Revisiting Progesterone Receptor (PR) Actions in Breast Cancer: Insights into PR Repressive Functions

Publication date: Available online 6 January 2018 Source:Steroids Author(s): Cecilia J. Proietti, Mauro E. Cenciarini, Patricia V. Elizalde Progesterone receptor (PR) is a master regulator in female reproductive tissues that controls developmental processes and proliferation and differentiation during the reproductive cycle and pregnancy. PR also plays a role in progression of endocrine-dependent breast cancer. As a member of the nuclear receptor family of ligand-dependent transcription factors, the main action of PR is to regulate networks of target gene expression in response to binding its cognate steroid hormone, progesterone. Liganded-PR transcriptional activation has been thoroughly studied and associated mechanisms have been described while progesterone-mediated repression has remained less explored. The present work summarizes recent advances in the understanding of how PR-mediated repression is accomplished in breast cancer cells and highlights the significance of fully understanding the determinants of context-dependent PR action.
Source: Steroids - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research