ESR1 and PGR gene promoter methylation and correlations with estrogen and progesterone receptors in ductal and lobular breast cancer.

The aim of this work was to analyze methylation of the promoter sites of the ESR1 and PGR genes and to determine correlations with immunohistochemical expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in ductal and lobular breast cancers. An observational, descriptive, molecular study was conducted on 20 ductal and 20 lobular breast cancer samples with immunohistochemical determination of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression. The methylation analysis of ESR1 and PGR promoter sites was carried-out by methylation-specific PCR.

and mRNA expression in 17β-estradiol-treated MCF7 cells.

Estrogens play a key role in breast cancer, with 60-70% of the cases expressing estrogen receptors (ERs), which are encoded by the gene. CTCFL, a paralogue of the chromatin organizer CTCF, is a potential biomarker of breast cancer, but its expression in this disease is currently controversial. A positive correlation has been reported between CTCFL and ERs in breast tumors and there also exists a coordinated interaction between CTCF and ERs in breast cancer cells.