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Query: UMLS:C0006142 (breast cancer)
 160,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is known to be a potent growth inhibitor of breast cancer cells (BCCs), the signaling mechanisms mediating TGF-beta responses have not been defined. We have demonstrated previously that TGF-beta can activate Ras and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 in untransformed epithelial cells (K. M. Mulder and S. L. Morris, J. Biol. Chem., 267: 5029-5031, 1992; M. T. Hartsough and K. M. Mulder, J. Biol. Chem., 270: 7117-7124, 1995). We have also shown that TGF-beta signaling is altered in epithelial cells when Ras activation is blocked (Hartsough et at., J. Biol. Chem., 271: 22368-22375). Here we demonstrate the ability of the TGF-beta3 isoform to activate the signaling component ERK2 in TGF-beta-sensitive BCCs but not in TGF-beta-resistant cells. The ERK2 isoform was activated by 6-fold within 10 min of TGF-beta3 addition to the TGF-beta-sensitive BCC line Hs578T. Moreover, the IC50 for inhibition of DNA synthesis by TGF-beta3 in this cell line correlated with the EC50 for TGF-beta3 activation of ERK2. In contrast, TGF-beta3 had little effect on either DNA synthesis or ERK2 activation in ZR-75 BCCs lacking the type-II TGF-beta receptors (R(II)), or in ZR-75 BCCs stably transfected with R(II) yet still TGF-beta resistant. In addition, our data demonstrate that TGF-beta3 affected a sustained activation of the stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) type of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK); maximal induction levels were 2.5-fold above basal values and were attained at 30 min after TGF-beta3 treatment. In contrast, TGF-beta3 did not increase SAPK/JNK activity in the TGF-beta-resistant ZR-75 R(II) BCCs. Our data provide the first evidence that TGF-beta activation of ERK2 and SAPK/JNK is associated with negative growth control of BCCs. This is also the first demonstration that TGF-beta can activate the SAPK/JNK type of MAPK and that the TGF-beta3 isoform can regulate MAPK activity.
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PMID:Involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 and stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase activation by transforming growth factor beta in the negative growth control of breast cancer cells. 904 38

We demonstrate herein the ability of transforming growth factor-beta-2 (TGFbeta2) to potently activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in the highly TGFbeta-sensitive breast cancer cell (BCC) line Hs578T. The ERK2 isoform was activated by 3-fold within 5 min of TGFbeta2 addition to Hs578T cells. However, TGFbeta2 only slightly activated ERK2 (1.5-fold) in the partially TGFbeta-responsive BCC line MDA-MB-23 1. The magnitude of the difference in activation of ERK2 by TGFbeta2 in the two cell lines paralleled the difference in the IC50 values for TGFbeta inhibition of DNA synthesis; the IC50 value in the MDA-MB-231 cells was 32-fold greater than that in the Hs578T cells. Further, our data demonstrate that TGFbeta2 activated the stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) type of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs); maximal induction levels were 2.5-fold above basal values and were attained at 30 min after TGFbeta2 treatment. Transient co-transfection of a luciferase reporter construct (3TP-Lux) containing three AP-1 sites and the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) promoter, in conjunction with a construct that directs expression of a dominant-negative mutant ERK2 (TAYF) protein, did not block the ability of TGFbeta to induce AP-1 or PAI-1 activity. In contrast, TAYF ERK2 was able to block EGF and insulin-induced 3TP-Lux-reporter activity. These results indicate that in these BCCs, the activation of ERK2 by TGFbeta is more tightly linked to the ability of TGFbeta to inhibit DNA synthesis than to the ability to stimulate promoter regions important for TGFbeta production and control of the extracellular matrix. In addition, this is the first demonstration that TGFbeta can activate the SAPK/JNK type of MAPK in TGFbeta-sensitive human BCCs.
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PMID:TGFbeta regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in human breast cancer cells. 923 30

During late stages of breast cancer progression, tumors frequently acquire steroid hormone resistance with concurrent amplification of growth factor receptors; this alteration predicts a poor prognosis. We show here that following treatment with the progestin, R5020, breast cancer cells undergo a "biochemical shift" in the regulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated signaling pathways: R5020 potentiates the effects of EGF by up-regulating EGFR, c-ErbB2 and c-ErbB3 receptors, and by enhancing EGF-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of signaling molecules known to associate with activated type I receptors. Independently of EGF, R5020 increases Stat5 protein levels, association of Stat5 with phosphotyrosine-containing proteins, and tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2 and Shc. Furthermore, progestins "prime" breast cancer cells for growth signals by potentiating EGF-stimulated p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), p38 MAP kinase, and JNK activities. Although the levels of cyclin D1, cyclin E, and p21(WAF1), are up-regulated by R5020 alone, they are synergistically up-regulated by EGF in the presence of R5020. Up-regulation of cell cycle proteins by EGF is blocked by inhibition of p42/p44 MAPK only in the presence of R5020, supporting a shift in the regulation of these cell cycle mediators from MAPK-independent to MAPK-dependent pathways. In summary, progesterone selectively increases the sensitivity of key kinase cascades to growth factors, thereby priming cells for stimulation by latent growth signals. These data support a model in which breast cancer cell growth switches from steroid hormone to growth factor dependence.
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PMID:Convergence of progesterone and epidermal growth factor signaling in breast cancer. Potentiation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. 981 39

The breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 encodes a protein implicated in the cellular response to DNA damage, with postulated roles in homologous recombination as well as transcriptional regulation. To identify downstream target genes, we established cell lines with tightly regulated inducible expression of BRCA1. High-density oligonucleotide arrays were used to analyze gene expression profiles at various times following BRCA1 induction. A major BRCA1 target is the DNA damage-responsive gene GADD45. Induction of BRCA1 triggers apoptosis through activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK), a signaling pathway potentially linked to GADD45 gene family members. The p53-independent induction of GADD45 by BRCA1 and its activation of JNK/SAPK suggest a pathway for BRCA1-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Induction of GADD45 and JNK/SAPK-dependent apoptosis following inducible expression of BRCA1. 1036 87

The mechanism of Taxol-induced apoptosis was investigated in MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells. Taxol-induced apoptosis was associated with phosphorylation of both c-Raf-1 and Bcl-2 and activation of ERK and JNK MAP kinases. The serine protease inhibitor N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) effectively blocked apoptosis, but N-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), another serine protease inhibitor, was without effect. TPCK treatment also prevented phosphorylation of c-Raf-1 and Bcl-2 in response to Taxol treatment. The serine protease inhibitor did not alter JNK activity, but it enhanced Taxol-induced activation of ERK1/2. Treatment of cells with the inhibitor of MEK activation, PD98059, prevented Taxol-induced ERK activation both in the presence and absence of TPCK, but did not influence survival of either Taxol- or Taxol plus TPCK-treated cells. In addition, PD98059 had no effect on c-Raf-1 or Bcl-2 phosphorylation. Thus, while the Taxol-induced phosphorylations of c-Raf-1 and Bcl-2 proteins appear to be coupled, these events can be disassociated from ERK1/2 activation. In summary, these findings suggest that phosphorylation of c-Raf-1 and Bcl-2, but not ERK1/2, are important signaling events in Taxol-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and that a TPCK inhibitable protease(s) is required for these processes.
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PMID:Serine protease inhibitor TPCK prevents Taxol-induced cell death and blocks c-Raf-1 and Bcl-2 phosphorylation in human breast carcinoma cells. 1037 21

Phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and all-trans-retinoic acid (trans-RA) are potent regulators of growth of cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of TPA and trans-RA alone or their combination on proliferation of human breast cancer ZR75-1 and T47D and lung cancer H460 and H292 cell lines. trans-RA caused various degrees of growth inhibition of these cell lines. However, TPA showed inhibition of proliferation of H460 and H292 cells and induction of ZR75-1 cell growth. Although trans-RA did not significantly regulate the growth inhibitory effect of TPA, it completely prevented its growth stimulating function. The divergent effects of TPA were associated with specific disruption of cell cycle events, an induction of G(0)/G(1) arrest in H460 and H292 cells and inhibition of G(0)/G(1) arrest with increase of S phase in ZR75-1 cells. Induction of G(0)/G(1) arrest was accompanied by induction of p21(WAF1) and ERK activity, whereas inhibition of G(0)/G(1) arrest was associated with enhanced activity of JNK and AP-1 but not ERK. trans-RA did not affect TPA-induced p21(WAF1) expression. However, it inhibited TPA-induced AP-1 activity in ZR75-1 cells and the constitutive AP-1 activity in H460 and H292 cells. Thus, trans-RA modulates TPA activity through its interaction through TPA-induced JNK/AP-1 pathway but not TPA-induced ERK/p21(WAF1) pathway.
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PMID:Differential effect of retinoic acid on growth regulation by phorbol ester in human cancer cell lines. 1051 54

TC21 is a Ras-like GTPase with high oncogenic potential that is found mutated in some human tumors and overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines. We have conducted cellular and biochemical studies in order to understand the role of this protein in signal transduction and to unveil the signaling elements that participate in the TC21 pathway. Using gene transfer experiments, we demonstrate here that the TC21 oncogene can induce both cellular transformation in mouse fibroblasts and neuronal-like differentiation in rat PC12 cells. Interestingly, the proto-oncogenic version of TC21 shows also a lower, but significant, activity in both biological processes. We also demonstrate that the similarity of the cellular responses induced by TC21 and Ras derive from the utilization of overlapping pathways. Thus, the exchange of guanosine nucleotides in wild type TC21 is catalyzed by Ras exchange factors. Moreover, TC21 binds physically to c-Raf-1 in a GTP-dependent manner. Finally, overexpression of TC21G23V in NIH3T3 cells results in the activation of c-Raf-1 and the MAPK and the JNK branches of serine/threonine cascades. From these results, we conclude that TC21 promotes Ras-like responses in diverse cell types due to the use of overlapping, if not identical, signaling elements of the Ras oncogenic pathway.
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PMID:Signal transduction elements of TC21, an oncogenic member of the R-Ras subfamily of GTP-binding proteins. 1055 73

The effects of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2) on breast cancer cell DNA synthesis are controversial. To elucidate the mechanisms by which FGF-2 stimulates or inhibits DNA synthesis, we analysed FGF-2 signaling pathways in breast cancer MCF-7 and MCF-7 cells overexpressing Ha-Ras (MCF-7ras). We found that FGF-2-induction of DNA synthesis correlates with Ras transient activation, FRS-2 tyrosine phosphorylation and low level of expression of p66Shc. In addition, Nck-associated proteins are highly tyrosine phosphorylated and JNK reaches a higher level of activation when FGF-2 triggers DNA synthesis. Interestingly upon FGF-2 treatment, JNK activation and DNA synthesis are dependent on Rac-1 activity. These results confirm that in MCF-7 cells, induction of DNA synthesis by FGF-2 requires a transient activation of the Ras/MAPK cascade and demonstrates for the first time that intact Rac-1 and Nck signaling networks are required.
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PMID:Functional Rac-1 and Nck signaling networks are required for FGF-2-induced DNA synthesis in MCF-7 cells. 1059 44

Recently, glucose deprivation-induced oxidative stress has been shown to cause cytotoxicity, activation of signal transduction (i.e., ERK1, ERK2, JNK, and Lyn kinase), and increased expression of genes associated with malignancy (i.e., bFGF and c-Myc) in MCF-7/ADR human breast cancer cells. These results have led to the proposal that intracellular oxidation/reduction reactions involving hydroperoxides and thiols may provide a mechanistic link between metabolism, signal transduction, and gene expression in these human tumor cells. The current study shows that several other transformed human cell types appear to be more susceptible to glucose deprivation-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress than untransformed human cell types. In a matched pair of normal and SV40-transformed human fibroblasts the cytotoxic process is shown to be dependent upon ambient O2 concentration. A theoretical model to explain the results is presented and implications to unifying modern theories of cancer are discussed.
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PMID:Glucose deprivation-induced oxidative stress in human tumor cells. A fundamental defect in metabolism? 1086 52

A substantial proportion of familial breast cancers have mutations within the BRCA2 gene. The product of this gene has been implicated in DNA repair and in the regulation of transcription. We have previously identified at the amino-terminus of BRCA2 a transcriptional activation domain whose importance is highlighted by the presence of predisposing mutations and in-frame deletions in breast cancer families. This activation domain shows sequence similarity to a region of c-Jun which has been defined as a binding site for the c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Here, we show that the analogous region in BRCA2 is also a binding site for a cellular kinase, although this kinase is distinct from JNK. The BRCA2 associated enzyme is able to phosphorylate residues within the BRCA2 activation domain. Consistent with this observation, we find that the activation domain of BRCA2 is phosphorylated in vivo. Our results indicate that the BRCA2 activation domain possesses a binding site for a kinase that may regulate BRCA2 activity by phosphorylation.
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PMID:The BRCA2 activation domain associates with and is phosphorylated by a cellular protein kinase. 1098 Jun 21


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