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Mechanisms of EGF receptor regulation in breast cancer cells

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Abstract

Overexpression of the EGF receptor in breast cancer correlates with poor prognosis and failure on endocrine therapy for both ER−/EGFR+ and ER+/EGFR+ tumors, suggesting a role for EGFR in the progression to hormone independence. The identification of specific DNase I hypersensitive site patterns for the EGFR gene in ER+ vs. ER− cells implicates regions of the EGFR first intron in up-regulation of EGFR, while estrogen regulation studies indicate the involvement of a repressor(s) in the maintenance of low levels of EGFR. Based on these findings, a multi-step model is proposed for the progression of breast cancer from a hormone-dependent, ER+/EGFR- phenotype to an aggressive, hormone-independent, ER−/EGFR+ stage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lombardi Cancer Research Center and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, S-124A, Georgetown University, 3800 Reservoir Rd., NW, 20007, Washington, DC, USA

    Susan A. Chrysogelos, Ronit I. Yarden & Jane M. Murphy

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, 55905, Rochester, MN, USA

    Andrea H. Lauber

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  1. Susan A. Chrysogelos
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  2. Ronit I. Yarden
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  3. Andrea H. Lauber
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  4. Jane M. Murphy
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Chrysogelos, S.A., Yarden, R.I., Lauber, A.H. et al. Mechanisms of EGF receptor regulation in breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Tr 31, 227–236 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00666156

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