The changes of estrogen receptor-beta variants expression in breast carcinogenesis: Decrease of estrogen receptor-beta2 expression is the key event in breast cancer development.
OBJECTIVE
Although more than five variant forms of estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) have been identified, their role has not been identified. This study was carried out to investigate the changes of ERbeta variants in breast cancer development.


METHODS
Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and triple primer PCR (TP-PCR), the expression levels of ERbeta variants mRNA were measured in 66 paired normal and cancer tissues. The relative expression level of ERbeta variants were compared between normal and cancer tissues, and also compared according to various clinicopathological parameters.


RESULTS
Among ERbeta variants, ERbeta2 and ERbeta5 consist of the major proportion of ERbeta expression both in normal and cancer tissues. The ERbeta and ERbeta2 expression levels decreased significantly in the cancers compared with corresponding normal tissues, particularly in ERalpha-expressing cancers. However, ERbeta5 expression level increased significantly in the cancers, especially in those of postmenopausal patients. The relative increase of ERbeta5 expression in cancer tissues was associated with favorable differentiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Decrease of ERbeta2 is thought to be the key reason for the decrease in ERbeta expression in cancer tissues, and it is particularly associated with the development of ERalpha-expressing breast cancer.
Park
Byeong-Woo
BW
Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-ku, Seoul, Korea. bwpark@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Kim
Ki-Suk
KS
Heo
Min-Kyu
MK
Yang
Woo-Ick
WI
Kim
Seung Il
SI
Kim
Joo-Hang
JH
Kim
Gwi Eon
GE
Lee
Kyong Sik
KS
D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm