title: Interferon-beta can induce progesterone receptors in human endometrial adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The induction of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PGR) has been reported in breast and endometrial cancer cells exposed to human fibroblast interferon-beta (hIFN-beta). Clinical verification of this finding might provide the rationale for new therapeutic approaches. This study was designed to evaluate whether clinical treatment with high doses of hIFN-beta induced ER and PGR in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two biopsies were obtained, 1 before and 1 after hIFN-beta treatment (3 x 10(6) i.m. every other day for 3 weeks) from 36 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. ER and PGR were determined with standard procedures using radiolabeled ligands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hIFN-beta treatment did not affect the proportion of ER-positive (i.e., >15 fmol/mg protein) or PGR-positive (i.e., >20 fmol/mg protein) cases. However, in patients with detectable ER and PGR at baseline, hIFN-beta raised the levels. Using a 35% difference before and after therapy as a cut-off, 72 and 79% of cases had increases in ER and PGR, respectively. The difference was highly significant for PGR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma with undetectable ER or PGR, hIFN-beta did not induce the expression of these receptors. When the receptors were present they were upregulated by hIFN-beta. Whether this increase in receptor levels, particularly PGR, has therapeutic applications remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Codegoni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Landoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lomonico
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangioni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taverna
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lucchini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Incalci
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016899:Interferon-beta