title: Progesterone acts via the progesterone receptor to induce adamts proteases in ovarian cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ovarian carcinomas, usually associated with sex hormones dysregulation, are the leading cause of gynecological neoplastic death. In normal ovaries, hormones play a central role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. On the other hand, hormonal alterations also play a variety of roles in cancer. Stimulation by sex hormones potentially affects gene expression, invasiveness, cell growth and angiogenesis. Proteases of the "a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs" (ADAMTS) family are secreted by different cell types and become involved in collagen processing, cleavage of the proteoglycan matrix, and angiogenesis. We evaluated whether sex hormones affect ADAMTS 1 and 4 expression in ovarian cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed mRNA and protein levels in human ovarian tumor cells with different degrees of malignancy, NIH-OVCAR-3 and ES-2, that were treated or not with estrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results suggest that progesterone increases ADAMTS protein and mRNA levels in the lysates from ES-2 cells, and it increases ADAMTS protein in the lysates and conditioned media from NIH-OVCAR-3. Progesterone effects were reversed by RU486 treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that progesterone acts via the progesterone receptor to modulate ADAMTS 1 and 4 levels in ovarian cancer cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Cell and Developmental Biology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICB), University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 1524, Biomédicas 1, room 428, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil. maira.alima@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Maíra A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Cell and Developmental Biology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICB), University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 1524, Biomédicas 1, room 428, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil. suelyvieira_silva@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Suély V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Cell and Developmental Biology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICB), University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 1524, Biomédicas 1, room 428, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil. vfreitas@usp.br.
authors.forename: Vanessa M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; D000071121:ADAMTS4 Protein; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms; D011348:Procollagen N-Endopeptidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000502:physiology*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D015735:Mifepristone; D011374:Progesterone; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071097:ADAMTS1 Protein; C103859:ADAMTS1 protein, human; D011348:Procollagen N-Endopeptidase; D000071121:ADAMTS4 Protein