Cellular and molecular targets of estrogen in normal human breast tissue.
To gain insight into the in vivo role of estrogen, we isolated estrogen receptor-positive cells fromnormal human breast tissue using a recombinant adenovirus that expresses green fluorescence protein in response to estrogen. We compared the global gene expression profile of these estrogen receptor-positive cells with that of various normal and cancerous mammary epithelial cells and identified several genes not implicated previously in estrogen signaling. One of these genes, lipocalin 2, is a putative in vivo estrogen target gene and paracrine factor that mediates the growth regulatory effects of estrogen in normal breast epithelium. These results demonstrate that normal and cancerous estrogen receptor-positive cells are distinct at the molecular level and suggest that lipocalin 2 is a new therapeutic target for breast cancer prevention and treatment.
Department of Adult Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Pankaj
P
Seth
Dale
D
Porter
Jaana
J
Lahti-Domenici
Yan
Y
Geng
Andrea
A
Richardson
Kornelia
K
Polyak
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004967:Estrogens; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins