title: Com-1/P8 in oestrogen regulated growth of breast cancer cells, the ER-beta connection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Com-1 is a molecule that has recently discovered to have putative action on the metastatic nature of cancer cells. The current study investigated the impact of Com-1 on oestrogen regulated cell growth of breast cancer cells and explored the potential link between Com-1 and ER-beta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Full length Com-1 cDNA was isolated from normal mammary tissues. Ribozyme transgenes that specifically targeted human Com-1 were constructed using the pEF6/V5-His vector. Expression of Com-1 was assessed at both mRNA and protein levels. Interaction of Com-1 with other candidate molecules was studied using immunoprecipitation and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elimination of Com-1 by way of ribozyme transgenes results in breast cancer cells with increased rate of growth and increased invasive potential. In contrast, over-expression of Com-1 in the cancer cells had an opposite effect. In ER-alpha-negative/ER-beta positive MDA MB-231 cells, elimination of Com-1 caused more vigorous growth in response to 17-beta-estradiol. However, the effect of Com-1 modification on MCF-7, which is positive for both ER-alpha and ER-beta, was less clear. Protein interaction analysis has indicated that the Com-1 and ER-beta were mutually co-precipitated with each other in breast cancer cells. Immunocytochemical staining revealed that Com-1 was primarily present in the nucleus, with some degree of cytoplasmic staining, and that the distribution of Com-1 was identical to that of ER-beta. 17-Beta-estradiol stimulation resulted in reduction of nucleic staining of Com-1. This reduction of nucleic Com-1 can be reverted when ubiquitin inhibitor, ubiquitin aldehyde or the lactacystin proteosome inhibitor was present, suggesting a pivotal role of the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway in the Com-1/ER-beta complex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Com-1 plays a tumour suppressor role in breast cancer cells and is involved in oestrogen-regulated cell growth. This action is potentially exerted by interacting with ER-beta, in human breast cancer cells. The fate of Com-1 can be dually regulated by oestrogen and ubiquitin pathway.
authors.affiliation: Metastasis and Angiogenesis Research Group, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF4 4XN, UK. jiangw@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Wen G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Gaynor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Oystein
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fodstad
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D025801:Ubiquitin; C491643:NUPR1 protein, human