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Patient-derived luminal breast cancer xenografts retain hormone receptor heterogeneity and help define unique estrogen-dependent gene signatures.

ABSTRACT: Bypassing estrogen receptor (ER) signaling during development of endocrine resistance remains the most common cause of disease progression and mortality in breast cancer patients. To date, the majority of molecular research on ER action in breast cancer has occurred in cell line models derived from late stage disease. Here we describe patient-derived ER+ luminal breast tumor models for the study of intratumoral hormone and receptor action. Human breast tumor samples obtained from patients post surgery were immediately transplanted into NOD/SCID or NOD/SCID/ILIIrg(-/-) mice under estrogen supplementation. Five transplantable patient-derived ER+ breast cancer xenografts were established, derived from both primary and metastatic cases. These were assessed for estrogen dependency, steroid receptor expression, cancer stem cell content, and endocrine therapy response. Gene expression patterns were determined in select tumors ±estrogen and ±endocrine therapy. Xenografts morphologically resembled the patient tumors of origin, and expressed similar levels of ER (5-99 %), and progesterone and androgen receptors, over multiple passages. Four of the tumor xenografts were estrogen dependent, and tamoxifen or estrogen withdrawal (EWD) treatment abrogated estrogen-dependent growth and/or tumor morphology. Analysis of the ER transcriptome in select tumors revealed notable differences in ER mechanism of action, and downstream activated signaling networks, in addition to identifying a small set of common estrogen-regulated genes. Treatment of a naïve tumor with tamoxifen or EWD showed similar phenotypic responses, but relatively few similarities in estrogen-dependent transcription, and affected signaling pathways. Several core estrogen centric genes were shared with traditional cell line models. However, novel tumor-specific estrogen-regulated potential target genes, such as cancer/testis antigen 45, were uncovered. These results evoke the importance of mapping both conserved and tumor-unique ER programs in breast cancers. Furthermore, they underscore the importance of primary xenografts for improved understanding of ER+ breast cancer heterogeneity and development of personalized therapies.

SUBMITTER: Kabos P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3818141 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Patient-derived luminal breast cancer xenografts retain hormone receptor heterogeneity and help define unique estrogen-dependent gene signatures.

Kabos Peter P Finlay-Schultz Jessica J Li Chunling C Kline Enos E Finlayson Christina C Wisell Joshua J Manuel Christopher A CA Edgerton Susan M SM Harrell J Chuck JC Elias Anthony A Sartorius Carol A CA

Breast cancer research and treatment 20120724 2

Bypassing estrogen receptor (ER) signaling during development of endocrine resistance remains the most common cause of disease progression and mortality in breast cancer patients. To date, the majority of molecular research on ER action in breast cancer has occurred in cell line models derived from late stage disease. Here we describe patient-derived ER+ luminal breast tumor models for the study of intratumoral hormone and receptor action. Human breast tumor samples obtained from patients post s ...[more]

PMID: 22821401

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Project description:"Despite the success of the aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in treating estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, 15-20% of patients receiving adjuvant AIs will relapse within 5-10 years of treatment initiation. Long term estrogen deprivation (LTED) of breast cancer cells in culture has been successfully used to mimic AI-induced estrogen depletion to dissect mechanisms of AI resistance. However, we hypothesized that a subset of patients receiving AI therapy may maintain low circulating concentrations of estrogens that influence the development of endocrine resistance. We sought to expand established LTED models to account for these observations. MCF-7 cells were grown in medium with charcoal stripped serum supplemented with defined concentrations of E2 or the estrogenic androgen metabolite 3βAdiol. Cells were selected in the EC10 and EC90 of E2 or 3βAdiol, or estrogen deprived. Estrogen-independence was evaluated during selection by assessing cell growth in the absence or presence of E2 or 3βAdiol. Following >7 months of selection, estrogen-independence developed in estrogen-deprived cells and cells maintained in low concentrations of steroid hormone. Functional analyses demonstrated that estrogen-deprived and low-steroid selected cells developed estrogen-independence via unique mechanisms, independent and dependent of ERα, respectively. Estrogen-independent growth in low-steroid selected cells could be blocked by kinase inhibitors. However, these cells were completely resistant to kinase inhibition in the presence of low steroid hormone concentrations. These data offer a novel perspective on the development of resistance to AI therapy, and may yield novel approaches to treat AI-resistant tumors. MCF-7 cells were selected for >7months in IMEM+10% Charcoal Stripped FBS, supplmented with defined steroid hormone conditions. Following outgrowth of estrogen-independent cells, cell lines were grown in estrogen-free conditions and gene expression analysis was performed to identify drivers of estrogen-independent growth. Cells were assessed in biological triplicates."

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Patient-derived luminal breast cancer xenografts retain hormone receptor heterogeneity and help define unique estrogen-dependent gene signatures.

Publications

Patient-derived luminal breast cancer xenografts retain hormone receptor heterogeneity and help define unique estrogen-dependent gene signatures.

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