Dihydrotestosterone affects the growth of hormone-unresponsive breast cancer cells: an indirect action.
Cell to cell interaction, which plays a crucial role in breast cancer growth, may be regulated by steroid hormones. This study examined dihydrotestosterone (DHT) effects on the interaction between the steroid receptor positive MCF-7 and the steroid receptor negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The growth of MDA-MB-231 cells was inhibited by medium conditioned by MCF-7 cells grown in presence of DHT but not by medium conditioned by MCF-7 cells grown in presence of both DHT and the antiandrogen hydroxyflutamide. Trypsin pretreatment of conditioned medium abolished its growth-inhibitory effect on hormone-unresponsive cells. DHT itself did not affect the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells when directly added to their culture medium. Data suggest that DHT stimulates, via the androgen receptor, the androgen-responsive breast cancer cells to produce a peptide factor(s) capable of inhibiting the growth of hormone-unresponsive cells.
Di Monaco
M
M
Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
Leonardi
L
L
Gatto
V
V
Gallo
M
M
Brignardello
E
E
Boccuzzi
G
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004967:Estrogens; D005260:Female; D005485:Flutamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000473:pathology*; D011374:Progesterone; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004967:Estrogens; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; C014290:hydroxyflutamide; D011374:Progesterone; D005485:Flutamide