Icb-1 expression inhibits growth and fulvestrant response of breast cancer cells and affects survival of breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Human gene icb-1 recently has been reported to be part of a gene expression score predicting response to antiestrogen fulvestrant in breast cancer patients. In the present study, we examined to what extent icb-1 expression would affect the response of breast cancer cells to this antiestrogen in vitro and investigated underlying molecular mechanisms. Using open access mRNA data, we elucidated the significance of icb-1 expression for survival of breast cancer patients.

Methods: Icb-1 gene expression was knocked down by RNAi. Breast cancer cell growth after treatment with fulvestrant was assessed using the Cell Titer Blue assay. Gene expression was analyzed by Western blot analysis or RT-qPCR. Survival analyses were performed using bioinformatical online tools and data.

Results: Knockdown of icb-1 in T-47D breast cancer cells significantly increased growth of this cell line and also elevated the growth-stimulatory effect of E2 (p < 0.001). After treatment with different concentrations of fulvestrant, icb-1 knockdown cells exhibited a significantly enhanced response to this drug (p < 0.01). On the molecular level, icb-1 knockdown led to elevated expression of ESR1 and its target gene TFF1 (pS2) and enhanced E2-triggered up-regulation of proliferation genes. Finally, bioinformatical meta-analysis of gene expression data of 3951 breast cancer patients revealed that high icb-1 expression increases their relapse-free survival (HR = 0.87, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The presented data further support a tumor-suppressive role of icb-1 in breast cancer and suggest an inhibitory effect of this gene on fulvestrant action, which both are suggested to be mediated by suppression of cellular E2 response.