Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer
10:36

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

Published on: March 17, 2016

Chromatin landscape and endocrine response in breast cancer

Luca Magnani1, Mylène Brunelle, Nicolas Gévry

  • 1Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital-University Health Network & the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Epigenomics
|December 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic changes, not just genetic mutations, drive resistance to endocrine therapies in estrogen receptor α-positive breast cancer. Understanding these epigenetic mechanisms is key to overcoming treatment failure.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Estrogen receptor α (ERα) drives over two-thirds of breast cancers.
  • Endocrine therapies targeting ERα are standard treatments, but resistance is common and linked to poor outcomes.
  • While pathway crosstalk is implicated, it doesn't fully explain treatment resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of epigenetic modifications in endocrine therapy resistance.
  • To explore how chromatin landscape alterations impact ERα expression and activity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on epigenetics and ERα in breast cancer.
  • Analysis of mechanisms linking epigenetic alterations to ERα modulation.
  • Consideration of chromatin remodeling in endocrine resistance.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic events are increasingly recognized as crucial in cancer initiation and progression.
  • Alterations in epigenetic marks and chromatin structure can affect ERα expression levels.
  • Changes in the genomic activity of ERα due to epigenetic modifications contribute to resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic modifications represent a significant, underappreciated mechanism driving endocrine therapy resistance in ERα-positive breast cancer.
  • Targeting epigenetic alterations may offer novel therapeutic strategies to overcome treatment resistance and improve patient prognosis.

More Related Videos

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues10:41

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

Published on: April 5, 2018

An Ex vivo Model to Study Hormone Action in the Human Breast12:31

An Ex vivo Model to Study Hormone Action in the Human Breast

Published on: January 8, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Chromatin Position Affects Gene Expression02:35

Chromatin Position Affects Gene Expression

Chromatin is the massive complex of DNA and proteins packaged inside the nucleus. The complexity of chromatin folding and how it is packaged inside the nucleus greatly influences  access to genetic information. Generally, the nucleus' periphery is considered transcriptionally repressive, while the cell's interior is considered a transcriptionally active area. 
Topologically Associated Domains (TADs)
The 3-dimensional positioning of chromatin in the nucleus influences the timing and level of...
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...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
Euchromatin01:01

Euchromatin

The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...