cancer, vol 71. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-81406-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-81406-8_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-81408-2

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