AIM: We studied the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms expression in gastric antrum and corpus of female gerbils and their regulation by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4). METHODS: Ovari...AIM: We studied the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms expression in gastric antrum and corpus of female gerbils and their regulation by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4). METHODS: Ovariectomized adult female gerbils were subcutaneously treated with E2, and E2 + P4. Uteri and stomachs were removed, the latter were cut along the greater curvature, and antrum and corpus were excised. Proteins were immunoblotted using antibodies that recognize ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PR-A and PR-B receptor isoforms. Tissues from rats treated in the same way were used as controls. RESULTS: Specific bands were detected for ER-alpha (68 KDa), and PR isoforms (85 and 120 KDa for PR-A and PR-B isoforms, respectively) in uteri, gastric antrum and corpus. We could not detect ER-beta isoform. PR isoforms were not regulated by E2 or P4 in uterus and gastric tissues of gerbils. ER-alpha isoform content was significantly down-regulated by E2 in the corpus, but not affected by hormones in uterus and gastric antrum. CONCLUSION: The presence of ER-alpha and PR isoforms in gerbils stomach suggests that E2 and P4 actions in this organ are in part mediated by their nuclear receptors.展开更多
RU-486 is an abortifacient which is used to terminate early pregnancy. It acts by blocking progesterone receptor. In our earlier study with progesterone, RU-486 was used as a progesterone receptor antagonist to find o...RU-486 is an abortifacient which is used to terminate early pregnancy. It acts by blocking progesterone receptor. In our earlier study with progesterone, RU-486 was used as a progesterone receptor antagonist to find out the mechanism of progesterone action on melanoma cells. Results indicated that the effect of progesterone was not mediated through progesterone receptor. In the course of experiments, it was observed that RU-486 by itself inhibited mouse melanoma cell growth. Further research work with RU-486 showed a dose dependent inhibition of human melanoma cell growth. The mechanism of inhibition of cell growth was due to apoptosis and this effect of RU-486 was neither mediated through progesterone receptor nor glucocorticoid receptor. This in-vitro study suggested that melanoma also could be a target for RU-486 action, apart from breast, ovary and prostate cancers.展开更多
Background This study was designed in an attempt to determine the influence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on estrogen receptor （ER）, progesterone receptor （PR）, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 （Her-2）, an...Background This study was designed in an attempt to determine the influence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on estrogen receptor （ER）, progesterone receptor （PR）, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 （Her-2）, and Ki-67 expressions in patients with breast cancer. Methods Pre- and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy, paired-tumor specimens from 103 patients with breast cancer administrated with anthracycline or anthracycline combined taxane regimen were collected. Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, Her-2, and Ki-67 was performed by the DAKO EnVision method. Results Among the 103 cases, five patients （4.9%） had a complete response （CR）, 82 （79.6%） partial response （PR）, 15 （14.6%） stable disease （SD）, and one （0.9%） progressive disease （PD）, yielding an overall response rate （CR ＋ PR） of 84.5%. Nine patients achieved pathological CR. There was a significant decrease in the average index of Ki-67 post- neoadjuvant chemotherapy, compared with that before chemotherapy （24.1% vs. 39.7%, P 〈0.001）. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the changes of Ki-67 in different subtypes of breast cancer were different （P 〈0.001）, and these changes correlated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy （P 〈0.001）. No significant changes in immunohistochemical expression were observed for ER, PR and Her-2. Conclusions Neoadjuvant chemotherapy apparently reduced Ki-67 index in primary breast carcinomas, but profiles for ER, PR and Her-2 were not significantly different before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The change of Ki- 67 correlated with molecular subtypes and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting that Ki-67 index was a surrogate marker to predict the treatment response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.展开更多
Background: Breast cancer is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous disease with multiple subtypes. The classification of these subtypes has evolved over the years. The most common and widely accepted classificati...Background: Breast cancer is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous disease with multiple subtypes. The classification of these subtypes has evolved over the years. The most common and widely accepted classification of breast cancer is from an immunohistochemical perspective, based on the expression of the following hormone receptors: Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR) and Human Epidermal Growth Factor (HER2). Accordingly, the following four subtypes of breast cancer are widely recognized—Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 Enriched and Triple Negative. Breast cancer management approaches include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted hormone therapy necessitated by molecular subtyping. Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of adherence to breast cancer molecular subtyping among women with breast cancer attending tertiary health facilities in Imo State. Methodology: Immunohistochemistry reports of women with breast cancer attending tertiary health facilities in Imo State were retrieved from patient’s case files. Tissue blocks were also retrieved from tissue block archives of both hospitals for women who did not take up immunohistochemistry services after their initial diagnosis and also those whose immunohistochemistry reports were not found in their case files. Results: Among the 121 women that participated in the study, there were in all 74 (61.2%) had molecular subtyping of their tumour blocks. Up to 45 (37.2%) did not go for molecular subtyping of their tumour blocks while 2 (1.7%) were not sure whether they had or not. Conclusion: It, therefore, depicts that the rate of uptake was found as 61.2% among the participants and there is a need to create more awareness of the importance of molecular subtyping, which necessitates the use of targeted hormone therapy.展开更多
文摘AIM: We studied the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms expression in gastric antrum and corpus of female gerbils and their regulation by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4). METHODS: Ovariectomized adult female gerbils were subcutaneously treated with E2, and E2 + P4. Uteri and stomachs were removed, the latter were cut along the greater curvature, and antrum and corpus were excised. Proteins were immunoblotted using antibodies that recognize ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PR-A and PR-B receptor isoforms. Tissues from rats treated in the same way were used as controls. RESULTS: Specific bands were detected for ER-alpha (68 KDa), and PR isoforms (85 and 120 KDa for PR-A and PR-B isoforms, respectively) in uteri, gastric antrum and corpus. We could not detect ER-beta isoform. PR isoforms were not regulated by E2 or P4 in uterus and gastric tissues of gerbils. ER-alpha isoform content was significantly down-regulated by E2 in the corpus, but not affected by hormones in uterus and gastric antrum. CONCLUSION: The presence of ER-alpha and PR isoforms in gerbils stomach suggests that E2 and P4 actions in this organ are in part mediated by their nuclear receptors.
