The Role of Steroid Receptors in the Proliferation and Migration of Endometrial Adenocarcinoma HEC1A Cell Line

Abstract

Objectives: Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most common gynecological cancers. It is generally divided into oestrogen-dependent type I, and oestrogen-independent type II. Although the expression of some steroid receptors has been documented in type II endometrial carcinoma, their roles in tumor progression have not been fully elucidated yet. Thus in this study, we aimed to examine the role of compounds acting on steroid receptors in type II, on HEC1A cultured cells. Methods: We tested the effect of mifepristone (the glucocorticoid and progesterone receptor blocker, 10-8M), bicalutamide (the androgen receptor blocker, 10-6M), G15 (the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 blocker, 10-7M) and PHTPP (2-Phenyl-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,7-bis (trifluoromethyl)-pyrazolo [1,5-a]pyrimidine, the estrogen receptor-β blocker, 10-7M), on proliferation. Proliferation was assessed by xCELLigence analysis system and migration was examined by using wound-healing model. Results: None of the drugs, at the used concentrations, have affected the proliferation of HEC1A cells. However, migration was significantly increased at the 24th and the 48th hour of mifepristone application (p<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). Bicalutamide also increased migration at the 24th hour (p<0.05). G15 and PHTPP did not change the migration of cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that, unlike other steroid receptors, glucocorticoid and/or progesterone receptors may play an important role in the reducing migration of endometrial carcinoma and might be used as targets to reduce the metastasis of this type of cancer.

Keywords

• Endometrial adenocarcinoma
• steroid receptors
• proliferation; migration

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