title: From bench to bedside: future potential for the translation of prolactin inhibitors as breast cancer therapeutics.
abstract: A role for prolactin (PRL) in the pathogenesis of breast cancer has been confirmed at the cellular level in vitro, with multiple transgenic and knockout models in vivo, and within sizable patient populations through epidemiologic analysis. It is the obvious "next step" that these findings are translated into meaningful therapies to block PRL/PRLr function in human breast cancer. Several broad categories of PRL/PRLr antagonists are discussed in their pre-clinical context, including inhibitors of endocrine PRL elaboration, mutant ligand antagonists, ligand chimeras, and inhibitors of PRL-induced signaling and transactivation. The clinical potential for GHr antagonists are also discussed. These varied approaches all have demonstrated as proof-of-principle that PRL/PRLr antagonism can inhibit the in vitro and in vivo growth of breast cancer. Further pre-clinical development is required for most, however, before translation to clinical trials in breast cancer patients can occur.
authors.affiliation: Diana, Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. clevenger@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Charles V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Clevenger
authors.forename: Jiamao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Jablonski
authors.forename: Traci L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Galbaugh
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D011388:Prolactin