title: Human chorionic gonadotropin decreases human breast cancer cell proliferation and promotes differentiation.
abstract: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein produced by placental trophoblasts. Previous studies indicated that hCG could be responsible for the pregnancy-induced protection against breast cancer in women. It is reported that hCG decreases proliferation and invasion of breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Our research also demonstrates that hCG can reduce the proliferation of MCF-7 cells by downregulating the expression of proliferation markers, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and proliferation-related Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67). Interestingly, we find here that hCG elevates the state of cellular differentiation, as characterized by the upregulation of differentiation markers, β-casein, cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and E-cadherin. Inhibition of hCG secretion or luteinizing hormone/hCG receptors (LH/hCGRs) synthesis can weaken the effect of hCG on the induction of cell differentiation. Furthermore, hCG can suppress the expression of estrogen receptor alpha. hCG activated receptor-mediated cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A signaling pathway. These findings indicated that a protective effect of hCG against breast cancer may be associated with its growth inhibitory and differentiation induction function in breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Ministry of Education and Tianjin, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China; Institute of Biology and Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xing-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ting-Bao
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wen-Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Dong-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan-Qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Long-Yue
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Tong-Cun
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000502:physiology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000378:metabolism; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015290:Second Messenger Systems
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D002364:Caseins; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; C506487:ESR1 protein, human; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D053538:Keratin-18; D011974:Receptors, LH; C071927:perlecan; D000242:Cyclic AMP
keywords: MCF-7 cells; breast cancer; cell differentiation; human chorionic gonadotropin