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Effects of estrogen on apoptotic pathways in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7
1Laboratory of Nutritional and Molecular Regulation, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, NIH, Maryland 21702-1201, USA.
Abstract:
We utilized a reverse transcription-PCR method to examine the effect of estrogen on the expression of mRNA for Bcl-2 and Bax, two modulatory proteins in the apoptotic pathway, in human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. We found that the bcl-2 mRNA levels in the cells exposed to 17 beta-estradiol were higher than those of control cells. Although the relative bax mRNA levels remained unchanged, the changes in bcl-2 mRNA level occurred in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. In addition, pretreatment with 17 beta-estradiol protected MCF-7 cells from apoptosis. Our study provides evidence that responses of breast epithelial cells toward a steroid sex hormone involve regulation of the apoptotic pathway.