Coexpression of estrogen receptor α and β : Poor prognostic factors in human breast cancer?

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 1999-02, Vol.59 (3), p.525-528
• Main Authors: SPEIRS, V, PARKES, A. T, KERIN, M. J, WALTON, D. S, CARLETON, P. J, FOX, J. N, ATKIN, S. L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Breast - ultrastructure; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - ultrastructure; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Estrogen Receptor beta; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Protein Isoforms; Receptors, Estrogen - biosynthesis; Receptors, Estrogen - classification; Reference Values; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tumors
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445

The cloning of a second estrogen receptor (ER), ER beta, has prompted a reevaluation of the role of ERs in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of both ER isoforms in normal (n = 23) and malignant (n = 60) human breast tissue by reverse transcription-PCR and correlate this information with known prognostic factors including tumor grade and node status. In normal breast tissue, expression of ER beta predominated, with 22% of samples exclusively expressing ER beta; this was not observed in any of the breast tumor samples investigated. Most breast tumors expressed ER alpha, either alone or in combination with ER beta. Interestingly, those tumors that coexpressed ER alpha and ER beta were node positive (P = 0.02; Fisher's exact test) and tended to be of higher grade. Because antiestrogens are agonists when signaling through the AP1 element, overexpression of ER beta in tumors expressing both ER subtypes may explain the failure of antiestrogen therapy in some breast cancer patients. Thus, ER beta may be a useful prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer.