title: Interaction between estrogen receptor alpha and insulin/IGF signaling in breast cancer.
abstract: Estrogens and insulin/Insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) have potent positive effects on the proliferation of mammary epithelial cells and estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells. A cooperative crosstalk between estrogens and insulin/IGF-I signaling pathways exists and it plays a critical role in breast carcinogenesis, tumor cell proliferation, differentiation and survival through the modulation of multiple biological events. The biological effects of estrogens are mainly mediated by the activation of estrogen receptor (ERalpha) whose activity is deeply influenced by the insulin/IGF-I signaling pathway. On the other hand, estrogens enhance insulin signaling by increasing the expression and/or the functional activity of some proteins involved in the insulin/IGF-I pathway. This review will focus on the critical node of the IGF-I network involved in the crosstalk with ERalpha and implicated in breast cancer development and progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaco-Biology, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, 87036, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanzino
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Panno
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mauro
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andò
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sisci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D007328:Insulin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I