Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
9
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-6-2
pubmed:abstractText
The uterine endometrium responds to unopposed estrogen stimulation with rapid cell proliferation. Progesterone protects the endometrium against the hyperplastic effects of estradiol (E2) through progesterone receptors (PRs), of which two isoforms are expressed: human (h) PRA and PRB. hPRB has a longer NH2 terminus and may function differently from hPRA. Thus, the relative expression of hPRA:hPRB is likely to be important for the action of progesterone. We hypothesized that the hPRA:hPRB ratios may be abnormal in endometrial cancer, leading to a lack of normal progesterone protection against the growth-promoting effects of E2. To test this hypothesis, well-differentiated Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells were compared to poorly differentiated Hec50 and KLE cells. Reverse transcription-PCR was chosen as a sensitive method to detect transcripts for the two forms of PR. The relative expression of PR isoforms under hormonal stimulation was determined by Western blotting. Transient transfections of hPRA and hPRB into endometrial cells allowed the evaluation of the transcriptional activity of each isoform independently on reporter gene transcription under the control of a simple progesterone response element-containing promoter. The effect of coexpressing the estrogen receptor on PR expression was also studied. Ishikawa cells (well-differentiated) express both hPRA and hPRB. Both isoforms, but predominantly hPRB, are up-regulated by E2 and not by tamoxifen or the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780. Hec50 and KLE cells (poorly differentiated) express only hPRA. No hPRB is present in the poorly differentiated cells, and it is not induced by estrogen receptor expression and/or estrogen treatment. In all cells, hPRB expression, whether endogenous or produced as a result of transfection, acts as a stronger transcription factor than hPRA on a simple progesterone-dependent promoter. We speculate that down-regulation of hPRB may predict for poorly differentiated endometrial cancers that do not respond to progestin therapy.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
0008-5472
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
58
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1860-5
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Selective down-regulation of progesterone receptor isoform B in poorly differentiated human endometrial cancer cells: implications for unopposed estrogen action.
pubmed:affiliation
The Reproductive Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 80262, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't