Project description:Global proteomic profiling of three mammary epithelial cell types in normal human breast tissue. Primary breast specimens were obtained from 10 women undergoing reduction mammoplasties. Clinical co-variates include age (28-67), hormone status (follicular, luteal, post-menopausal) and mammary epithelial cell type (basal, luminal progenitor, mature luminal).
Project description:In breast cancer models, combination epigenetic therapy with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor and a histone deacetylase inhibitor led to reexpression of genes encoding important therapeutic targets, including the estrogen receptor (ER). We conducted a multicenter phase II study of 5-azacitidine and entinostat in women with advanced hormone-resistant or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Purpose: In breast cancer models, combination epigenetic therapy with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor and a histone deacetylase inhibitor led to re-expression of genes encoding important therapeutic targets including the estrogen receptor (ER). We conducted a multicenter phase II study of 5-azacitidine (AZA) and entinostat in women with advanced hormone-resistant or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Patients and Methods: Patients received AZA 40 mg/m2 (days 1-5, 8-10) and entinostat 7 mg (days 3,10) of 28 day cycle. Continuation of epigenetic therapy was offered with addition of endocrine therapy at time of progression (optional continuation, OC phase). Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in each cohort. We hypothesized that ORR would be >20% against null of 5% using Simon two-stage design. At least 1 response was required in 1st of 13 patients per cohort to continue accrual to 27 per cohort. Type I error 4%, power 90%. Results: There was one partial response among 27 women with hormone-resistant disease (ORR=4%, 95% CI=0-19%), and none in 13 women with TNBC. One additional partial response was observed in the OC phase in the hormone-resistant cohort (n=12). Mandatory tumor samples were obtained pre- and post-treatment (58% paired) with either up- or down-regulation of ER observed in approximately 50% of post-treatment biopsies in the hormone-resistant, but not TNBC cohort. Conclusion: Combination epigenetic therapy was well tolerated but our primary endpoint was not met. OC phase results suggest that some women benefit from epigenetic therapy and/or reintroduction of endocrine therapy beyond progression but further study is needed.
Project description:The role of estrogen and testosterone in the regulation of gene expression in the proximal reproductive tract is not completely understood. To address this question, mice were treated with testosterone or estradiol and RNA from the efferent ducts and caput epididymis was processed and hybridized to Affymetrix MOE 430 2.0 microarrays. Analysis of array output identified probe sets in each tissue with altered levels in hormone treated versus control animals. Hormone treatment efficacy was confirmed by determination of serum hormone levels pre- and post-treatment and observed changes in transcript levels of previously reported hormone-responsive genes. Tissue-specific hormone sensitivity was observed with 2867 and 3197 probe sets changing significantly in the efferent ducts after estrogen and testosterone treatment, respectively. In the caput epididymis, 117 and 268 probe sets changed after estrogen and testosterone treatment, respectively, demonstrating a greater response to hormone in the efferent ducts than the caput epididymis. Transcripts sharing similar profiles in the intact and hormone-treated animals compared with castrated controls were also identified. Ontological analysis of probe sets revealed a significant number of hormone-regulated transcripts encode proteins associated with lipid metabolism, transcription and steroid metabolism in both tissues. Real-time RT-PCR was employed to confirm array data and investigate other potential hormone-responsive regulators of proximal reproductive tract function. The results of this work reveal previously unknown responses to estrogen in the caput epididymis and to testosterone in the efferent ducts as well as tissue specific hormone sensitivity in the proximal reproductive tract.
Project description:Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) is associated with many diseases and conditions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of 4 types of HT on gene transcription. 24 women (6 women in 4 treatment groups) received 2 mg 17β-estradiol combined with 1 mg noresthisterone acetate (NETA), 1 mg 17β-estradiol combined with 0.5 mg NETA, tibolone, or raloxifene hydrochloride. RNA was isolated from whole blood before treatment (baseline) and after 6 weeks on treatment. The changes in mRNA from baseline to 6 weeks were assessed with a microarray chip.
