Gonadotropin-releasing hormone type II antagonist induces apoptosis in MCF-7 and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
20630060
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer does not express estrogen and progesterone receptors, and no overexpression/amplification of the HER2-neu gene occurs. Therefore, this subtype of breast cancer lacks the benefits of specific therapies that target these receptors. Today chemotherapy is the only systematic therapy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. About 50% to 64% of human breast cancers express receptors for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which might be used as a target. New targeted therapies are warranted. Recently, we showed that antagonists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone type II (GnRH-II) induce apoptosis in human endometrial and ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. This was mediated through activation of stress-induced mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), followed by activation of proapoptotic protein Bax, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of caspase-3. In the present study, we analyzed whether GnRH-II antagonists induce apoptosis in MCF-7 and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells that express GnRH receptors. In addition, we ascertained whether knockdown of GnRH-I receptor expression affects GnRH-II antagonist-induced apoptosis and apoptotic signaling.
Date Issued
2010
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Gründker, Carsten | |
Föst, Crispin | |
Fister, Stefanie | |
Nolte, Nadine | |
Emons, Günter |
Additional Credits
Journal
Breast cancer research
Publisher
BioMed Central Ltd.
ISSN
1465-5411
Access(Rights)
open.access