Connecting estrogen receptor function, transcriptional repression, and E-cadherin expression in breast cancer.
A recent paper in Cell (Fujita et al., 2003) demonstrates that MTA3, a novel component of the Mi-2/NuRD transcriptional repression complex, is an estrogen receptor-regulated inhibitor of the Snail zinc finger transcription factor in breast cancer. Given the important role of Snail in repressing E-cadherin transcription and the function of E-cadherin as a tumor suppressor protein and regulator of epithelial architecture, the findings offer potentially significant new insights into cancer pathogenesis.
Fearon
Eric R
ER
Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics and the Cancer Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. fearon@umich.edu
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015820:Cadherins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C486657:MTA3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors