Cholesterol biosynthesis pathway as a novel mechanism of resistance to estrogen deprivation in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer
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ABSTRACT: Therapies targeting estrogenic stimulation in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) reduce mortality, but resistance remains a major clinical problem. Molecular studies have shown few high frequency mutations to be associated with endocrine resistance. In contrast, expression profiling of primary ER+ BC samples has identified several promising signatures/networks for targeting. In this study, the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway was the common upregulated pathway in the ER+ LTED but not ER- LTED cell lines, suggesting a potential mechanism dependent on continued ER expression. Targeting the individual genes of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway with siRNAs caused a 30-50% drop in proliferation. Further analysis showed increased expression of 25-hydroxycholesterol (HC) in the MCF7 LTED cells. Exogenous 25-HC or 27-HC increased ER mediated-transcription and expression of the endogenous estrogen-regulated gene TFF1 in ER+ LTED cells but not in the ER-negative LTED. Additionally, recruitment of the ER and CREB-binding protein (CBP) to the TFF1 promoter was increased upon treatment with 25-HC and 27-HC. In silico analysis of 704 primary ER+ BC patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen showed increased expression of MSMO1 (p=0.047), EBP (p=0.043), SQLE (p=0.000009), and IDI1 (p=0.0005), enzymes required for cholesterol synthesis and increased in our in vitro models of endocrine resistance, to be associated with poor relapse-free survival. In contrast, no association was identified in over 700 patients with ER-negative BC. Taken together, these data provide support for the role of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes and the cholesterol metabolites, 25-HC and 27-HC, in a novel mechanism of resistance to endocrine therapy in ER+ BC that has potential as a therapeutic target.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE75971 | GEO | 2016/05/20
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA305878
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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