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Updated: Jan 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
Published on: June 9, 2023
Serotonin promotes aggressive features in breast cancer cells by modulating proliferation and migration, hormone
Larissa Pereira Paixão1, José Xavier do Nascimento Junior1, Maria Eduarda Sant'Ana Faria Do Espírito Santo1
1The MetaboliZSm GrouP, Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil.
Abstract:
Serotonin (5-HT), a key regulator of epithelial homeostasis, plays a paradoxical role in breast cancer progression. This study investigates the impact of 5-HT signaling on hormone receptor expression, cell proliferation, therapeutic response, and tumor aggressiveness in breast cancer cells. We demonstrate that 5-HT activates transcriptional factors in MCF-7 cells, collectively enhancing cancer hallmarks such as sustained proliferation and invasiveness. Notably, 5-HT downregulates mRNA expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2, inducing a phenotype reminiscent of triple-negative breast cancer. Despite these phenotypic changes, acute 5-HT treatment does not impair the effectiveness of tamoxifen in vitro. In vivo, administration of fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, accelerates tumor growth and increases malignancy in a murine model. These findings underscore the ability of 5-HT to reprogram hormone receptors expression profiles and to promote a more aggressive cancer phenotype.
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