Genomic and non-genomic effects of glucocorticoids: implications for breast cancer.

Genomic and non-genomic effects of glucocorticoids: implications for breast cancer. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2015;8(1):1-10 Authors: Mitre-Aguilar IB, Cabrera-Quintero AJ, Zentella-Dehesa A Abstract Glucocorticoids (GC) are essential steroid hormones for human life. They regulate a series of important processes by binding with three glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and activating genomic and non-genomic pathways. Activated cytoplasmic GR can directly bind DNA and transactivate or transrepress specific genes. Additionally, it can interact with other transcription factors to affect gene expression indirectly. The two membrane GR can interact with mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases or activate cAMP and Ca(2+)-dependent pathways, respectively. Glucocorticoids have been widely used as co-treatment of patients with breast cancer (BC) due to reduction of chemotherapy-induced side effects such as nausea, lack of appetite, and inflammation. However, GC may exert a direct effect on tumor response to chemotherapy. In vitro, GC inhibits chemotherapy, radiation and cytokine-induced apoptosis by upregulating antiapoptotic genes and detoxifying proteins. They also upregulate the proto-oncogene c-fms, tumor suppressor gene Nm23, several members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway and the estrogen sulfotransferase signaling pathway, thus indirectly inhibiting estrogen receptor activation. They inhibit the proangiogenic gene (vascul...
Source: Clinical Breast Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Int J Clin Exp Pathol Source Type: research