title: Effects of short-term antiestrogen treatment of primary breast cancer on estrogen receptor mRNA and protein expression and on estrogen-regulated genes.
abstract: Effects of the pure antiestrogen ICI182780 and tamoxifen on ER-protein, ER-mRNA, and estrogen-regulated mRNA expression were analysed using matched pretreatment core-cut biopsies and post-treatment mastectomy samples from 43 ER positive human breast cancers. Sixteen controls received either no preoperative treatment (n = 9) (7 days) or placebo (n = 7) (median 21 days) prior to primary surgery. Nineteen patients received ICI182780 6 mg/day (n = 10) or 18 mg/day (n = 9) for 7 days. Eight patients were given preoperative tamoxifen (4 x 40 mg-day 1, 20 mg/day thereafter, median 21 days). ER-protein expression was assessed on pre and post treatment samples by immunocytochemistry. ER, pS2, pLIV1, and actin-mRNA expression was determined by northern analysis on post-treatment samples only. ER-mRNA levels were similar to controls following ICI182780 or tamoxifen treatment. However ER-protein levels were significantly suppressed by ICI182780, particularly at the higher dosage (p = 0.0013). Tamoxifen had no significant effect on ER-protein levels. The ER-mRNA and ER-protein contents of control tumors were linearly related (Spearman r = 0.719, p = 0.006). A similar relationship between pretreatment protein and post ICI182780 treatment mRNA levels was observed (r = 0.652, p = 0.005). However, comparison of post ICI182780 treatment protein and mRNA results shows a loss of linearity through a reduction in protein without concurrent loss of mRNA (r = 0.28, p = 0.257). pS2 mRNA hybridization was lower in ICI182780 treated samples than controls (Mann-Whitney p = 0.035) but was unaffected by tamoxifen. pLIV1 mRNA hybridization was uninfluenced by either treatment. Short term exposure of breast tumors to ICI182780 appears to produce a greater inhibition of estrogen-induced transcriptional events than tamoxifen. These effects appear to occur without a concurrent reduction in ER mRNA levels.
authors.affiliation: Tenovus Cancer Research Centre, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dowsett
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Blamey
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wakeling
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D004967:Estrogens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol