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Choudhury AR, Nagesh AM, Gupta S, Chaturvedi PK, Kumar N, Sandeep K, Pandey D. MicroRNA signature of stromal-epithelial interactions in prostate and breast cancers. Exp Cell Res 2024; 441:114171. [PMID: 39029573 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Stromal-epithelial communication is an absolute necessity when it comes to the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of solid tissues, including the prostate and breast. So far, signalling pathways of several growth factors have been investigated. Besides such chemical factors, non-coding RNAs such as miRNAs have recently gained much interest because of their variety and complexity of action. Prostate and breast tissues being highly responsive to steroid hormones such as androgen and estrogen, respectively, it is not surprising that a huge set of available literature critically investigated the interplay between such hormones and miRNAs, especially in carcinogenesis. This review showcases our effort to highlight hormonally-related miRNAs that also somehow perturb the regular stromal-epithelial interactions during carcinogenesis in the prostate and breast. In future, we look forward to exploring how hormonal changes in the tissue microenvironment bring about miRNA-mediated changes in stromal-epithelial interactome in carcinogenesis and cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Roy Choudhury
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India; Department of Biology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - A Muni Nagesh
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Surabhi Gupta
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Neeraj Kumar
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kumar Sandeep
- Department of Preventive Oncology, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Pandey
- Department of Reproductive Biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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2
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Mishra A, Mishra SK, Sharanappa V, Krishnani N, Kumari N, Agarwal G. Incidence and Prognostic Significance of Androgen Receptors (AR) in Indian Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Indian J Surg Oncol 2024; 15:250-257. [PMID: 38741650 PMCID: PMC11088609 DOI: 10.1007/s13193-024-01877-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular sub-characterization of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has great therapeutic and possibly prognostic implications. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype of TNBC and secondary aims were sub-categorization and clinico-pathologic correlation of LAR breast cancers. Retrospective study (January 2008 and 31st of December 2018) consisting of 157 TNBC patients. Androgen receptor (AR) expression was measured by immunohistochemical analysis. One percent cutoff was set as a positive expression. Sub-categorization was done on the basis of EGFR (> 15% of tumor cells) and Ki-67 expression (low- < 11%, intermediate- 11-20%, and high- > 21%). AR expression was correlated with various clinico-pathologic features and outcomes of the patients. The incidence of AR expression in TNBC was 24.8%. Considering different thresholds of > 5%, > 10%, and > 20% immunostaining, the incidence of AR positivity was 18.4, 15.2, and 11.5% respectively. The incidence of Ki-67 (p = 0.89) and EGFR (p = 0.643) expression did not differ significantly in AR-positive and -negative TNBC. Based on EGFR expression 19, 67 and 14% patients were categorized as low, intermediate, and high risk respectively. Low-risk (p ≤ 0.001) and low-grade (p = 0.014) tumors were more likely to have > 10% AR expression. Clinico-pathological profile, response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, disease-free survival (p = 0.458), and overall survival (p = 0.806) did not significantly differ between AR expressing and negative TNBC. On multivariate analysis, only tumor staging was a significant predictor of survival (p = 0.012) and AR expression of > 10% revealed a trend towards improved survival (p = 0.07). When considering only AR-positive TNBC, AR expression of > 10% (p = 0.038), distant metastases (p = 0.003), and EGFR status (p = 0.024) were significantly associated with survival. AR expression does not seem to very strongly correlate with prognosis in TNBC and further studies could focus more on its predictive role in deciding anti-androgen therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Mishra
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
| | - Shravan Kumar Mishra
- Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
| | - Vikram Sharanappa
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
| | - Narendra Krishnani
- Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
| | - Niraj Kumari
- Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
| | - Gaurav Agarwal
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, 226014 India
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3
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Crespo B, Illera JC, Silvan G, Lopez-Plaza P, Herrera de la Muela M, de la Puente Yagüe M, Diaz del Arco C, Illera MJ, Caceres S. Androgen and Estrogen β Receptor Expression Enhances Efficacy of Antihormonal Treatments in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1471. [PMID: 38338747 PMCID: PMC10855276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype is characterized by the lack of expression of ERα (estrogen receptor α), PR (progesterone receptor) and no overexpression of HER-2. However, TNBC can express the androgen receptor (AR) or estrogen receptor β (ERβ). Also, TNBC secretes steroid hormones and is influenced by hormonal fluctuations, so the steroid inhibition could exert a beneficial effect in TNBC treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dutasteride, anastrozole and ASP9521 in in vitro processes using human TNBC cell lines. For this, immunofluorescence, sensitivity, proliferation and wound healing assays were performed, and hormone concentrations were studied. Results revealed that all TNBC cell lines expressed AR and ERβ; the ones that expressed them most intensely were more sensitive to antihormonal treatments. All treatments reduced cell viability, highlighting MDA-MB-453 and SUM-159. Indeed, a decrease in androgen levels was observed in these cell lines, which could relate to a reduction in cell viability. In addition, MCF-7 and SUM-159 increased cell migration under treatments, increasing estrogen levels, which could favor cell migration. Thus, antihormonal treatments could be beneficial for TNBC therapies. This study clarifies the importance of steroid hormones in AR and ERβ-positive cell lines of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Crespo
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
| | - Gema Silvan
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
| | - Paula Lopez-Plaza
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
| | - María Herrera de la Muela
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Instituto de Salud de la Mujer, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IsISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Miriam de la Puente Yagüe
- Department of Public and Maternal Child Health University, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | | | - Maria Jose Illera
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
| | - Sara Caceres
- Department Animal Physiology, Veterinary Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.C.); (G.S.); (P.L.-P.); (M.J.I.); (S.C.)
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4
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Asemota S, Effah W, Young KL, Holt J, Cripe L, Ponnusamy S, Thiyagarajan T, Hwang DJ, He Y, Mcnamara K, Johnson D, Wang Y, Grimes B, Khosrosereshki Y, Hollingsworth TJ, Fleming MD, Pritchard FE, Hendrix A, Khan F, Fan M, Makowski L, Yin Z, Sasano H, Hayes DN, Pfeffer LM, Miller DD, Narayanan R. Identification of a targetable JAK-STAT enriched androgen receptor and androgen receptor splice variant positive triple-negative breast cancer subtype. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113461. [PMID: 37979170 PMCID: PMC10872270 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with no targeted therapeutics. The luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype constitutes 15% of TNBC and is enriched for androgen receptor (AR) and AR target genes. Here, we show that a cohort of TNBC not only expresses AR at a much higher rate (∼80%) but also expresses AR splice variants (AR-SVs) (∼20%), further subclassifying LAR-TNBC. Higher AR and AR-SV expression and corresponding aggressive phenotypes are observed predominantly in specimens obtained from African American women. LAR TNBC specimens are enriched for interferon, Janus kinase (JAK)-signal activator and transducer (STAT), and androgen signaling pathways, which are exclusive to AR-expressing epithelial cancer cells. AR- and AR-SV-expressing TNBC cell proliferation and xenograft and patient-tumor explant growth are inhibited by AR N-terminal domain-binding selective AR degrader or by a JAK inhibitor. Biochemical analysis suggests that STAT1 is an AR coactivator. Collectively, our work identifies pharmacologically targetable TNBC subtypes and identifies growth-promoting interaction between AR and JAK-STAT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Asemota
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Wendy Effah
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Kirsten L Young
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Jeremiah Holt
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Linnea Cripe
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Suriyan Ponnusamy
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Thirumagal Thiyagarajan
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Dong-Jin Hwang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Yali He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Keely Mcnamara
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Daniel Johnson
- Molecular Bioinformatics Core, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Yinan Wang
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Brandy Grimes
- West Cancer Center and Research Institute, Memphis, TN 38138, USA
| | - Yekta Khosrosereshki
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - T J Hollingsworth
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Martin D Fleming
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Frances E Pritchard
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Ashley Hendrix
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Farhan Khan
- Department of Pathology, Methodist Hospital, Memphis, TN 38104, USA
| | - Meiyun Fan
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Liza Makowski
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA; UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Zheng Yin
- Biomedical and Informatics Services Core, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hironobu Sasano
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - D Neil Hayes
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA; UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Lawrence M Pfeffer
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA; UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Duane D Miller
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA; UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Ramesh Narayanan
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA; UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA.
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5
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Jinna ND, Van Alsten S, Rida P, Seewaldt VL, Troester MA. Molecular features of androgen-receptor low, estrogen receptor-negative breast cancers in the Carolina breast cancer study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2023:10.1007/s10549-023-07014-x. [PMID: 37438515 PMCID: PMC10361868 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-023-07014-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Androgen receptor (AR) expression is absent in 40-90% of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancers. The prognostic value of AR in ER-negative patients and therapeutic targets for patients absent in AR remains poorly explored. METHODS We used an RNA-based multigene classifier to identify AR-low and AR-high ER-negative participants in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS; N = 669) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; N = 237). We compared AR-defined subgroups by demographics, tumor characteristics, and established molecular signatures [PAM50 risk of recurrence (ROR), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and immune response]. RESULTS AR-low tumors were more prevalent among younger (RFD = + 10%, 95% CI = 4% to 16%) participants in CBCS and were associated with HER2 negativity (RFD = - 35%, 95% CI = - 44% to - 26%), higher grade (RFD = + 17%, 95% CI = 8% to 26%), and higher risk of recurrence scores (RFD = + 22%, 95% CI = 16.1% to 28%), with similar results in TCGA. The AR-low subgroup was strongly associated with HRD in CBCS (RFD = + 33.3%, 95% CI = 23.8% to 43.2%) and TCGA (RFD = + 41.5%, 95% CI = 34.0% to 48.6%). In CBCS, AR-low tumors had high adaptive immune marker expression. CONCLUSION Multigene, RNA-based low AR expression is associated with aggressive disease characteristics as well as DNA repair defects and immune phenotypes, suggesting plausible precision therapies for AR-low, ER-negative patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita D Jinna
- Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA.
| | - Sarah Van Alsten
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Padmashree Rida
- Department of Science, Rowland Hall, Salt Lake City, UT, 84102, USA
| | - Victoria L Seewaldt
- Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA
| | - Melissa A Troester
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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Fan KY, Chehade R, Qazi M, Moravan V, Nofech-Mozes S, Jerzak KJ. Androgen Receptor Is Expressed in the Majority of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases and Is Subtype-Dependent. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2748. [PMID: 37345085 PMCID: PMC10216529 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the expression of the "targetable" androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer brain metastases (BrM). An established, retrospective 57-patient cohort with metastatic breast cancer who underwent surgery for BrM at the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre between 1999-2013 was studied. AR expression in BrM samples was assessed in triplicate using immunohistochemistry (IHC). AR positive status was defined as nuclear AR expression ≥ 10% by IHC using the SP107 antibody. The median age of patients was 52 years (range 32-85 years). 28 (49%) of BrM were HER2+, 17 (30%) were hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2-, and 12 (21%) were triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs). 56% (n = 32/57) of BrM were AR positive, and median AR expression was 20% (CI 1.6-38.3%). AR expression was different across breast cancer subtypes; AR was most frequently expressed in HER2+ (n = 21/28), followed by HR+/HER2- (n = 9/17), and lowest in TNBC (n = 2/12) BrM (p = 0.003). Patients with AR positive versus AR negative BrM had similar overall survival (12.5 vs. 7.9 months, p = 0.6), brain-specific progression-free survival (8.0 vs. 5.1 months, p = 0.95), and time from breast cancer diagnosis to BrM diagnosis (51 vs. 29 months, p = 0.16). AR is expressed in the majority of breast cancer BrM and represents a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Yijun Fan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Rania Chehade
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Maleeha Qazi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S1A8, Canada
| | | | - Sharon Nofech-Mozes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G1X5, Canada
| | - Katarzyna J. Jerzak
- Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N3M5, Canada
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7
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Jinna N, Van Alsten S, Rida P, Seewaldt V, Troester M. Molecular Features of Androgen-Receptor Low, Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancers in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2693555. [PMID: 36993425 PMCID: PMC10055609 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2693555/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Androgen receptor (AR) expression is absent in 40-90% of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancers. The prognostic value of AR in ER-negative patients and therapeutic targets for patients absent in AR remains poorly explored. METHODS We used an RNA-based multigene classifier to identify AR-low and AR-high ER-negative participants in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS; n=669) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; n=237). We compared AR-defined subgroups by demographics, tumor characteristics, and established molecular signatures [PAM50 risk of recurrence (ROR), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and immune response]. RESULTS AR-low tumors were more prevalent among Black (relative frequency difference (RFD) = +7%, 95% CI = 1% to 14%) and younger (RFD = +10%, 95% CI = 4% to 16%) participants in CBCS and were associated with HER2-negativity (RFD = -35%, 95% CI = -44% to -26%), higher grade (RFD = +17%, 95% CI = 8% to 26%), and higher risk of recurrence scores (RFD = +22%, 95% CI = 16.1% to 28%), with similar results in TCGA. The AR-low subgroup was strongly associated with HRD in CBCS (RFD = +33.3%, 95% CI = 23.8% to 43.2%) and TCGA (RFD = +41.5%, 95% CI = 34.0% to 48.6%). In CBCS, AR-low tumors had high adaptive immune marker expression. CONCLUSION Multigene, RNA-based low AR expression is associated with aggressive disease characteristics as well as DNA repair defects and immune phenotypes, suggesting plausible precision therapies for AR-low, ER-negative patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Melissa Troester
- UNC-Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Kolyvas EA, Caldas C, Kelly K, Ahmad SS. Androgen receptor function and targeted therapeutics across breast cancer subtypes. Breast Cancer Res 2022; 24:79. [PMID: 36376977 PMCID: PMC9664788 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-022-01574-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite significant progress in breast cancer (BC) therapy, it is globally the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leads to the death of over 650,000 women annually. Androgen receptor (AR) is emerging as a potential new therapeutic target in BC. While the role of AR is well established in prostate cancer (PCa), its function in BC remains incompletely understood. Emerging data show that AR's role in BC is dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, disease subtype, tumour microenvironment, and levels of circulating oestrogens and androgens. While targeting AR in PCa is becoming increasingly effective, these advances have yet to make any significant impact on the care of BC patients. However, this approach is increasingly being evaluated in BC and it is clear that improvements in our understanding of AR's role in BC will increase the likelihood of success for AR-targeted therapies. This review summarizes our current understanding of the function of AR across BC subtypes. We highlight limitations in our current knowledge and demonstrate the importance of categorizing BC subtypes effectively, in relation to determining AR activity. Further, we describe the current state of the art regarding AR-targeted approaches for BC as monotherapy or in combination with radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Kolyvas
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer Pathogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- NIH-Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlos Caldas
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Breast Cancer Programme, CRUK Cambridge Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
- Cambridge Breast Cancer Research Unit, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kathleen Kelly
- Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer Pathogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Saif S Ahmad
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Department of Oncology, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK.
- Department of Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SP, UK.
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Racial Disparity in Quadruple Negative Breast Cancer: Aggressive Biology and Potential Therapeutic Targeting and Prevention. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184484. [PMID: 36139643 PMCID: PMC9497140 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Quadruple negative breast cancer (QNBC), a subgroup of triple negative BC, has emerged as a highly aggressive BC subtype that disproportionately afflicts and impacts Black/African-American (AA) women. In this article, we review molecular distinctions in Black/AA and White/European-American (EA) QNBC biology as well as address potential non-genetic risk factors that could be underlying this racially disparate burden. We aim to provide deeper insight and provide a framework for novel discovery of actionable therapeutic targets and identify lifestyle changes to improve outcomes for Black/AA QNBC patients. Abstract Black/African-American (AA) women, relative to their White/European-American (EA) counterparts, experience disproportionately high breast cancer mortality. Central to this survival disparity, Black/AA women have an unequal burden of aggressive breast cancer subtypes, such as triple-negative breast cancer (ER/PR-, HER2-wild type; TNBC). While TNBC has been well characterized, recent studies have identified a highly aggressive androgen receptor (AR)-negative subtype of TNBC, quadruple-negative breast cancer (ER/PR-, HER2-wildtype, AR-; QNBC). Similar to TNBC, QNBC disproportionately impacts Black/AA women and likely plays an important role in the breast cancer survival disparities experienced by Black/AA women. Here, we discuss the racial disparities of QNBC and molecular signaling pathways that may contribute to the aggressive biology of QNBC in Black/AA women. Our immediate goal is to spotlight potential prevention and therapeutic targets for Black/AA QNBC; ultimately our goal is to provide greater insight into reducing the breast cancer survival burden experienced by Black/AA women.
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Wu X, Feng W, Yang M, Liu X, Gao M, Li X, Gan L, He T. HC-1119, a deuterated Enzalutamide, inhibits Migration, Invasion and Metastasis of the AR-positive triple-negative breast Cancer cells. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:9231-9240. [PMID: 35960413 PMCID: PMC9515013 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07749-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are aggressive, and they develop metastasis at earlier stages, relapse more frequently, and exhibits poorer prognosis than other subtypes of breast cancer. Due to the lack of estrogen receptor for endocrine therapy and HER2 for targeted therapy, new targeted therapies for TNBCs are urgently needed. Enzalutamide is a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor, and HC-1119 is a new synthetic deuterated enzalutamide. Owing to the isotope effect, HC-1119 has many advantages over enzalutamide, including slow metabolism, high plasma concentration and low brain exposure. However, the efficacy of HC-1119 in inhibition of AR function in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not been studied. In this study, we found high-level AR expression in both Hs578T and SUM159PT TNBC cell lines. Activation of AR by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in both cell lines increased AR protein, induced AR-nuclear localization, enhanced cell migration and invasion in culture, and promoted liver metastasis in mice. Importantly, cotreatment with HC-1119 of these cells efficiently abolished all of these effects of DHT on both Hs578T and SUM159PT cells. These results indicate that HC-1119 is a very effective new second-generation AR antagonist that can inhibit the migration, invasion and metastasis of the AR-positive TNBC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehong Wu
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Mindong Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, 355000, Fuan, Fujian Province, China
| | - Wanru Feng
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mao Yang
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xunxi Liu
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mengdi Gao
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinghai Li
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Hinova Pharmaceuticals Inc, No. 2-3, 4th Floor, Rongyao Tower 1, 5 South Keyuan Road, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Gan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
| | - Tao He
- Institute for Cancer Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, 646000, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
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11
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Hormonal Homologies between Canine Mammary Cancer and Human Breast Cancer in a Series of Cases. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9080395. [PMID: 36006309 PMCID: PMC9414677 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9080395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary There is worldwide interest in understanding the cancerous diseases that are causing increasing deaths in humans. In recent years, interest has grown in finding suitable models of different types of cancer in animals to lead the scientific community to a better understanding of the disease, in order to win the battle against cancer. The aim of this investigation was to compare breast cancer samples and canine mammary tumors from a hormonal point of view to validate the canine species as a model to study human breast cancer. There was a close similarity between premenopausal human breast cancer and canine mammary cancer in terms of hormonal receptors. In both species, all hormones assayed were increased in tumors compared to normal mammary gland samples. This research not only further supports canine mammary cancer as a spontaneous model for the study of human breast cancer but is also important in providing a deeper understanding of the hormonal pathogenesis of breast/mammary cancer in each independent species. Abstract The validity of spontaneous canine mammary cancer (CMC) as a natural model for the study of human breast cancer (HBC) from a hormonal point of view has never been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of aromatase (Arom) and steroid receptors [estrogen receptor α (ER α), estrogen receptor β (ER β), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR)] and intratumor steroid hormone levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone sulfate (SO4E1), progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A4), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and testosterone (T) in 78 samples of mammary cancer—51 human breast cancer (HBC) and 27 canine mammary cancer (CMC)—and corresponding controls. Frequency of tumors expressing Arom, ERβ, PR, and AR was similar in both species, whereas ERα+ tumors were less frequent in the canine species. There was a closer similarity between premenopausal HBC and CMC. In HBC and CMC, all hormones assayed were increased in tumors compared to control samples. Intratumor androgen levels were similar in the two species, although levels of progesterone and estrogens were higher in the HBC samples than the CMC samples. Statistical associations among Arom, receptors, and hormones analyzed suggest that the major hormonal influence in both species is estrogenic through the ER, being the α isoform predominant in the human samples. Our findings further support CMC as a spontaneous model for the study of HBC, especially premenopausal HBC, although several differences, such as the more prevalent ERα immunoexpression and higher intratumor levels of estrogens and P4 in HBC, should be taken into account in comparative hormonal studies.
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Melo-Uribe MA, Serrano-Gómez SJ, Abaunza Chagin MC. Androgen receptor expression and prognosis in Hispanic/Latino women with triple negative breast cancer. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE PATOLOGIA : PUBLICACION OFICIAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE ANATOMIA PATOLOGICA Y DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE CITOLOGIA 2022; 55:96-104. [PMID: 35483775 DOI: 10.1016/j.patol.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype that has no available molecular targets. It occurs most often in premenopausal African-American and Hispanic/Latino women. In Colombia, its prevalence has been reported to be 20.6%. Androgen receptor (AR) belongs to the steroid nuclear receptor family and has been recently considered a potential biomarker for breast cancer. Considering the high prevalence of TNBC in Colombian women and the lack of knowledge of AR expression, our aim was to determine the frequency of AR expression and its association with pathological variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS 149 women diagnosed with TNBC between 2011 and 2014 were included. Clinical and pathological data were obtained from medical and pathology reports. Information on hormone receptor status, Ki67 expression and HER2 was reevaluated by a pathologist. AR expression was considered positive when it exceeded 1% of nuclear staining in tumor cells. RESULTS AR expression was detected in 41.6% of the samples. Although we did not find statistically significant differences in clinic-pathological variables according to AR expression, patients with AR expression over 50% were younger (53.92 years vs. 60.78 years, p=0.027) and presented higher Ki67 expression (64.06% vs. 47.32%, p=0.05), compared to patients with a low AR expression. The median overall survival in our sample of TNBC patients was 2.45 years. CONCLUSIONS The expression of AR in our sample was similar to the expression in populations of European descent. We found statistically significant differences in age at diagnosis and Ki67 expression according to AR expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Alexander Melo-Uribe
- Department of Pathology, Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia; Department of Oncology-Pathology, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Colombia.
| | - Silvia J Serrano-Gómez
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Colombia
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13
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Hong R, Sun H, Li D, Yang W, Fan K, Liu C, Dong L, Wang G. A Review of Biosensors for Detecting Tumor Markers in Breast Cancer. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:342. [PMID: 35330093 PMCID: PMC8955405 DOI: 10.3390/life12030342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer has the highest cancer incidence rate in women. Early screening of breast cancer can effectively improve the treatment effect of patients. However, the main diagnostic techniques available for the detection of breast cancer require the corresponding equipment, professional practitioners, and expert analysis, and the detection cost is high. Tumor markers are a kind of active substance that can indicate the existence and growth of the tumor. The detection of tumor markers can effectively assist the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The conventional detection methods of tumor markers have some shortcomings, such as insufficient sensitivity, expensive equipment, and complicated operations. Compared with these methods, biosensors have the advantages of high sensitivity, simple operation, low equipment cost, and can quantitatively detect all kinds of tumor markers. This review summarizes the biosensors (2013-2021) for the detection of breast cancer biomarkers. Firstly, the various reported tumor markers of breast cancer are introduced. Then, the development of biosensors designed for the sensitive, stable, and selective recognition of breast cancer biomarkers was systematically discussed, with special attention to the main clinical biomarkers, such as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) and estrogen receptor (ER). Finally, the opportunities and challenges of developing efficient biosensors in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Hong
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Hongyu Sun
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Dujuan Li
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Weihuang Yang
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Kai Fan
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Chaoran Liu
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Linxi Dong
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Gaofeng Wang
- Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Smart Microsensors and Microsystems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (R.H.); (H.S.); (W.Y.); (K.F.); (C.L.); (L.D.); (G.W.)
- School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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14
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Phung HT, Nguyen CV, Mai NT, Vu HTN, Pham KH, Tran GL. Impact of Androgen Receptor Expression and the AR:ER Ratio on the Survival Outcomes in the Diverse Subgroups of Vietnamese Breast Cancer: A Single Institutional Retrospective Cohort Analysis. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2022; 21:15330338221080941. [PMID: 35379053 PMCID: PMC8988687 DOI: 10.1177/15330338221080941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The androgen receptor (AR) has recently emerged as a useful marker for the more favorable prognosis and better outcomes among women with estrogen receptor (ER) + ve breast cancer (BC) and the further refinement of BC subtype. Furthermore, AR expression in ER − ve tumors has a particular prognostic significance. Additionally, the ratio of nuclear AR to ER may critically have an influence on tumor biology and respond to endocrine therapy. Purpose: To define the AR expression and AR:ER ratio, and explored their correlation with the clinicopathological features, prognosis, and survival outcomes in the various subclasses of invasive BC. Methods: The current study was conducted on 522 BC patients who had surgical operations, without neoadjuvant chemotherapy by applying a retrospective cohort analysis. The clinicopathological characteristics were recorded. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on AR, ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67. Expression of AR was paired into different immunophenotypes for analysis with clinicopathological features and survival. All BC patients’ survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank models. Results: The presence of AR was detected in 65.3%. Positive AR, the ratio of AR:ER<2, luminal androgen receptor (LAR) + and AR + HER2 + immunophenotypes were significantly associated with better prognostic features. AR:ER<2 was observed in the prolonged overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (87.9 and 86.2%, respectively) compared to AR:ER≥2 (25.0% in both) (P < .001). In contrast, in HR + ve BCs, the AR expression was not significantly correlated with survival. The multivariate model revealed that the ratio of nuclear AR to ER remained as an independent prognostic variable. Conclusion: The AR expression had a distinct OS and DFS. The AR:ER ratio is an independent indicator for predicting the OS and DFS of BC patients in both univariate and multivariate analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chu Van Nguyen
- National Cancer Hospital, Vietnam.,Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam
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15
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Bhattarai S, Sugita BM, Bortoletto SM, Fonseca AS, Cavalli LR, Aneja R. QNBC Is Associated with High Genomic Instability Characterized by Copy Number Alterations and miRNA Deregulation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11548. [PMID: 34768979 PMCID: PMC8584247 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) can be further classified into androgen receptor (AR)-positive TNBC and AR-negative TNBC or quadruple-negative breast cancer (QNBC). Here, we investigated genomic instability in 53 clinical cases by array-CGH and miRNA expression profiling. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 64% of TNBC samples lacked AR expression. This group of tumors exhibited a higher level of copy number alterations (CNAs) and a higher frequency of cases affected by CNAs than TNBCs. CNAs in genes of the chromosome instability 25 (CIN25) and centrosome amplification (CA) signatures were more frequent in the QNBCs and were similar between the groups, respectively. However, expression levels of CIN25 and CA20 genes were higher in QNBCs. miRNA profiling revealed 184 differentially expressed miRNAs between the groups. Fifteen of these miRNAs were mapped at cytobands with CNAs, of which eight (miR-1204, miR-1265, miR-1267, miR-23c, miR-548ai, miR-567, miR-613, and miR-943), and presented concordance of expression and copy number levels. Pathway enrichment analysis of these miRNAs/mRNAs pairings showed association with genomic instability, cell cycle, and DNA damage response. Furthermore, the combined expression of these eight miRNAs robustly discriminated TNBCs from QNBCs (AUC = 0.946). Altogether, our results suggest a significant loss of AR in TNBC and a profound impact in genomic instability characterized by CNAs and deregulation of miRNA expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shristi Bhattarai
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA;
| | - Bruna M. Sugita
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, Brazil; (B.M.S.); (S.M.B.); (A.S.F.)
| | - Stefanne M. Bortoletto
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, Brazil; (B.M.S.); (S.M.B.); (A.S.F.)
| | - Aline S. Fonseca
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, Brazil; (B.M.S.); (S.M.B.); (A.S.F.)
| | - Luciane R. Cavalli
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, Brazil; (B.M.S.); (S.M.B.); (A.S.F.)
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Oncology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Ritu Aneja
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA;
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16
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Obesity and Androgen Receptor Signaling: Associations and Potential Crosstalk in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092218. [PMID: 34066328 PMCID: PMC8125357 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is an increasing health challenge and is recognized as a breast cancer risk factor. Although obesity-related breast cancer mechanisms are not fully understood, this association has been linked to impaired hormone secretion by the dysfunctional obese adipose tissue (hyperplasic and hypertrophic adipocytes). Among these hormones, altered production of androgens and adipokines is observed, and both, are independently associated with breast cancer development. In this review, we describe and comment on the relationships reported between these factors and breast cancer, focusing on the biological associations that have helped to unveil the mechanisms by which signaling from androgens and adipokines modifies the behavior of mammary epithelial cells. Furthermore, we discuss the potential crosstalk between the two most abundant adipokines produced by the adipose tissue (adiponectin and leptin) and the androgen receptor, an emerging marker in breast cancer. The identification and understanding of interactions among adipokines and the androgen receptor in cancer cells are necessary to guide the development of new therapeutic approaches in order to prevent and cure obesity and breast cancer.
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17
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Brumec M, Sobočan M, Takač I, Arko D. Clinical Implications of Androgen-Positive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1642. [PMID: 33915941 PMCID: PMC8037213 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent findings of a vast array of studies conducted on androgen receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer (AR-positive TNBC) to provide a better understanding of this specific breast cancer subgroup. AR expression is correlated with higher age, lower histological grade, lower proliferation index Ki-67, spiculated masses, and calcifications on mammography. Studies investigating the correlation between AR expression and lymph node metastasis are highly discordant. In addition, results regarding prognosis are highly contradictory. AR antagonists are a promising novel therapeutic approach in AR-positive TNBC. However, AR signaling pathways should be more investigated in order to understand the influence of AR expression on TNBC more thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maša Brumec
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
| | - Monika Sobočan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Iztok Takač
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Darja Arko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (D.A.)
- Divison of Gynecology and Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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18
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Bhattarai S, Saini G, Gogineni K, Aneja R. Quadruple-negative breast cancer: novel implications for a new disease. Breast Cancer Res 2020; 22:127. [PMID: 33213491 PMCID: PMC7678108 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-020-01369-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the androgen receptor (AR) expression, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) can be subdivided into AR-positive TNBC and AR-negative TNBC, also known as quadruple-negative breast cancer (QNBC). QNBC characterization and treatment is fraught with many challenges. In QNBC, there is a greater paucity of prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets than AR-positive TNBC. Although the prognostic role of AR in TNBC remains controversial, many studies revealed that a lack of AR expression confers a more aggressive disease course. Literature characterizing QNBC tumor biology and uncovering novel biomarkers for improved management of the disease remains scarce. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the current QNBC landscape and propose avenues for future research, suggesting potential biomarkers and therapeutic strategies that warrant investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shristi Bhattarai
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Geetanjali Saini
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Keerthi Gogineni
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Ritu Aneja
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
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19
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Xu M, Yuan Y, Yan P, Jiang J, Ma P, Niu X, Ma S, Cai H, Yang K. Prognostic Significance of Androgen Receptor Expression in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Breast Cancer 2020; 20:e385-e396. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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20
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Kensler KH, Poole EM, Heng YJ, Collins LC, Glass B, Beck AH, Hazra A, Rosner BA, Eliassen AH, Hankinson SE, Winer EP, Brown M, Tamimi RM. Androgen Receptor Expression and Breast Cancer Survival: Results From the Nurses' Health Studies. J Natl Cancer Inst 2020; 111:700-708. [PMID: 30445651 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djy173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hormone receptor signaling is critical in the progression of breast cancers, although the role of the androgen receptor (AR) remains unclear, particularly for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors. This study assessed AR protein expression as a prognostic marker for breast cancer mortality. METHODS This study included 4147 pre- and postmenopausal women with invasive breast cancer from the Nurses' Health Study (diagnosed 1976-2008) and Nurses' Health Study II (1989-2008) cohorts. AR protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and scored through pathologist review and as a digitally quantified continuous measure. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of breast cancer mortality were estimated from Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for patient, tumor, and treatment covariates. RESULTS Over a median 16.5 years of follow-up, there were 806 deaths due to breast cancer. In the 7 years following diagnosis, AR expression was associated with a 27% reduction in breast cancer mortality overall (multivariable HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.91) a 47% reduction for ER+ cancers (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.41 to 0.69), and a 62% increase for ER- cancers (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.18 to 2.22) (P heterogeneity < .001). A log-linear association was observed between AR expression and breast cancer mortality among ER- cancers (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.26 per each 10% increase in AR), although no log-linear association was observed among ER+ cancers. CONCLUSIONS AR expression was associated with improved prognosis in ER+ tumors and worse prognosis in ER- tumors in the first 5-10 years postdiagnosis. These findings support the continued evaluation of AR-targeted therapies for AR+/ER- breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Kensler
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Yujing J Heng
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Laura C Collins
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Aditi Hazra
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Bernard A Rosner
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - A Heather Eliassen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Susan E Hankinson
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Amherst, MA
| | - Eric P Winer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Myles Brown
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Rulla M Tamimi
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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21
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Venema CM, Bense RD, Steenbruggen TG, Nienhuis HH, Qiu SQ, van Kruchten M, Brown M, Tamimi RM, Hospers GAP, Schröder CP, Fehrmann RSN, de Vries EGE. Consideration of breast cancer subtype in targeting the androgen receptor. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 200:135-147. [PMID: 31077689 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) is a drug target in breast cancer, and AR-targeted therapies have induced tumor responses in breast cancer patients. In this review, we summarized the role of AR in breast cancer based on preclinical and clinical data. Response to AR-targeted therapies in unselected breast cancer populations is relatively low. Preclinical and clinical data show that AR antagonists might have a role in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative/AR-positive tumors. The prognostic value of AR for patients remains uncertain due to the use of various antibodies and cut-off values for immunohistochemical assessment. To get more insight into the role of AR in breast cancer, we additionally performed a retrospective pooled analysis to determine the prognostic value of the AR using mRNA profiles of 7270 primary breast tumors. Our analysis shows that a higher AR mRNA level is associated with improved disease outcome in patients with ER-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative tumors, but with worse disease outcome in HER2-positive subgroups. In conclusion, next to AR expression, incorporation of additional tumor characteristics will potentially make AR targeting a more valuable therapeutic strategy in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clasina M Venema
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rico D Bense
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa G Steenbruggen
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hilde H Nienhuis
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Si-Qi Qiu
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Michel van Kruchten
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Myles Brown
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Rulla M Tamimi
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geke A P Hospers
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carolina P Schröder
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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22
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Castaneda CA, Castillo M, Enciso JA, Enciso N, Bernabe LA, Sanchez J, Guerra H, Chavez C, Landa-Baella M, De-La-Cruz M, Villa-Robles M, Tello K, Gomez HL. Role of undifferentiation markers and androgen receptor expression in triple-negative breast cancer. Breast J 2019; 25:1316-1319. [PMID: 31332870 DOI: 10.1111/tbj.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Castaneda
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru.,Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Miluska Castillo
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru.,Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | | | | | - Luis A Bernabe
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
| | - Joselyn Sanchez
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
| | - Henry Guerra
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
| | - Carlos Chavez
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
| | | | | | | | - Katherine Tello
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
| | - Henry L Gomez
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN), Lima, Peru
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23
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Lima ZS, Ghadamzadeh M, Arashloo FT, Amjad G, Ebadi MR, Younesi L. Recent advances of therapeutic targets based on the molecular signature in breast cancer: genetic mutations and implications for current treatment paradigms. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:38. [PMID: 30975222 PMCID: PMC6460547 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0725-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women all over the world. Genetic background of women contributes to her risk of having breast cancer. Certain inherited DNA mutations can dramatically increase the risk of developing certain cancers and are responsible for many of the cancers that run in some families. Regarding the widespread multigene panels, whole exome sequencing is capable of providing the evaluation of genetic function mutations for development novel strategy in clinical trials. Targeting the mutant proteins involved in breast cancer can be an effective therapeutic approach for developing novel drugs. This systematic review discusses gene mutations linked to breast cancer, focusing on signaling pathways that are being targeted with investigational therapeutic strategies, where clinical trials could be potentially initiated in the future are being highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Safarpour Lima
- Shahid Akbar Abadi Clinical Research Development Unit (ShCRDU), Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Ghadamzadeh
- Departement of Radiology, Hasheminejad Kidney Centre (HKC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ghazaleh Amjad
- Shahid Akbar Abadi Clinical Research Development Unit (ShCRDU), Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Ebadi
- Shohadaye Haft-e-tir Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Ladan Younesi
- Shahid Akbar Abadi Clinical Research Development Unit (ShCRDU), Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
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24
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Kensler KH, Regan MM, Heng YJ, Baker GM, Pyle ME, Schnitt SJ, Hazra A, Kammler R, Thürlimann B, Colleoni M, Viale G, Brown M, Tamimi RM. Prognostic and predictive value of androgen receptor expression in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer: results from the Breast International Group Trial 1-98. Breast Cancer Res 2019; 21:30. [PMID: 30795773 PMCID: PMC6387478 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-019-1118-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The androgen receptor (AR) is an emerging prognostic marker and therapeutic target in breast cancer. AR is expressed in 60-80% of breast cancers, with higher prevalence among estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) tumors. Androgen treatment inhibits ER signaling in ER+/AR+ breast cancer cell lines, and AR expression is associated with improved survival for this subtype in epidemiologic studies. However, whether AR expression modifies the efficacy of selective ER modulators or aromatase inhibitors for ER+ cancers remains unclear. METHODS We evaluated the prognostic and predictive value of AR expression among 3021 postmenopausal ER+ breast cancer patients in the Breast International Group (BIG) trial 1-98. The BIG 1-98 study was a four-armed, double-blind, phase III randomized clinical trial that compared 5 years of tamoxifen or letrozole monotherapy, or sequences of 2 years and 3 years treatment with one drug and then the other. AR expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and the percentage of AR-positive nuclei was quantified. The association between AR expression and prognosis was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. Continuous AR-by-treatment interactions were assessed using Subpopulation Treatment Effect Pattern Plots (STEPP). RESULTS Eighty-two percent of patients had AR+ (≥ 1%) tumors. Patients with AR+ cancers were more likely to have smaller, lower-grade tumors, with higher expression of ER and PR. AR expression was not associated with breast cancer-free interval (BCFI) (415 events) over a median 8.0 years of follow-up (p = 0.12, log-rank test). In multivariable-adjusted models, AR expression was not associated with BCFI (HR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.83-1.36, p = 0.60). The letrozole versus tamoxifen monotherapy treatment effect did not significantly differ for AR+ tumors (HR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.44-0.75, p = 0.003) and AR- tumors (HR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.72, p = 0.002) (p-heterogeneity = 0.16). STEPP analysis also suggested no heterogeneity of the treatment effect across the continuum of AR expression. CONCLUSIONS AR expression was not associated with prognosis, nor was there heterogeneity of the letrozole versus tamoxifen treatment effect by AR expression. These findings suggest that AR expression may not be an informative biomarker for the selection of adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with ER+ breast cancers. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00004205, Registered 27 January 2003-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00004205 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H. Kensler
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Meredith M. Regan
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Yujing J. Heng
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Gabrielle M. Baker
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Michael E. Pyle
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA USA
| | - Stuart J. Schnitt
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Aditi Hazra
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Roswitha Kammler
- International Breast Cancer Study Group Coordinating Center, Central Pathology Office, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Beat Thürlimann
- Breast Center, Cantonal Hospital, St. Gallen and SAKK, Berne, Switzerland
| | - Marco Colleoni
- Division of Medical Senology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Viale
- Department of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Myles Brown
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Rulla M. Tamimi
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
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25
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Shi Y, Yang F, Huang D, Guan X. Androgen blockade based clinical trials landscape in triple negative breast cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1870:283-290. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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26
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Androgen receptor in triple negative breast cancer: A potential target for the targetless subtype. Cancer Treat Rev 2018; 68:102-110. [PMID: 29940524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the 15-20% of all breast cancers (BC) and is characterized by a very aggressive behavior. Recent data suggest that TNBC is not a single disease, but it is rather an umbrella for different ontology-profiles such as basal like 1 and 2, mesenchymal, and the luminal androgen receptor (LAR). The LAR subtype is characterized by the expression of the Androgen Receptor (AR) and its downstream effects. Notwithstanding the role of the AR in several signaling pathways, its impact on a biological and clinical standpoint is still controversial. The LAR subtype has been associated with better prognosis, less chemotherapy responsiveness and lower pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant treatment. Clinical evidence suggests a role for anti-androgen therapies such as bicalutamide, enzalutamide and abiraterone, offering an interesting chemo-free alternative for chemo-unresponsive patients, and therefore potentially shifting current treatment strategies.
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27
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Astvatsaturyan K, Yue Y, Walts AE, Bose S. Androgen receptor positive triple negative breast cancer: Clinicopathologic, prognostic, and predictive features. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197827. [PMID: 29883487 PMCID: PMC5993259 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Overexpression of the androgen receptor (AR) characterizes a distinct molecular subset of triple negative breast carcinomas (TNBC). The role of AR as a prognostic/predictive biomarker in TNBC is controversial, but increasing evidence suggests that this subset may respond to therapeutic agents targeting AR. Evaluation of AR has not been standardized, and criteria for selection of patients for antiandrogen therapy remain controversial. In this study we determine the appropriate threshold of AR immunoreactivity to define AR positive (AR+) TNBC, describe the clinicopathologic features of AR+ TNBC, and discuss the utility of AR positivity as a prognostic and predictive marker in TNBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS 135 invasive TNBC processed in accordance with ASCO/CAP guidelines, were immunostained for AR. Clinicopathologic features of AR+ TNBC were analyzed and compared to AR negative (AR-) TNBC. Patients' age, tumor size, tumor grade, lymph node status, proliferation rate, immunopositivity for EGFR, CK5/6, Ki-67, and disease free survival (DFS) were evaluated statistically. RESULTS A 1% cutpoint was confirmed as the appropriate threshold for AR positivity. Using this cutpoint 41% of 135 TNBC were AR+. AR+ TNBC occurred in older women, were larger, had lower mean proliferation rate and increased incidence of axillary metastasis than AR- TNBC. 76% of TNBC with apocrine morphology were AR+. A subset of AR+TNBC expressed basal markers (EGFR and CK5/6). A prognostic model was created. SUMMARY AR identifies a heterogeneous group of TNBC. Additional evaluation of EGFR expression allowed us to stratify TNBCs into 3 risk groups with significant differences in DFS and therapeutic implications: low-risk (AR+ EGFR-) which represents the LAR molecular subtype with the best prognosis and may benefit the most from anti-androgen therapies; high-risk (AR- EGFR+) which represents the basal molecular subtype with the worst prognosis and may benefit the most from chemotherapy regimens; intermediate-risk (AR+EGFR+ and AR-EGFR-) TNBC with an intermediate prognosis. Prospective trials are required to further validate this prognostic and predictive grouping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Astvatsaturyan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yong Yue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ann E. Walts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Shikha Bose
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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28
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Liu YX, Zhang KJ, Tang LL. Clinical significance of androgen receptor expression in triple negative breast cancer-an immunohistochemistry study. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:10008-10016. [PMID: 29844843 PMCID: PMC5958876 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is closely associated with the occurrence and progression of breast cancer; however, the clinical significance of it in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been controversial. There is a limited amount of research regarding the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on AR expression. By examining the expression of AR in patients with TNBC, the aim of the present study is to explore the clinical significance of AR and provide evidence for AR-directed treatment in TNBC. A total of 188 patients with primary TNBC with complete medical records were included in this retrospective study. Tumor sections from 41 patients (21.8%) were positive for AR, which was more often detected in small tumors (P=0.042) and cases with no lymph node involvement (P=0.032). Among them, 102 were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). A total of 17 patients (16.7%) exhibited pathological complete response. However, the patient response was irrelevant to AR expression. Matched pathological tissues before and after NAC were collected for 49 cases, suggesting an enrichment of AR-expressing tumors following chemotherapy (P=0.008). Further analysis indicated that AR expression had no correlation with the disease-free and overall survival of patients with general TNBC; rather, it predicted a poor survival of the patients with stage III TNBC in comparison with those at earlier stages (P=0.035). AR expression occurs more often in small TNBC tumors or in cases with no lymph node metastasis. It is associated with a poor prognosis of the patients with advanced stages of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Xuan Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Cancer Prevention and Clinical Research Center, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Ke-Jing Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Cancer Prevention and Clinical Research Center, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Li-Li Tang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Cancer Prevention and Clinical Research Center, Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
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29
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Ricciardelli C, Bianco-Miotto T, Jindal S, Butler LM, Leung S, McNeil CM, O'Toole SA, Ebrahimie E, Millar EKA, Sakko AJ, Ruiz AI, Vowler SL, Huntsman DG, Birrell SN, Sutherland RL, Palmieri C, Hickey TE, Tilley WD. The Magnitude of Androgen Receptor Positivity in Breast Cancer Is Critical for Reliable Prediction of Disease Outcome. Clin Cancer Res 2018. [PMID: 29514843 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-1199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Consensus is lacking regarding the androgen receptor (AR) as a prognostic marker in breast cancer. The objectives of this study were to comprehensively review the literature on AR prognostication and determine optimal criteria for AR as an independent predictor of breast cancer survival.Experimental Design: AR positivity was assessed by immunostaining in two clinically validated primary breast cancer cohorts [training cohort, n = 219; validation cohort, n = 418; 77% and 79% estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) positive, respectively]. The optimal AR cut-point was determined by ROC analysis in the training cohort and applied to both cohorts.Results: AR was an independent prognostic marker of breast cancer outcome in 22 of 46 (48%) previous studies that performed multivariate analyses. Most studies used cut-points of 1% or 10% nuclear positivity. Herein, neither 1% nor 10% cut-points were robustly prognostic. ROC analysis revealed that a higher AR cut-point (78% positivity) provided optimal sensitivity and specificity to predict breast cancer survival in the training (HR, 0.41; P = 0.015) and validation (HR, 0.50; P = 0.014) cohorts. Tenfold cross-validation confirmed the robustness of this AR cut-point. Patients with ERα-positive tumors and AR positivity ≥78% had the best survival in both cohorts (P < 0.0001). Among the combined ERα-positive cases, those with comparable or higher levels of AR (AR:ERα-positivity ratio >0.87) had the best outcomes (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: This study defines an optimal AR cut-point to reliably predict breast cancer survival. Testing this cut-point in prospective cohorts is warranted for implementation of AR as a prognostic factor in the clinical management of breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 24(10); 2328-41. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Ricciardelli
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Tina Bianco-Miotto
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Shalini Jindal
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lisa M Butler
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Samuel Leung
- Genetic Pathology Evaluation Centre, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Catriona M McNeil
- Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sandra A O'Toole
- Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ewan K A Millar
- Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew J Sakko
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alexandra I Ruiz
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sarah L Vowler
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David G Huntsman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stephen N Birrell
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert L Sutherland
- Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Carlo Palmieri
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Academic Department of Medical Oncology, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Wirral, United Kingdom
| | - Theresa E Hickey
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Wayne D Tilley
- Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
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30
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Rangel N, Rondon-Lagos M, Annaratone L, Osella-Abate S, Metovic J, Mano MP, Bertero L, Cassoni P, Sapino A, Castellano I. The role of the AR/ER ratio in ER-positive breast cancer patients. Endocr Relat Cancer 2018; 25:163-172. [PMID: 29386247 DOI: 10.1530/erc-17-0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The significance of androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer (BC) management is not fully defined, and it is still ambiguous how the level of AR expression influences oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+) tumours. The aim of the present study was to analyse the prognostic impact of AR/ER ratio, evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), correlating this value with clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics. We retrospectively selected a cohort of 402 ER+BC patients. On each tumour, IHC analyses for AR, ER, PgR, HER2 and Ki67 were performed and AR+ cases were used to calculate the AR/ER value. A cut-off of ≥2 was selected using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. RNA from 19 cases with AR/ER≥2 was extracted and used for Prosigna-PAM50 assays. Tumours with AR/ER≥2 (6%) showed more frequent metastatic lymph nodes, larger size, higher histological grade and lower PgR levels than cases with AR/ER<2. Multivariate analysis confirmed that patients with AR/ER≥2 had worse disease-free interval (DFI) and disease-specific survival (DSS) (hazard ratios (HR) = 4.96 for DFI and HR = 8.69 for DSS, both P ≤ 0.004). According to the Prosigna-PAM50 assay, 63% (12/19) of these cases resulted in intermediate or high risk of recurrence categories. Additionally, although all samples were positive for ER assessed by IHC, the molecular test assigned 47.4% (9/19) of BCs to intrinsic non-luminal subtypes. In conclusion, the AR/ER ratio ≥2 identifies a subgroup of patients with aggressive biological features and may represent an additional independent marker of worse BC prognosis. Moreover, the Prosigna-PAM50 results indicate that a significant number of cases with AR/ER≥2 could be non-luminal tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Rangel
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Natural and Mathematical Sciences FacultyUniversidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Milena Rondon-Lagos
- School of Biological SciencesUniversidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja, Colombia
| | | | | | - Jasna Metovic
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Piera Mano
- Department of Surgical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Bertero
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Cassoni
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Anna Sapino
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Pathology UnitFondazione del Piemonte per l'Oncologia (FPO) Candiolo Cancer Institute (IRCCS), Candiolo, Italy
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31
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Wang C, Pan B, Zhu H, Zhou Y, Mao F, Lin Y, Xu Q, Sun Q. Prognostic value of androgen receptor in triple negative breast cancer: A meta-analysis. Oncotarget 2018; 7:46482-46491. [PMID: 27374089 PMCID: PMC5216811 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Androgen receptor (AR) is a promising therapeutic target for breast cancer. However, its prognostic value remains controversial in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Here we present a meta-analysis to investigate the correlation between AR expression and TNBC prognosis. Results Thirteen relevant studies with 2826 TNBC patients were included. AR positive rate was 24.4%. AR+ patients tended to have lower tumor grade (p< 0.001), but more lymph node metastases (p < 0.01). AR positivity was associated with prolonged disease free survival (HR 0.809, 95% CI = 0.659-0.995, p < 0.05), but had no significant impact on overall survival (HR 1.270, 95% CI=0.904-1.782, p = 0.168). No difference in survival existed between subgroups using different AR or estrogen receptor cutoff values. Materials and methods Literature search was performed in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases to identify relevant articles on AR and TNBC prognosis. Fixed- and random-effect meta-analyses were conducted based on the heterogeneity of included studies. Heterogeneity and impacts of covariates were further evaluated by subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Conclusion AR positivity is associated with lower risk of disease recurrence in TNBC. Further clinical studies are warranted to clarify its prognostic role on TNBC recurrence and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Pan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hanjiang Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yidong Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Mao
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qianqian Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
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32
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Hamilton N, Austin D, Márquez-Garbán D, Sanchez R, Chau B, Foos K, Wu Y, Vadgama J, Pietras R. Receptors for Insulin-Like Growth Factor-2 and Androgens as Therapeutic Targets in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2305. [PMID: 29099049 PMCID: PMC5713274 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18112305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) occurs in 10-15% of all breast cancer patients, yet it accounts for about half of all breast cancer deaths. There is an urgent need to identify new antitumor targets to provide additional treatment options for patients afflicted with this aggressive disease. Preclinical evidence suggests a critical role for insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) and androgen receptor (AR) in regulating TNBC progression. To advance this work, a panel of TNBC cell lines was investigated with all cell lines showing significant expression of IGF2. Treatment with IGF2 stimulated cell proliferation in vitro (p < 0.05). Importantly, combination treatments with IGF1R inhibitors BMS-754807 and NVP-AEW541 elicited significant inhibition of TNBC cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Based on Annexin-V binding assays, BMS-754807, NVP-AEW541 and enzalutamide induced TNBC cell death (p < 0.005). Additionally, combination of enzalutamide with BMS-754807 or NVP-AEW541 exerted significant reductions in TNBC proliferation even in cells with low AR expression (p < 0.001). Notably, NVP-AEW541 and BMS-754807 reduced AR levels in BT549 TNBC cells. These results provide evidence that IGF2 promotes TNBC cell viability and proliferation, while inhibition of IGF1R/IR and AR pathways contribute to blockade of TNBC proliferation and promotion of apoptosis in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalo Hamilton
- UCLA School of Nursing, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - David Austin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
| | - Diana Márquez-Garbán
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Rudy Sanchez
- Department of Biology, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA.
