title: Growth hormone receptor blockade inhibits growth hormone-induced chemoresistance by restoring cytotoxic-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells independently of estrogen receptor expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GH and IGF-I play a role in breast cancer (BC) development. We previously demonstrated that GH protects the estrogen receptor (ER) positive BC-derived MCF7 cell line toward the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin (D), independently of IGF-I. This issue may be important in ER negative BC cells that are more aggressive and more likely to develop chemoresistance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether GH may impact chemoresistance phenotype of ER-negative BC-derived MDA-MB-231 cell line and investigate the possible mechanisms implicated in the protective action of GH toward the cytotoxic effects of D in both ER-positive and ER-negative BC-derived cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GH protects ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells from the cytotoxic effects of D and GH receptor antagonist pegvisomant reduces GH-induced DNA synthesis also in these cells. In both MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cells, GH does not revert D-induced G2/M accumulation but significantly reduces basal and D-induced apoptosis, an effect blocked by pegvisomant. Glutathione S-transferase activity is not implicated in the protective effects of GH, whereas D-induced apoptosis depends on c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) activation. GH reduces both basal and D-stimulated JNK transcriptional activity and phosphorylation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In human BC cell lines, GH directly promotes resistance to apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic drugs independently of ER expression by modulating JNK, further broadening the concept that GH excess may hamper cytotoxic BC treatment. These findings support the hypothesis that blocking GH receptor may be viewed as a potential new therapeutic approach to overcome chemoresistance, especially in ER-negative BC.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Advanced Therapies, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minoia
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gentilin
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molè
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filieri
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tagliati
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: degli Uberti
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zatelli
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C406545:pegvisomant