title: New perspectives into the biological and clinical relevance of oestrogen receptors in the human breast.
abstract: Oestrogen receptor (ER) is arguably the single most important biological predictive factor that exists today. In the last 10 years or so, however, our understanding of ER biology has undergone a paradigm shift following the identification of a second ER, ERbeta, with the original ER being renamed ERalpha. A number of isoforms have additionally been described, especially for ERbeta. Our knowledge of ER signalling has also increased with the recognition of accessory co-regulatory proteins, which help direct the transcriptional cascade. Here we outline these changes and discuss what biological and clinical implications these could have in the mammary gland.
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, Wellcome Trust Brenner Building, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Speirs
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, Robert Kilpatrick Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, PO Box 65, Leicester LE2 7LX, UK.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000503:physiopathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D066246:ErbB Receptors