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Estrogen receptor-mediated direct stimulation of colon cancer cell growth in vitro
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555.
Abstract:
In vivo and epidemiological data suggest a mitogenic role for estrogens (E) in colon cancer. The presence of estrogen receptor (ER) and ER mRNA in colonic epithelium and colon cancer cells, make it necessary to explore the possible direct effects of E on colon cancer growth. In this study, a 15-mer oligodoxynucleotide (oligo) antisense to the region of the translation start codon of estrogen receptor mRNA inhibited ER expression in a mouse colon cancer cell line (MC-26), as determined by receptor binding assay. Antisense oligo also decreased ER mRNA levels in MC-26 cells. The growth-stimulatory effect of E was abolished by antisense oligo treatment, demonstrating that the ER is directly involved in the regulation of colon cancer cell growth.