Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Profiling of Estrogen-regulated MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Cells
16:24

Profiling of Estrogen-regulated MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Cells

Published on: February 21, 2014

Estrogen receptors and cell proliferation in breast cancer

D R Ciocca1, M A Fanelli

  • 1Laboratory of Reproduction and Lactation (LARLAC), Regional Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CRICYT), Mendoza 5500, Argentina.

Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism: TEM
|April 15, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Estrogen receptors (ERs) mediate many estrogen effects on mammary cells, controlling proliferation via cell cycle pathways. Further research is needed to understand these complex interactions and their clinical implications in breast cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Estrogen's role in mammary cell proliferation is primarily mediated by estrogen receptors (ERs).
  • Alternative, non-ER pathways also contribute to estrogen's effects on mammary cells.
  • Estrogens influence key regulators of the cell cycle, including protooncogenes, growth factors, cyclins, p53, and BRCA1.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of estrogen action on cell proliferation.
  • To discuss the clinical implications of these mechanisms in breast cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on estrogen action in mammary cells.
  • Focus on pathways involving estrogen receptors (ERs) and non-ER pathways.
  • Analysis of estrogen's effects on cell cycle regulators.

Main Results:

  • Estrogens, via ERs and other pathways, regulate genes and proteins controlling cell cycle entry and progression.
  • Estrogens impact both positive regulators (protooncogenes, cyclins) and negative regulators (p53, BRCA1) of the cell cycle.
  • Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for breast cancer research.

Conclusions:

  • Estrogen's control of mammary cell proliferation involves intricate ER-dependent and ER-independent pathways.
  • Elucidating the integration of these pathways is a key challenge for future research.
  • These mechanisms have significant clinical implications for breast cancer treatment and management.

More Related Videos

Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer10:36

Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer

Published on: March 17, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors01:31

Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors

Nuclear receptors, or NRs, are unique transcription factors that regulate gene transcription and affect the cellular pathways involved in reproduction, development, or metabolism. Their ability to be stimulated by small lipophilic ligands and control vital cellular processes makes them ideal drug targets. Nearly 10-15% of currently prescribed drugs target these receptors.
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Target Cell Response to Hormones01:22

Target Cell Response to Hormones

Hormones intricately bind to receptors on the surface or within target cells, initiating a cascade of cellular responses.
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...