AroER tri-screen™ is a novel functional assay to estimate both estrogenic and estrogen precursor activity of chemicals or biological specimens

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2015 Jun;151(2):335-45. doi: 10.1007/s10549-015-3398-z. Epub 2015 May 12.

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to define AroER tri-screen's utility for identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that target aromatase and/or estrogen receptor (ER), and to measure the total estrogenic activity in biological specimens. ER-positive, aromatase-expressing MCF-7 breast cancer cells were stably transfected with an estrogen responsive element (ERE)-driven luciferase reporter plasmid to yield a new high-throughput screening platform-the AroER tri-screen. AroER tri-screen was capable of identifying estrogen precursors, such as cortodoxone, which function as estrogens through a two-step conversion process in aromatase-expressing tissue. Furthermore, the system proved useful for assessing EDC activity in biologically relevant samples. Estimating these activities is critical because natural estrogens and estrogenic EDCs are important factors in ER-positive breast cancer risk. As our research demonstrates, incorporating functionally active aromatase into the AroER tri-screen produces a powerful and unique tool to (1) identify new EDCs targeting aromatase and/or ER; (2) discover novel EDCs activated by aromatase; and (3) estimate overall estrogenic activities in biological samples as a potential intermediate risk factor for breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cortodoxone / pharmacology
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor* / methods
  • Endocrine Disruptors / pharmacology*
  • Estrogens / metabolism*
  • Estrogens / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Humans
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Estrogens
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Cortodoxone