Leptin interferes with the effects of the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer development in postmenopausal women and correlates with shorter disease-free and overall survival in breast cancer patients, regardless of menopausal status. Adipose tissue is a major source of leptin, a cytokine regulating energy balance and controlling different processes in peripheral tissues, including breast cancer cell growth. Here, we investigated whether leptin can counteract antitumorigenic activities of the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 in breast cancer cells.


METHODS
Mitogenic response to leptin and the effects of leptin on ICI 182,780-dependent growth inhibition were studied in MCF-7 estrogen receptor alpha-positive breast cancer cells. The expression of leptin receptor and the activation of signaling pathways were studied by Western immunoblotting. The interference of leptin with ICI 182,780-induced estrogen receptor alpha degradation was probed by Western immunoblotting, fluorescence microscopy, and pulse-chase experiments. Leptin effects on estrogen receptor alpha-dependent transcription in the presence and absence of ICI 182,780 were studied by luciferase reporter assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation.


RESULTS
MCF-7 cells were found to express the leptin receptor and respond to leptin with cell growth and activation the signal transducers and activators of transcription 3, extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, and Akt/GSK3/pRb pathways. The exposure of cells to 10 nmol/L ICI 182,780 blocked cell proliferation, induced rapid estrogen receptor alpha degradation, inhibited nuclear estrogen receptor alpha expression, and reduced estrogen receptor alpha-dependent transcription from estrogen response element-containing promoters. All of these effects of ICI 182,780 were significantly attenuated by simultaneous treatment of cells with 100 ng/mL leptin.


CONCLUSIONS
Leptin interferes with the effects of ICI 182,780 on estrogen receptor alpha in breast cancer cells. Thus, high leptin levels in obese breast cancer patients might contribute to the development of antiestrogen resistance.
Garofalo
Cecilia
C
Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
Sisci
Diego
D
Surmacz
Eva
E
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004967:Estrogens; C515448:LEPR protein, human; D020738:Leptin; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D025801:Ubiquitin; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol; D008156:Luciferases; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3