Project description:Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) is associated with many diseases and conditions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of 4 types of HT on gene transcription. 24 women (6 women in 4 treatment groups) received 2 mg 17M-NM-2-estradiol combined with 1 mg noresthisterone acetate (NETA), 1 mg 17M-NM-2-estradiol combined with 0.5 mg NETA, tibolone, or raloxifene hydrochloride. RNA was isolated from whole blood before treatment (baseline) and after 6 weeks on treatment. The changes in mRNA from baseline to 6 weeks were assessed with a microarray chip. 4 treatment groups with 6 women in each group were blood sampled before treatment (baseline) and after 6 weeks on treatment, that is a total of 48 samples. The gene expression data at 6 weeks were compared to the expression data at baseline for each treatment.
Project description:Combined menopausal hormone therapy is associated with increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. In our previous studies, progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) was shown to play a role in progestins’ mode of action, resulting in enhanced proliferation of breast cancer cells. Here we describe a potential mechanism by which PGRMC1 contributes to breast cancer progression via interaction with prohibitins, inhibiting their function as transcription factor repressors, thereby facilitating estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) transcriptional activity and enhancing oncogenic signaling upon treatment with certain progestins, such as norethisterone and dydrogesterone.
Project description:Background. Vaginal atrophy (VA) is the thinning of the vaginal epithelial lining, typically the result of lowered estrogen levels during menopause. Some of the consequences of VA include increased susceptibility to bacterial infection, pain during sexual intercourse, and vaginal burning or itching. Although estrogen treatment is highly effective, alternative therapies are also desired for women who are not candidates for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The ovariectomized (OVX) rat is widely accepted as an appropriate animal model for many estrogen-dependent responses in humans; however, since reproductive biology can vary significantly between mammalian systems, this study examined how well the OVX rat recapitulates human biology at the transcriptional level. This report describes an analysis of expression profiling data, comparing the responses of rat and human vaginae to estrogen treatment. Results. The level of differential expression between pre- vs. post- estrogen treatment was calculated for each of the human and OVX rat datasets. Probe sets corresponding to orthologous rat and human genes were mapped to each other using NCBI Homologene. A positive correlation was observed between the rat and human responses to estrogen. Genes belonging to several biological pathways and GO categories were similarly differentially expressed in rat and human. A large number of the coordinately regulated biological processes are already known to be involved in human VA, such as inflammation, epithelial development, and EGF pathway activation. Conclusions. At the transcriptional level, there is evidence of significant overlap of the effects of estrogen treatment between the OVX rat and human VA samples. Keywords: Disease State Analysis: Animal Model Validation We analyzed vaginal biopsies from 19 woman pre and post 3 month estradiol treatment and compared to OVX rats treated with E2 for 6 hr, 3 days or 5 days (N=5)
Project description:The role of estrogen and testosterone in the regulation of gene expression in the proximal reproductive tract is not completely understood. To address this question, mice were treated with testosterone or estradiol and RNA from the efferent ducts and caput epididymis was processed and hybridized to Affymetrix MOE 430 2.0 microarrays. Analysis of array output identified probe sets in each tissue with altered levels in hormone treated versus control animals. Hormone treatment efficacy was confirmed by determination of serum hormone levels pre- and post-treatment and observed changes in transcript levels of previously reported hormone-responsive genes. Tissue-specific hormone sensitivity was observed with 2867 and 3197 probe sets changing significantly in the efferent ducts after estrogen and testosterone treatment, respectively. In the caput epididymis, 117 and 268 probe sets changed after estrogen and testosterone treatment, respectively, demonstrating a greater response to hormone in the efferent ducts than the caput epididymis. Transcripts sharing similar profiles in the intact and hormone-treated animals compared with castrated controls were also identified. Ontological analysis of probe sets revealed a significant number of hormone-regulated transcripts encode proteins associated with lipid metabolism, transcription and steroid metabolism in both tissues. Real-time RT-PCR was employed to confirm array data and investigate other potential hormone-responsive regulators of proximal reproductive tract function. The results of this work reveal previously unknown responses to estrogen in the caput epididymis and to testosterone in the efferent ducts as well as tissue specific hormone sensitivity in the proximal reproductive tract. Adult animals were castrated or sham-castrated, allowed to recover for 14 days, and then treated with 0.015 mg estradiol (castrated), 0.015 mg testosterone propionate (castrated), or vehicle (castrated and sham-castrated as biological controls) in duplicate. Efferent duct and caput epididymis was collected from each sample and analyzed. Duplicates are included in the provided data and numbered 1 or 2 for each treatment regimen.