The female sex hormone estrogen can perform an important role in neuroblastoma, a form of cancer mainly affecting young children. In laboratory experiments, researchers demonstrate that estrogen treatment and overexpression of the estrogen receptors cause malignant neuroblastoma cells to mature into neuron-like cells. The study, which is published in PNAS, gives hope of new treatment possibilities.
Neuroblastoma forms in the peripheral nervous system and is one of the most common forms of solid cancer in young children. The disease mainly affects babies and young children, and while in some cases the tumors can disappear of their own accord, the majority are aggressive, metastasizing cancer tumors that are resistant to modern combinations of surgery, radiotherapy and intensive chemotherapy.
The most aggressive forms of neuroblastoma are often associated with a more active MYCN gene, which drives tumor cell growth and spread and inhibits the maturation of the cells.
"Our research focuses particularly on the activity of this gene and how it relates to neuroblastoma," says the senior author. "MYCN is often seen only as a marker for a poor prognosis, but it's critical to the disease and is a possible target for new drugs."
In a previous study, the group discovered that activation of MYCN results in the formation of specific microRNAs, which are relatively small RNA molecules that regulate proteins. Some of these microRNAs disable the estrogen receptor ERalpha. The present study shows that the inhibition of these microRNA molecules or estrogen therapy in combination with an overexpression of the estrogen receptor can cause aggressive neuroblastoma cells with MYCN activation to mature into neuron-like cells which behave more like normal cells.
The researchers studied tumor tissue from patients, cultivated human tumor cells and tumors in mouse models for neuroblastoma. In the mice, the neuron-like cells did not grow as quickly as the original cancer cells, and analyses of the tumor tissue from patients show that those with a high level of the estrogen receptor have a better survival rate that those with a low.
"Our data suggests that estrogen could be a therapeutic method for patients who express high levels of the estrogen receptor," continues the senior author. "Another possible therapy could involve deregulating MYCN or upregulating the estrogen receptor and then treating with estrogen. We have previously shown that the deregulation of MYCN leads to a high expression of the estrogen receptor."
http://ki.se/en/news/oestrogen-causes-neuroblastoma-cells-to-mature-into-neurons
Latest News
Mutations in noncoding DNA…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
More influence of environme…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
The assembly of the human c…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Wiring of the human neocortex
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Abusive drugs hijack natura…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Apr
Other Top Stories
Promoting Sensitivity to Anti-folate Therapy in Breast Cancer
Read more
Microscopic drug 'depots' boost efficacy against tumors in animal m…
Read more
Mechanism of tumor suppressor mediated cell death in developing brain
Read more
Blocking pentose phosphate pathway to treat cancer
Read more
A glycolytic enzyme plays a major role in cancer
Read more
Protocols
A programmable targeted pro…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Apr
MemPrep, a new technology f…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
A tangible method to assess…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
Stem cell-derived vessels-o…
By newseditor
Posted 06 Apr
Single-cell biclustering fo…
By newseditor
Posted 01 Apr
Publications
Massively parallel screen u…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Distinct genetic and enviro…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Hippocampus-to-amygdala pat…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Integrative spatial analysi…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Time-series reconstruction…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Apr
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar