Estrogen-responsive genes overlap with triiodothyronine-responsive genes in a breast carcinoma cell line

ScientificWorldJournal. 2014 Jan 23:2014:969404. doi: 10.1155/2014/969404. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

It has been well established that estrogen plays an important role in the progression and treatment of breast cancer. However, the role of triiodothyronine (T₃) remains controversial. We have previously shown its capacity to stimulate the development of positive estrogen receptor breast carcinoma, induce the expression of genes (PR, TGF-alpha) normally stimulated by estradiol (E₂), and suppress genes (TGF-beta) normally inhibited by E₂. Since T₃ regulates growth hormones, metabolism, and differentiation, it is important to verify its action on other genes normally induced by E₂. Therefore, we used DNA microarrays to compare gene expression patterns in MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells treated with E₂ and T₃. Several genes were modulated by both E₂ and T₃ in MCF-7 cells (Student's t-test, P < 0.05). Specifically, we found eight genes that were differentially expressed after treatment with both E₂ and T₃, including amphiregulin, fibulin 1, claudin 6, pericentriolar material 1, premature ovarian failure 1B, factor for adipocyte differentiation-104, sterile alpha motif domain containing 9, and likely ortholog of rat vacuole membrane protein 1 (fold change > 2.0, pFDR < 0.05). We confirmed our microarray results by real-time PCR. Our findings reveal that certain genes in MCF-7 cells can be regulated by both E₂ and T₃.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Carcinoma / genetics*
  • Estrogens / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Triiodothyronine / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Estrogens
  • Triiodothyronine