| | - Brittney Chau
- Department of Integrative Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Physiology, UCLA College of Life Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Kay Foos
- Department Physiological, UCLA College of Life Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Yanyuan Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
| | - Jaydutt Vadgama
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Richard Pietras
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cancer Research and Training, Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Cristóbal I, Torrejón B, Martínez-Useros J, Madoz-Gurpide J, Rojo F, García-Foncillas J. PP2A regulates signaling through hormonal receptors in breast cancer with important therapeutic implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1868:435-438. [PMID: 28916342 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The functional inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) has emerged in the last years as a common alteration in breast cancer that determines poor outcome and contributes to disease progression and aggressiveness. Furthermore, expression of estrogen receptor (ER) is a high relevant molecular event with key therapeutic implications in breast cancer, and androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and represents a novel target with crescent importance in this disease. In this review, we summarize the role of the tumor suppressor PP2A in modulating ER and AR signaling in breast cancer, the molecular mechanisms involved, and its biological and therapeutic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ion Cristóbal
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, UAM, University Hospital "Fundacion Jimenez Diaz", Madrid, Spain.
| | - Blanca Torrejón
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, UAM, University Hospital "Fundacion Jimenez Diaz", Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez-Useros
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, UAM, University Hospital "Fundacion Jimenez Diaz", Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Federico Rojo
- Pathology Department, IIS "Fundación Jiménez Diaz", Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jesús García-Foncillas
- Translational Oncology Division, Oncohealth Institute, IIS-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, UAM, University Hospital "Fundacion Jimenez Diaz", Madrid, Spain.
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Anand A, Singh KR, Kumar S, Husain N, Kushwaha JK, Sonkar AA. Androgen Receptor Expression in an Indian Breast Cancer Cohort with Relation to Molecular Subtypes and Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy - a Prospective Clinical Study. Breast Care (Basel) 2017; 12:160-164. [PMID: 28785183 DOI: 10.1159/000458433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is associated with advanced presentation in developing countries like India due to various socio-economic factors. The presence of BC molecular subtypes such as the triple-negative (TN) subtype adds to this menace. Androgen receptor (AR) is emerging as a new biological marker. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of AR with relation to different BC subtypes, and its role in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS 116 cases of invasive BC (infiltrating ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified) were evaluated. AR expression was correlated with clinicopathological factors, established prognostic markers, BC subtypes and it ability for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS AR was expressed in 56% of the cases. AR expression was significantly associated with early stage (p < 0.03), low axillary burden (p < 0.04), estrogen receptor (p = 0.002), progesterone receptor (p = 0.001) expression and luminal A molecular subtype. No significant association was observed with age, tumor size and HER2/neu status. One-third of TNBC cases expressed AR. Higher AR expression corelated to good clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION AR can be utilized as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy especially in developing countries such as India where the load of advanced disease is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Anand
- Department of Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Kul R Singh
- Department of Endocrine Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Surender Kumar
- Department of Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Nuzhat Husain
- Department of Pathology, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Abhinav A Sonkar
- Department of Surgery, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
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Peng Y, Butt YM, Chen B, Zhang X, Tang P. Update on Immunohistochemical Analysis in Breast Lesions. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2017; 141:1033-1051. [PMID: 28574279 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2016-0482-ra] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT - The utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in breast lesions needs to be updated with exceptions among these lesions. Biomarker studies with IHC in triple-negative breast carcinoma may help develop targeted therapies for this aggressive breast cancer. The distinction of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the breast and invasive breast carcinoma has significant prognostic and therapeutic implications. The determination can be challenging because both primary tumors can express estrogen receptor and/or HER2 by IHC, creating a diagnostic dilemma. OBJECTIVES - To provide a practical update on the use of IHC markers in differential diagnoses in breast lesions, including benign, atypical, precancerous, and malignant tumors; to highlight recently published research findings on novel IHC markers in triple-negative breast carcinoma cases; and to reinforce the importance of IHC use as an ancillary tool in distinguishing metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the breast from primary breast carcinoma using real case examples. DATA SOURCES - PubMed (US National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland) literature review and authors' research data and personal experiences were used in this review. CONCLUSIONS - Immunohistochemistry has an important role in making differential diagnoses in breast lesions in morphologically equivocal settings; recognizing IHC expression status in the exceptions among these lesions will aid in the correct diagnosis of challenging breast cases. Studies suggest that androgen receptor, p16, p53, GATA3, and PELP1 may have potential diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive value in triple-negative breast carcinoma cases; these findings may provide insight and a greater understanding of the tumor biology in triple-negative breast carcinomas. In distinguishing metastatic estrogen receptor-positive or HER2+ lung adenocarcinoma to the breast from primary breast carcinoma, napsin A, TTF-1, and GATA3 comprise a useful IHC panel.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ping Tang
- From the Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas (Drs Peng and Butt); the Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota (Dr Chen); the Department of Pathology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey (Dr Zhang); and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York (Dr Tang)
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Parvani JG, Jackson MW. Silencing the roadblocks to effective triple-negative breast cancer treatments by siRNA nanoparticles. Endocr Relat Cancer 2017; 24:R81-R97. [PMID: 28148541 PMCID: PMC5471497 DOI: 10.1530/erc-16-0482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, RNA interference (RNAi) has been ubiquitously utilized to study biological function in vitro; however, limitations were associated with its utility in vivo More recently, small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanoparticles with improved biocompatibility have gained prevalence as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of various diseases. The adaptability of siRNA nanoparticles enables the delivery of virtually any siRNA, which is especially advantageous for therapeutic applications in heterogeneous diseases that lack unifying molecular features, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is stratified by the lack of estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor expression and HER2 amplification. There are currently no FDA-approved targeted therapies for the treatment of TNBCs, making cytotoxic chemotherapy the only treatment option available to these patients. In this review, we outline the current status of siRNA nanoparticles in clinical trials for cancer treatment and discuss the promising preclinical approaches that have utilized siRNA nanoparticles for TNBC treatment. Next, we address TNBC subtype-specific therapeutic interventions and highlight where and how siRNA nanoparticles fit into these strategies. Lastly, we point out ongoing challenges in the field of siRNA nanoparticle research that, if addressed, would significantly improve the efficacy of siRNA nanoparticles as a therapeutic option for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny G Parvani
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCase Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer CenterCase Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Mark W Jackson
- Case Comprehensive Cancer CenterCase Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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AR Signaling in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9030021. [PMID: 28245550 PMCID: PMC5366816 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR, a member of the steroid hormone receptor family) status has become increasingly important as both a prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target in breast cancer. AR is expressed in up to 90% of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer, and to a lesser degree, human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) amplified tumors. In the former, AR signaling has been correlated with a better prognosis given its inhibitory activity in estrogen dependent disease, though conversely has also been shown to increase resistance to anti-estrogen therapies such as tamoxifen. AR blockade can mitigate this resistance, and thus serves as a potential target in ER-positive breast cancer. In HER2 amplified breast cancer, studies are somewhat conflicting, though most show either no effect or are associated with poorer survival. Much of the available data on AR signaling is in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is an aggressive disease with inferior outcomes comparative to other breast cancer subtypes. At present, there are no approved targeted therapies in TNBC, making study of the AR signaling pathway compelling. Gene expression profiling studies have also identified a luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype that is dependent on AR signaling in TNBC. Regardless, there seems to be an association between AR expression and improved outcomes in TNBC. Despite lower pathologic complete response (pCR) rates with neoadjuvant therapy, patients with AR-expressing TNBC have been shown to have a better prognosis than those that are AR-negative. Clinical studies targeting AR have shown somewhat promising results. In this paper we review the literature on the biology of AR in breast cancer and its prognostic and predictive roles. We also present our thoughts on therapeutic strategies.
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Héquet D, Mzoughi S, Rouzier R, Guccione E. [Androgen receptors in breast cancer: Expression, value and therapeutic prospects]. Bull Cancer 2017; 104:363-369. [PMID: 28216075 DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative (TN) breast cancer are characterized by lack of estrogen receptor (OR) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression, and the absence of overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It is a heterogeneous group of tumors with a more pejorative prognosis than other subtypes of breast cancer. Androgen receptors (AR) are nuclear receptors whose expression varies from 80 to 85% of primary breast cancers and 60 to 75% of metastatic cancers. Among the TN breast cancers, the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype expresses AR more frequently, up to 53% of the cases. AR are associated with lower tumor size, histological grade, Ki67, and lymph node involvement. The results of recent clinical trials evaluating anti-androgen therapies in locally advanced or metastatic TN breast cancer are promising. Many new therapies are tested, including enzalutamide or abiraterone acetate, and numerous therapeutic combinations including PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors or CDK inhibitors. These therapies would allow an alternative treatment of patients with TN breast cancer for which there is often a therapeutic impasse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Héquet
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138673 Singapour, Singapour; Centre René-Huguenin, institut Curie, département de chirurgie oncologique, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
| | - Slim Mzoughi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138673 Singapour, Singapour
| | - Roman Rouzier
- Centre René-Huguenin, institut Curie, département de chirurgie oncologique, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France; Université Versailles-St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, EA 7285 : risques cliniques et sécurité en santé des femmes et en santé périnatale, 2, rue de la Source-de-la-Bièvre, 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Ernesto Guccione
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138673 Singapour, Singapour
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Expression and Clinical Significance of Androgen Receptor in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9010004. [PMID: 28067809 PMCID: PMC5295775 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis because of frequent recurrence. Androgen receptor (AR) is involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, but its role is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of AR and its relationship with clinicopathologic features in TNBC. METHODS This study investigated 1036 cases of sporadic invasive breast carcinoma. Immunohistochemical assays were performed to determine the expression of AR in 190 TNBC samples. The relationships between AR expression and clinicopathologic data and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS In 190 TNBC cases, the prognosis of AR-positive patients was significantly better (p = 0.019, log-rank) than AR-negative patients, and in multivariate analysis, AR expression was an independent indicator of good prognosis (p = 0.039, hazard ratio = 0.36). In patients with disease relapse, AR positivity was significantly correlated with better prognosis (p = 0.034, log-rank). CONCLUSIONS AR expression may be useful as a subclassification marker for prognosis in TNBC.
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40
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Narayanan R, Dalton JT. Androgen Receptor: A Complex Therapeutic Target for Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8120108. [PMID: 27918430 PMCID: PMC5187506 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8120108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular and histopathological profiling have classified breast cancer into multiple sub-types empowering precision treatment. Although estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) are the mainstay therapeutic targets in breast cancer, the androgen receptor (AR) is evolving as a molecular target for cancers that have developed resistance to conventional treatments. The high expression of AR in breast cancer and recent discovery and development of new nonsteroidal drugs targeting the AR provide a strong rationale for exploring it again as a therapeutic target in this disease. Ironically, both nonsteroidal agonists and antagonists for the AR are undergoing clinical trials, making AR a complicated target to understand in breast cancer. This review provides a detailed account of AR’s therapeutic role in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Narayanan
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA.
| | - James T Dalton
- College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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41
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Feng J, Li L, Zhang N, Liu J, Zhang L, Gao H, Wang G, Li Y, Zhang Y, Li X, Liu D, Lu J, Huang B. Androgen and AR contribute to breast cancer development and metastasis: an insight of mechanisms. Oncogene 2016; 36:2775-2790. [PMID: 27893717 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The role of androgen and androgen receptor (AR) in breast carcinogenesis has long been a disputed issue. This report provides a mechanistic insight into how androgen and AR contributes to invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. We find that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is able to induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells in an AR-dependent/estrogen receptor-independent manner. This process is dependent on the demethylation activity of lysine-specific demethylase 1A (LSD1) by epigenetically regulating the target genes E-cadherin and vimentin. In vivo, DHT promotes metastasis in a nude mouse model, and AR and LSD1 are indispensable in this process. We establish that higher expression of nucleus AR to cytoplasm AR associated with worse prognostic outcomes in breast cancer patient samples. This study maps an 'androgen-AR/LSD1-target genes' pathway in breast carcinogenesis, implicating the importance of hormonal balance in women, and the potential clinical significance of serum androgen and AR in prediction of breast cancer and selection of breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Feng
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - L Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Department of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China
| | - N Zhang
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - J Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - L Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - H Gao
- Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - G Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Y Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Y Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - X Li
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - D Liu
- School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - J Lu
- The Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - B Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Bozovic-Spasojevic I, Zardavas D, Brohée S, Ameye L, Fumagalli D, Ades F, de Azambuja E, Bareche Y, Piccart M, Paesmans M, Sotiriou C. The Prognostic Role of Androgen Receptor in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Clinical and Gene Expression Data. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 23:2702-2712. [PMID: 28151718 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Androgen receptor (AR) expression has been observed in about 70% of patients with breast cancer, but its prognostic role remains uncertain.Experimental Design: To assess the prognostic role of AR expression in early-stage breast cancer, we performed a meta-analysis of studies that evaluated the impact of AR at the protein and gene expression level on disease-free survival (DFS) and/or overall survival (OS). Eligible studies were identified by systematic review of electronic databases using the MeSH-terms "breast neoplasm" and "androgen receptor" and were selected after a qualitative assessment based on the REMARK criteria. A pooled gene expression analysis of 35 publicly available microarray data sets was also performed from patients with early-stage breast cancer with available gene expression and clinical outcome data.Results: Twenty-two of 33 eligible studies for the clinical meta-analysis, including 10,004 patients, were considered as evaluable for the current study after the qualitative assessment. AR positivity defined by IHC was associated with improved DFS in all patients with breast cancer [multivariate (M) analysis, HR 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.58, P < 0.001] and better OS [M-HR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.38-0.73, P < 0.001]. Thirty-five datasets including 7,220 patients were eligible for the pooled gene expression analysis. High AR mRNA levels were found to confer positive prognosis overall in terms of DFS (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.72-0.92;P = 0.0007) and OS (HR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; P = 0.02) only in univariate analysis.Conclusions: Our analysis, conducted among more than 17,000 women with early-stage breast cancer included in clinical and gene expression analysis, demonstrates that AR positivity is associated with favorable clinical outcome. Clin Cancer Res; 23(11); 2702-12. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Bozovic-Spasojevic
- Breast Data Centre, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium.,Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, National Cancer Research Centre, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia
| | | | - Sylvain Brohée
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium
| | - Lieveke Ameye
- Data Centre, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Felipe Ades
- Breast Data Centre, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium.,Hospital Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Evandro de Azambuja
- Breast Data Centre, Medical Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium
| | - Yacine Bareche
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium
| | - Martine Piccart
- Medical Oncology Department, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marianne Paesmans
- Data Centre, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christos Sotiriou
- Breast Cancer Translational Research Laboratory, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brusells, Belgium.
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Androgen Receptor Expression in Thai Breast Cancer Patients. Med Sci (Basel) 2016; 4:medsci4030015. [PMID: 29083379 PMCID: PMC5635797 DOI: 10.3390/medsci4030015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence and related factors of androgen receptor (AR) expression in Thai breast cancer patients. A descriptive study was done in 95 patients, who were admitted to Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, Bangkok (2011-2013). Statistical relationships were examined between AR protein expression, tumor status, and patient characteristics. Compared with those from Western countries, ethnic Thai patients were younger at age of diagnosis and had a higher proliferative index (high Ki-67 expression), which indicates unfavorable prognosis. In addition, 91% of the Thai breast tumors that were positive for any of the following receptors, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) also expressed the AR protein, while in triple negative breast tumors only 33% were AR positive. ER and PR expression was positively related with AR expression, while AR expression was inversely correlated to Ki-67 expression. AR status was strongly correlated with ER and PR status in Thai patients. There is an inverse relationship between Ki-67 and AR, which suggests that AR may be a prognostic factor for breast cancer.
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44
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López-Ozuna VM, Hachim IY, Hachim MY, Lebrun JJ, Ali S. Prolactin Pro-Differentiation Pathway in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Impact on Prognosis and Potential Therapy. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30934. [PMID: 27480353 PMCID: PMC4969612 DOI: 10.1038/srep30934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease associated with poor clinical outcome and lack of targeted therapy. Here we show that prolactin (PRL) and its signaling pathway serve as a sub-classifier and predictor of pro-differentiation therapy in TNBC. Using immunohistochemistry and various gene expression in silica analyses we observed that prolactin receptor (PRLR) protein and mRNA levels are down regulated in TNBC cases. In addition, examining correlation of PRLR gene expression with metagenes of TNBC subtypes (580 cases), we found that PRLR gene expression sub-classifies TNBC patients into a new subgroup (TNBC-PRLR) characterized by epithelial-luminal differentiation. Importantly, gene expression of PRL signaling pathway components individually (PRL, PRLR, Jak2 and Stat5a), or as a gene signature is able to predict TNBC patients with significantly better survival outcomes. As PRL hormone is a druggable target we determined the biological role of PRL in TNBC biology. Significantly, restoration/activation of PRL pathway in TNBC cells representative of mesenchymal or TNBC-PRLR subgroups led to induction of epithelial phenotype and suppression of tumorigenesis. Altogether, these results offer potential new modalities for TNBC stratification and development of personalized therapy based on PRL pathway activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M López-Ozuna
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ibrahim Y Hachim
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mahmood Y Hachim
- Medical Microbiology Department, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, UAE
| | - Jean-Jacques Lebrun
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Suhad Ali
- Department of Medicine, Cancer Research Program, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Asano Y, Kashiwagi S, Onoda N, Kurata K, Morisaki T, Noda S, Takashima T, Ohsawa M, Kitagawa S, Hirakawa K. Clinical verification of sensitivity to preoperative chemotherapy in cases of androgen receptor-expressing positive breast cancer. Br J Cancer 2016; 114:14-20. [PMID: 26757422 PMCID: PMC4716546 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients testing positive for androgen receptor (AR) expression are thought to be chemotherapy resistant, similar to other hormone receptor-positive breast cancers; however, this has not been substantially validated in the clinic. In this study, we investigated the association between chemotherapy sensitivity and AR expression in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) using standardised chemotherapy criteria and regimens. Methods: A total of 177 patients with resectable early-stage breast cancer were treated with NAC. Oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, Ki67 and AR status were assessed immunohistochemically. Results: Sixty-one patients were diagnosed with TNBC; AR expression was identified in 23 (37.7%), which was significantly less common than that found in non-TNBC patients (103 of 116; 88.8% P<0.001). The rate of pathological complete response after NAC was significantly lower (P=0.001), and disease recurrence was more common (P=0.008) in patients with AR-positive compared with those with AR-negative TNBC. In TNBC cases, as expected, the non-recurrence period in cases that were negative for AR expression was significantly extended (P=0.006, log-rank). Conclusions: Androgen receptor expressions may be useful as biomarkers to predict treatment responses to NAC in TNBC. Moreover, induction of a change in subtype to the AR-negative phenotype was observed after NAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Asano
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Kashiwagi
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Naoyoshi Onoda
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Kento Kurata
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Tamami Morisaki
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Satoru Noda
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Takashima
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Masahiko Ohsawa
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Seiichi Kitagawa
- Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Kosei Hirakawa
- Department of Surgical Oncology, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
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46
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Guiu S, Charon-Barra C, Vernerey D, Fumoleau P, Campone M, Spielmann M, Roché H, Mesleard C, Arnould L, Lemonnier J, Lacroix-Triki M. Coexpression of androgen receptor and FOXA1 in nonmetastatic triple-negative breast cancer: ancillary study from PACS08 trial. Future Oncol 2016; 11:2283-97. [PMID: 26260807 DOI: 10.2217/fon.15.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Microarray studies identified a subgroup of molecular apocrine tumors (estrogen receptor [ER] negative/androgen receptor [AR] positive) that express luminal genes including FOXA1. FOXA1 may direct AR to sites normally occupied by ER in luminal tumors, inducing an estrogen-like gene program that stimulated proliferation. MATERIALS & METHODS Expression of AR and FOXA1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 592 patients with nonmetastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). RESULTS Coexpression of AR and FOXA1 was found in 15.2% of patients. These tumors were more frequently lobular, found in older patients and exhibited a lower nuclear grade and a greater degree of node involvement. They less often exhibited lymphocytic infiltrate, pushing margins, syncytial architecture, central fibrosis or necrosis. CONCLUSION TNBC with coexpression of AR and FOXA1 seems to behave like luminal tumors with a morphological profile distinct from other TNBC. These biomarkers could be useful to identify a subgroup of TNBC and could have future therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Guiu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut du Cancer de Montpellier, 208 avenue des Apothicaires, 34298 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Céline Charon-Barra
- Department of Pathology, Georges-François Leclerc Cancer Center, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Déwi Vernerey
- Methodological and Quality of Life in Oncology Unit, EA 3181, University Hospital of Besançon, 2 place Saint-Jacques, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Pierre Fumoleau
- Department of Medical Oncology, Georges-François Leclerc Cancer Center, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Mario Campone
- Department of Medical Oncology, ICO Centre René Gauducheau, boulevard Jacques Monod, 44805 Saint Herblain, France
| | - Marc Spielmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard-Vaillant, 94800 Villejuif, France
| | - Henri Roché
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Claudius Régaud, 20/24 Rue du Pont Saint Pierre, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Laurent Arnould
- Department of Pathology, Georges-François Leclerc Cancer Center, 1 rue du Professeur Marion, 21000 Dijon, France
| | | | - Magali Lacroix-Triki
- Department of Pathology, Institut Claudius Régaud, 20/24 rue du Pont Saint Pierre, 31300 Toulouse, France
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Abstract
Metastasis is the underlying cause of death for the majority of breast cancer patients. Despite significant advances in recent years in basic research and clinical development, therapies that specifically target metastatic breast cancer remain inadequate, and represents the single greatest obstacle to reducing mortality of late-stage breast cancer. Recent efforts have leveraged genomic analysis of breast cancer and molecular dissection of tumor-stromal cross-talk to uncover a number of promising candidates for targeted treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Rational combinations of therapeutic agents targeting tumor-intrinsic properties and microenvironmental components provide a promising strategy to develop precision treatments with higher specificity and less toxicity. In this review, we discuss the emerging therapeutic targets in breast cancer metastasis, from tumor-intrinsic pathways to those that involve the host tissue components, including the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, United States
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, United States.
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48
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Prevalence and predictors of androgen receptor and programmed death-ligand 1 in BRCA1-associated and sporadic triple-negative breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2016; 2:16002. [PMID: 28721372 PMCID: PMC5515333 DOI: 10.1038/npjbcancer.2016.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Triple-negative breast cancers comprise 15% of breast cancers and are more common in women with BRCA1 mutations. Although most have basal gene expression signatures, others resemble luminal tumors with expression of androgen receptor-related genes and some express the immunoinhibitory protein programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). Given the availability of androgen receptor-targeted and immune therapies for triple-negative breast cancers, determining predictors of these biomarkers is important. Aims: To determine the prevalence and predictors of androgen receptor and PD-L1 expression in BRCA1-associated and sporadic triple-negative breast cancer. Methods: We studied 197 triple-negative breast cancers: 78 (39.6%) from BRCA1 mutation carriers and 119 (60.4%) from noncarriers. Tumor pathology was reviewed and tissue microarray sections were immunostained for androgen receptor and PD-L1. Results: Androgen receptor expression was seen in 18% of tumors and was significantly less common in tumors from BRCA1 mutation carriers than noncarriers (9.2 vs. 23.7%; P=0.01). Twenty-six percent of cancers expressed PD-L1 with no significant difference in frequency between carriers and noncarriers. Factors predicting androgen receptor expression were lower histologic grade (odds ratio (OR) 4.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–19.7), older age at diagnosis (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.03–1.7) and PD-L1 expression (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.1–6.1). PD-L1 expression was significantly more common in cancers with lymphocytic infiltrates (OR, 3.3; 95% CI 1.1–10.4) and androgen receptor expression (OR, 3.2; 95% CI 1.4–7.5), and less common in tumors with lymphovascular invasion (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.92). Conclusions: These results identify predictors for androgen receptor and PD-L1 expression among triple-negative breast cancers that may lead to better treatment selection and participation in clinical trials.
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49
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Yang Q, Liu HY, Liu D, Song YQ. Ultrasonographic features of triple-negative breast cancer: a comparison with other breast cancer subtypes. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2016; 16:3229-32. [PMID: 25921124 DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.8.3229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known to be associated with aggressive biologic features and a poor clinical outcome. Therefore, early detection of TNBC without missed diagnosis is a requirement to improve prognosis. Preoperative ultrasound features of TNBC may potentially assist in early diagnosis as characteristics of disease. PURPOSE To retrospectively evaluate the sonographic features of TNBC compared to ER (+) cancers which include HER(-) and HER2 (+), and HER2 (+) cancers which are ER (-). MATERIALS AND METHODS From June 2012 through June 2014, sonographic features of 321 surgically confirmed ER (+) cancers (n=214), HER2 (+) cancers (n=66), and TNBC (n=41) were retrospectively reviewed by two ultrasound specialists in consensus. The preoperative ultrasound and clinicopathological features were compared between the three subtypes. In addition, all cases were analyzed using morphologic criteria of the ACR BI-RADS lexicon. RESULTS Ultrasonographically, TNBC presented as microlobulated nodules without microcalcification (p=0.034). A lower incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (p<0.001), invasive tumor size that is>2 cm (p=0.011) and BI-RADS category 4 (p<0.001) were significantly associated with TNBC. With regard to morphologic features of 41 TNBC cases, ultrasonographically were most likely to be masses with irregular (70.7%) microlobulated shape (48.8%), be circumscribed (17.1%) or have indistinct margins (17.1%) and parallel orientation (68.9%). Especially TNBC microlobulated mass margins were more more frequent than with ER (+) (2.0%) and HER2 (+) (4.8%) cancers. CONCLUSIONS TNBC have specific characteristic in sonograms. Ultrasonography may be useful to avoid missed diagnosis and false-negative cases of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yang
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China E-mail :
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50
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Hilborn E, Gacic J, Fornander T, Nordenskjöld B, Stål O, Jansson A. Androgen receptor expression predicts beneficial tamoxifen response in oestrogen receptor-α-negative breast cancer. Br J Cancer 2016; 114:248-55. [PMID: 26742006 PMCID: PMC4742586 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2015.464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Although the androgen receptor (AR) is frequently expressed in breast cancer, its relevance in the disease is not fully understood. In addition, the relevance of AR in determining tamoxifen treatment efficiency requires evaluation. Purpose: To investigate the tamoxifen predictive relevance of the AR protein expression in breast cancer. Methods Patients were randomised to tamoxifen 40 mg daily for 2 or 5 years or to no endocrine treatment. Mean follow-up was 15 years. Hazard ratios were calculated with recurrence-free survival as end point. Results: In patients with oestrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumours, expression of AR predicted decreased recurrence rate with tamoxifen (hazard ratio (HR)=0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.14–0.81; P=0.015), whereas the opposite was seen in the AR− group (HR=2.92; 95% CI=1.16–7.31; P=0.022). Interaction test was significant P<0.001. Patients with triple-negative and AR+ tumours benefitted from tamoxifen treatment (HR=0.12; 95% CI=0.014–0.95 P=0.044), whereas patients with AR− tumours had worse outcome when treated with tamoxifen (HR=3.98; 95% CI=1.32–12.03; P=0.014). Interaction test was significant P=0.003. Patients with ER+ tumours showed benefit from tamoxifen treatment regardless of AR expression. Conclusions: AR can predict tamoxifen treatment benefit in patients with ER− tumours and triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Hilborn
- Division of Clinical sciences, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-581 85, Sweden
| | - Jelena Gacic
- Division of Clinical sciences, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-581 85, Sweden
| | - Tommy Fornander
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bo Nordenskjöld
- Division of Clinical sciences, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-581 85, Sweden
| | - Olle Stål
- Division of Clinical sciences, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-581 85, Sweden.,Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Agneta Jansson
- Division of Clinical sciences, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-581 85, Sweden
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