Membrane-receptor initiated proliferative effects of dienogest in human breast cancer cells

Abstract

Objectives: Dienogest (DNG) is already used in hormone therapy, since recently being also the progestogenic component of the first estradiol based contraceptive pill. Data on breast cancer risk are currently not available. Progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) is highly expressed in tissues of breast cancer patients and has already been proposed as a predictor for breast cancer risk. Methods: MCF-7 cells overexpressing PGRMC1 were stimulated with DNG, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), norethisterone (NET) and progesterone (P) as well as sequentially and continuously combined with estradiol (E2). Results: DNG and MPA alone elicited a significant proliferation at 10^–6 and 10^–5 M. NET increased cell proliferation at all concentrations tested whereas P showed no effect. E2 alone elicited a significant increase at 10⁻¹⁰ M, no effect was seen at 10^–12 M. Addition of the progestins (10^–6 M) to E2 at 10⁻¹⁰ M had, compared to E2 only, no additional proliferating effect. However, at the low E2 concentration, DNG, MPA and NET significantly increased the E2-stimulated cell proliferation. Conclusion: DNG increased proliferation alone and in combination with low E2 concentrations. Thus a progestogen-derived breast cancer risk in the presence of low E2 concentrations cannot be excluded at least in women overexpressing PGRMC1.

Keywords::

• Breast cancer cells
• progesterone
• progesterone receptor membrane component 1
• proliferation
• synthetic progestogens

Declaration of Interest: This work was supported by grant to the second author Xiangyan Ruan by the following funding projects: Beijing Municipality Health Technology High-level Talent (No 2009-3-52) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 81172518).