Interferon-beta can induce progesterone receptors in human endometrial adenocarcinoma.
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.
Codegoni
A M
AM
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
Landoni
F
F
Lomonico
S
S
Losa
G
G
Mangioni
C
C
Taverna
M
M
Lucchini
V
V
D'Incalci
M
M
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*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016899:Interferon-beta