Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers

Chimento, Adele; De Luca, Arianna; Avena, Paola; De Amicis, Francesca; Casaburi, Ivan; Sirianni, Rosa; Pezzi, Vincenzo

doi:10.3390/ijms23031242

Open AccessReview

Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers

by

Adele Chimento

^*,

Arianna De Luca

,

Paola Avena

,

Francesca De Amicis

,

Ivan Casaburi

,

Rosa Sirianni

and

Vincenzo Pezzi

^*

Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031242

Submission received: 23 December 2021 / Revised: 14 January 2022 / Accepted: 17 January 2022 / Published: 22 January 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Apoptosis)

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Abstract

It is known that estrogen stimulates growth and inhibits apoptosis through estrogen receptor(ER)-mediated mechanisms in many cancer cell types. Interestingly, there is strong evidence that estrogens can also induce apoptosis, activating different ER isoforms in cancer cells. It has been observed that E2/ERα complex activates multiple pathways involved in both cell cycle progression and apoptotic cascade prevention, while E2/ERβ complex in many cases directs the cells to apoptosis. However, the exact mechanism of estrogen-induced tumor regression is not completely known. Nevertheless, ERs expression levels of specific splice variants and their cellular localization differentially affect outcome of estrogen-dependent tumors. The goal of this review is to provide a general overview of current knowledge on ERs-mediated apoptosis that occurs in main hormone dependent-cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of ER-mediated cell death will be useful for the development of specific ligands capable of triggering apoptosis to counteract estrogen-dependent tumor growth.

Keywords: estrogens; estrogen receptors; apoptosis; intrinsic/extrinsic apoptotic pathways; cancer cells

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MDPI and ACS Style

Chimento, A.; De Luca, A.; Avena, P.; De Amicis, F.; Casaburi, I.; Sirianni, R.; Pezzi, V. Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031242

AMA Style

Chimento A, De Luca A, Avena P, De Amicis F, Casaburi I, Sirianni R, Pezzi V. Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(3):1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031242

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chimento, Adele, Arianna De Luca, Paola Avena, Francesca De Amicis, Ivan Casaburi, Rosa Sirianni, and Vincenzo Pezzi. 2022. "Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23, no. 3: 1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031242

APA Style

Chimento, A., De Luca, A., Avena, P., De Amicis, F., Casaburi, I., Sirianni, R., & Pezzi, V. (2022). Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(3), 1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031242

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Estrogen Receptors-Mediated Apoptosis in Hormone-Dependent Cancers

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