Protein kinase A exhibits selective modulation of estradiol-dependent transcription in breast cancer cells that is associated with decreased ligand binding, altered estrogen receptor alpha promoter interaction, and changes in receptor phosphorylation.

Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) promotes estrogen-dependent growth of MCF7 breast cancer cells, although the mechanisms by which PKA regulates estrogen receptor (ER) function remain unclear. In this study elevation of cAMP by forskolin/3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (F/I) suppressed estradiol-dependent MCF7 and T47D breast cancer cell growth but not tamoxifen-resistant MCF7-LCC2 cells. Although F/I induced ligand independent activation of ERalpha, F/I also decreased estradiol-dependent reporter gene transcription.

Identification of novel proteins induced by estradiol, 4-hydroxytamoxifen and acolbifene in T47D breast cancer cells.

Tamoxifen is currently used as adjuvant therapy for estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer patients and as a chemopreventative agent. Although ER is a predictive marker for tamoxifen response, ER status fails to predict tamoxifen response in a significant number of patients highlighting the need to identify new pathways for tamoxifen sensitivity/resistance. To identify novel proteins induced by tamoxifen in breast cancer cells sensitive to tamoxifen growth inhibition, two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis was used to profile proteins in T47D breast cancer cells.

Application of phosphorylation site-specific antibodies to measure nuclear receptor signaling: characterization of novel phosphoantibodies for estrogen receptor alpha.

An understanding of posttranslational events in nuclear receptor signaling is crucial for drug design and clinical therapeutic strategies. Phosphorylation is a well-characterized posttranslational modification that regulates subcellular localization and function of nuclear receptors and coregulators. Although the role of single phosphorylation sites in nuclear receptor function has been described, the contribution of combinations of multiple phosphorylation sites to receptor function remains unclear.