雌激素受体β在乳腺癌生长中的作用研究进展

Research Progress in the Roles of Estrogen Receptor beta in the Growth of Breast Cancer

雌激素受体β(ERβ)是雌激素受体的另一亚型。众多体内外实验证明,ERβ与乳腺癌的生长有密切联系。ERβ低表达会促进乳腺癌增殖,介导转移,还能抑制乳腺癌细胞的凋亡。临床数据证明,ERβ在乳腺癌患者的癌旁组织中表达高于癌组织,且与乳腺癌患者的总生存率相关。ERβ与雌激素受体α(ERα)、表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)、孕激素受体(PR)均有密切联系:ERα和ERβm RNA平均表达水平比值(ERβ/ERα)升高,对抗癌药物有拮抗作用,反之则有协同作用;ERβ的表达量受PR调节,并能通过EGFR及下游信号通路,抑制上皮-间充质转化。临床乳腺癌样本表明,ERβ低表达可能与启动子甲基化有关。因此,采用药物调节ERβ的表达以及敏感性,是具有很大临床价值的潜在治疗手段。综述ERβ以及ERβ与相关受体之间的联系在乳腺癌生长中的作用。

Estrogen receptor beta （ERβ） is one subtype of estrogen receptors. Extensive in vitro and in vivo experiments have indicated that ERI] is involved in the growth of breast cancer. Reduced expression of ERβ induces proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer ceils, but inhibits their apoptosis. Clinical data suggests that ERβ is overexpressed in paratumor tissues compared with cancer tissues in breast cancer patients. It is also related to the overall survival of breast cancer patients. ERβ has a close relation with ERa, epidermal growth factor receptor（EGFR） and progesterone receptoffPR）. When there is a high ratio of ERα/ERβ, counteraction to anticancer drugs appears, while synergism appears when the ratio is low. PR can regulate the expression of ERβ and inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition（EMT） through EGFR and its downstream signaling. Study on clinical samples of breast cancer suggested that low expression of ERβ was possibly related to promoter methylation. Therefore, regulating the expression or sensitivity of ERβ is expected to be a potential therapy with great clinical value.This review focused on the roles of ERβ and its relationships with correlated receptors in the growth of breast cancer.