?reason to look for androgen-receptors on ER-PR- breast cancers?

[Lani]

Am J Surg. 2006 May;191(5):576-80. Related Articles, Links

Transgenic introduction of androgen receptor into estrogen-receptor-, progesterone-receptor-, and androgen-receptor-negative breast cancer cells renders them responsive to hormonal manipulation.

Garreau JR, Muller P, Pommier R, Pommier S.

Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Sciences University, 3181 S. W. Sam Jackson Park Rd., L223A, Portland, OR 97201, USA.

BACKGROUND: Estrogen-receptor (ER)-, progesterone-receptor (PR)-, and androgen-receptor (AR)-negative breast cancer cells are unaffected by treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) and an aromatase inhibitor (AI). We hypothesized that cell growth would be inhibited with DHEAS/AI treatment after successful transfection of an AR expression vector. METHODS: ER/PR/AR-negative breast cancer cells were transfected with an AR expression vector and treated with DHEAS/AI for 2 days. Growth inhibition of these cells was compared with that of transfected cells treated with only AI or with nontransfected cells treated with DHEAS/AI. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Cell death rates of 53.5% (P = .001) and 40.1% (P = .006) were seen in transfected cells treated with DHEAS/AI compared with controls for days 1 and 2, respectively. Nontransfected cells were unaffected by treatment. COMMENTS: ER/PR/AR-negative cells transfected with AR were killed by DHEAS/AI treatment, providing evidence that AR is responsible for this effect. This provides the first AR-targeted hormonal therapy for ER breast cancer.

PMID: 16647340 [PubMed - in process]