Project description:Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevailing type of cancer among women in the world. ERα protein, which is transcribed and translated by estrogen receptor gene ESR1, is one of the marker molecules for clinical classification of BC. However, whether circRNAs specifically expressed in hormone receptor-positive BC play a role which is independent of ERα (estrogen receptor alpha) protein activity and signaling pathways is unknown. Whether these circRNAs could impinge on the sensitivity of ER+ BC cells to the endocrine therapy and targeted drug therapy is also unexplored.By screening circRNAs involved in estrogen receptor (ER) signaling, circESR1 was identified as a circRNA exhibiting high specificity of expression in ER+ breast cancer. Our studies elucidate a novel signaling complex centering around circESR1 and HNRNPAB in ER+ breast cancer and suggest that circESR1 might represent a potential therapeutic target for this disease.
Project description:This study is intended to investigate the differences in biological molecular expression upon HER2 status (HER2-positive and –negative) in AR-positive, ER-/PR-negative breast cancer. Results indicate that differentially expressed genes were involved in olfactory transduction, major histocompatibility complex, ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, adherens junction, as well as protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum.
Project description:Estrogen receptor (ER) signaling–dependent cancer cell growth is one of the major features of ER-positive breast cancer (BC). Inhibition of ER function is a standard and effective treatment for ER-positive tumors; however, ~20% of patients with ER-positive BC experience early or late recurrence. In this study, we examined intertumor heterogeneity from an epigenetic perspective based on the hypothesis that the intrinsic difference in epigenetic states around ER signaling pathway underlies endocrine therapy resistance. We profiled chromatin accessibility data from 42 BC samples, including 35 ER-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative and 7 triple-negative tumors, identifying a subgroup of ER-positive BCs with a distinctive chromatin accessibility pattern including reduced accessibility to ER-responsive elements (EREs). The same subgroup was also observed in The Cancer Genome Atlas BC cohort. Despite the reduced accessibility to EREs, the expression of ER and potential ER target genes were not decreased in these tumors. Our findings highlight the existence of a subset of ER-positive BCs with unchanged ER expression but reduced EREs accessibility that cannot be distinguished by conventional immunostaining for ER. Future studies should determine whether these tumors are associated with resistance to endocrine therapy.
Project description:RanBP2 type and C3HC4 type zinc finger containing protein 1 (RBCK1,) is a 58 kDa protein containing N-terminal ubiquitin like (UBL) domain, npl4 type zinc finger (NZF) domain and catalytic carbon terminal RBR domain. It is known that it has abnormal expression in tumors, making it a valuable diagnostic marker and drug target. A large number of studies have confirmed that in ER positive breast cancer, about 25%-40% of the tumor showed a visible hypoxia area. Under hypoxia, tumor cells can activate HIF1 pathway and widely activate the expression of downstream genes. Hypoxia inducible factor HIF-1 is composed of HIF-1α and HIF-1β Two subunits, The protein level of HIF-1α is precisely regulated by oxygen concentration. Here, we report RBCK1, a RING family ubiquitin ligase that regulates HIF1α, promoting ER positive breast cancer growth and inhibiting apoptosis. Deletion of RBCK1 inhibits ER positive breast cancer growth and promotes cell death. RNA sequencing analysis showed that in ER positive breast cancer, RBCK1 may be an important modifier of HIF1α signal pathway. Further experiments showed that RBCK1 and HIF1α Interacts and inhibits HIF1α polyubiquitination to inhibit HIF1α degradation in ER positive breast cancer cells. These finding reveals a novel direct HIF1α regulator and a potential therapeutic target for ER positive breast cancer.
Project description:Diagnostic samples from female breast cancer patients with ER-positive and HER2-normal tumors selected for neoadjuvant chemotehrapy.