文摘RU-486 is an abortifacient which is used to terminate early pregnancy. It acts by blocking progesterone receptor. In our earlier study with progesterone, RU-486 was used as a progesterone receptor antagonist to find out the mechanism of progesterone action on melanoma cells. Results indicated that the effect of progesterone was not mediated through progesterone receptor. In the course of experiments, it was observed that RU-486 by itself inhibited mouse melanoma cell growth. Further research work with RU-486 showed a dose dependent inhibition of human melanoma cell growth. The mechanism of inhibition of cell growth was due to apoptosis and this effect of RU-486 was neither mediated through progesterone receptor nor glucocorticoid receptor. This in-vitro study suggested that melanoma also could be a target for RU-486 action, apart from breast, ovary and prostate cancers.
文摘Background This study was designed in an attempt to determine the influence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on estrogen receptor （ER）, progesterone receptor （PR）, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 （Her-2）, and Ki-67 expressions in patients with breast cancer. Methods Pre- and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy, paired-tumor specimens from 103 patients with breast cancer administrated with anthracycline or anthracycline combined taxane regimen were collected. Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, Her-2, and Ki-67 was performed by the DAKO EnVision method. Results Among the 103 cases, five patients （4.9%） had a complete response （CR）, 82 （79.6%） partial response （PR）, 15 （14.6%） stable disease （SD）, and one （0.9%） progressive disease （PD）, yielding an overall response rate （CR ＋ PR） of 84.5%. Nine patients achieved pathological CR. There was a significant decrease in the average index of Ki-67 post- neoadjuvant chemotherapy, compared with that before chemotherapy （24.1% vs. 39.7%, P 〈0.001）. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the changes of Ki-67 in different subtypes of breast cancer were different （P 〈0.001）, and these changes correlated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy （P 〈0.001）. No significant changes in immunohistochemical expression were observed for ER, PR and Her-2. Conclusions Neoadjuvant chemotherapy apparently reduced Ki-67 index in primary breast carcinomas, but profiles for ER, PR and Her-2 were not significantly different before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The change of Ki- 67 correlated with molecular subtypes and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting that Ki-67 index was a surrogate marker to predict the treatment response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
文摘Background: Breast cancer is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous disease with multiple subtypes. The classification of these subtypes has evolved over the years. The most common and widely accepted classification of breast cancer is from an immunohistochemical perspective, based on the expression of the following hormone receptors: Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR) and Human Epidermal Growth Factor (HER2). Accordingly, the following four subtypes of breast cancer are widely recognized—Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 Enriched and Triple Negative. Breast cancer management approaches include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted hormone therapy necessitated by molecular subtyping. Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of adherence to breast cancer molecular subtyping among women with breast cancer attending tertiary health facilities in Imo State. Methodology: Immunohistochemistry reports of women with breast cancer attending tertiary health facilities in Imo State were retrieved from patient’s case files. Tissue blocks were also retrieved from tissue block archives of both hospitals for women who did not take up immunohistochemistry services after their initial diagnosis and also those whose immunohistochemistry reports were not found in their case files. Results: Among the 121 women that participated in the study, there were in all 74 (61.2%) had molecular subtyping of their tumour blocks. Up to 45 (37.2%) did not go for molecular subtyping of their tumour blocks while 2 (1.7%) were not sure whether they had or not. Conclusion: It, therefore, depicts that the rate of uptake was found as 61.2% among the participants and there is a need to create more awareness of the importance of molecular subtyping, which necessitates the use of targeted hormone therapy.
