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Targeting estrogen receptors in colorectal cancer

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Abstract

Hormones have become a useful therapeutic aspect of clinical endocrinology but how to use them to optimize the health benefits and avoid adverse effects is a major challenge. Estrogen is an indispensable hormone for proper biological functioning but is also implicated with the pathology of both the reproductive and non-reproductive tissues. Abnormal estrogen receptor signaling may increase the risk of development of a variety of diseases including colorectal cancer (CRC). Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) is the predominant subtype in the colonic epithelium and confers the anti-tumor effect through various mechanisms. Many investigators have embarked on the search for the biological mechanisms by which estrogen and estrogen-like compounds may influence the pathogenesis of CRC. This review explores the recent findings on the therapeutic role of ERβ in the colonic epithelium as a prospective candidate for targeted endocrine therapy in CRC.

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Funding

The current study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31672520), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. KJQN201709), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31602027), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31372403), Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. BK20160732), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016M591860), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Graduate Research and Innovation Projects in Jiangsu Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Joyce Wanjiru Maingi, Shu Tang, Sirui Liu, Watson Ngenya & Endong Bao

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  1. Joyce Wanjiru Maingi
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  2. Shu Tang
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  3. Sirui Liu
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  4. Watson Ngenya
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  5. Endong Bao
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Correspondence to Joyce Wanjiru Maingi.

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Maingi, J.W., Tang, S., Liu, S. et al. Targeting estrogen receptors in colorectal cancer. Mol Biol Rep 47, 4087–4091 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05414-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05414-6

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