Estrogen receptor: current understanding of its activation and modulation

Breast cancer development and progression are directly related to the effects of the female hormone estrogen. The nuclear receptor for estrogen (ER) functions as a transcription factor controlling estrogen-regulated genes. Receptor conformation on ligand binding, its interaction with various coregulators, and response elements in the promoter region of target genes all contribute to the net estrogenic effects in a cell. ER is an important diagnostic and therapeutic target in breast cancer. Various polypeptide growth factors and their membrane receptors also contribute to breast cancer development and progression. Pathways mediating cell survival, cell proliferation, and response to stress not only generate signals through various protein kinase pathways to enhance cell survival and proliferation, but these pathways also interact with ERs. Kinases in the growth factor cascade can phosphorylate and activate ER, and ER in turn activates and augments signaling through the growth factor pathways. Signaling through the growth factor pathways may contribute to hormonal resistance states by ligand-independent activation of ER. Targeting growth factor pathways, in addition to ER, is a developing strategy that hypothetically may represent optimal therapy by preventing the development of resistance to endocrine therapy.