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Progesterone receptors A and B and estrogen receptor alpha expression in normal breast tissue and fibroadenomas

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Abstract

Fibroadenomas are the most common benign breast tumors, occurring mainly in young women. Their responses to the hormonal environment are similar to those of normal breast tissue, which suggests that steroid receptors may play a role in tumor development. We evaluated the gene and protein expression of progesterone receptors A and B (PRA and PRB) and the protein expression of estrogen receptor α (ER-α) in fibroadenoma samples, comparing with adjacent normal breast tissue, from 11 premenopausal women. Progesterone and estradiol levels were determined. No alterations in the PRs gene and protein expression and the ER-α protein expression were observed between the follicular and luteal phases, in normal breast versus fibroadenomas. Protein levels of PRA and PRB were higher in fibroadenomas compared to normal breast tissue (P = 0.038 and P = 0.031), while the PRs mRNA levels were similar in both tissues (P = 0.721 and P = 0.139). There were no differences in ER-α protein expression between normal breast tissue and fibroadenomas (P = 0.508). The PRA:PRB ratio was similar in the tissues, and also showed a strong correlation in both (r = 0.964, P = 0.0001). Our data suggest a role of PRs in the growth and development of fibroadenomas, although without alterations of the PRA:PRB ratio in these tumors. The absence of alterations in ER-α protein levels could be a characteristic behavior of fibroadenomas, unlike breast cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Carlos Henrique Menke and the Breast Service of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, for support in patient selection. This study was supported by grants from FIPE/GPPG of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Endocrine and Tumoral Molecular Biology, Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500, CEP 90 050-170, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Gisele Branchini, Lolita Schneider & Ilma Simoni Brum

  2. Laboratory of Molecular Gynecology and Obstetrics, Centro de Pesquisas, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Gisele Branchini, Lolita Schneider, Edison Capp & Ilma Simoni Brum

  3. Breast Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Rodrigo Cericatto

  4. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Edison Capp

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  1. Gisele Branchini
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  2. Lolita Schneider
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  3. Rodrigo Cericatto
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  4. Edison Capp
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  5. Ilma Simoni Brum
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Correspondence to Ilma Simoni Brum.

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Branchini, G., Schneider, L., Cericatto, R. et al. Progesterone receptors A and B and estrogen receptor alpha expression in normal breast tissue and fibroadenomas. Endocr 35, 459–466 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-009-9176-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-009-9176-0

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