Laboratory Medicine ›› 2022, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (4): 342-348.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8640.2022.04.008

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Role of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in reversing endocrine resistance of breast cancer

YE Jingwen1, SHEN Yunyue2, LIU Yiwen1, HE Yiqing1, DU Yan1, ZHANG Guoliang1, GAO Feng2, YANG Cuixia2()   

  1. 1. Central Laboratory,Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital,Shanghai 200233,China
    2. Department of Clinical Laboratory,Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital,Shanghai 200233,China
  • Received:2022-01-09 Revised:2022-03-04 Online:2022-04-30 Published:2022-06-07
  • Contact: YANG Cuixia

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in reversing endocrine resistance of breast cancer. Methods Tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cell lines,MCF-7/TAMR and T47D/TAMR,were established by human breast cancer cell lines,MCF-7 and T47D. The differences of cell proliferation and the expression of related MAPK/ERK signaling pathway molecules between MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR,T47D and T47D/TAMR were investigated. The suppressive effect of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MEK) inhibitor U0126 on MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in MCF-7/TAMR and T47D/TAMR was observed through the analysis of cell proliferation,cell cycle and transfactor expression. Results Compared with naïve MCF-7 or T47D cells,the proliferation and colony formation were increased (P<0.05,P<0.000 1),and the expression of related MAPK/ERK signaling pathway molecules [phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase(pERK),ERK and c-MYC] was strongly increased. Suppressing MAPK/ERK signaling pathway by MEK inhibitor U0126,the growth of MCF7/TAMR or T47D/TAMR was decreased (P<0.000 1),and cell cycle was arrested. The relative gene expression of transcription factors,steroid receptor coactivator-1(SRC-1),E26 oncogene homolog-2(ETS-2) and c-JUN,and the expressions of their proteins were decreased by MEK inhibitor U0126(P<0.01). Conclusions The inhibition of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway could reverse the endocrine resistance of breast cancer cells,which can provide a reference for the treatment of patients with endocrine resistant breast cancer.

Key words: Mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated protein kinase signaling pathway, Transcription factor, Endocrine resistance, Breast cancer

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