Differential ERα-mediated rapid estrogenic actions of ginsenoside Rg1 and estren in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

Quan Gui Gao, Hoi Yi Chan, Cornelia Wing Yin Man, Man Sau Wong

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Recent studies indicated that both estren and Rg1 appear to be able to activate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in estrogen responsive cells. Rg1 could lead to MAPK activation through ligand-independent activation of estrogen receptor (ER), while estren could activate the Src-MAPK pathway in an ERE-independent manner. Thus, it is important to understand the mechanistic insights on the difference in transcriptional activation between estren and Rg1. The present study also addressed the differential abilities of Rg1 and estren in terms of the ability to activate ER and the ability to induce ER translocation in MCF-7 cells. Our data indicated that Rg1 could increase pS2 gene expression, and could recruit the co-activator steroid receptor co-activator-1 (SRC-1) to the pS2 promoter. Rg1 could also induce ERα nuclear translocation as well as ERα phosphorylation at Ser118 principally in the cytoplasm in MCF-7 cells. We deduced that estren induced ERE-dependent transcriptional activity and activated ERα at Ser118 occurred in the nucleus of MCF-7 cells. However, it was found to decrease pS2 gene expression and failed to induce the recruitment of SRC-1 to the pS2 promoter in MCF-7 cells. Our results suggest that the abilities of Rg1 and estren to regulate pS2 gene expression, to recruit co-activators as well as to induce sub-cellular distribution of ERα are dramatically different.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)104-112
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Volume141
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2014

Keywords

  • 17β-Estradiol
  • Estren
  • Estrogen receptor
  • Ginsenoside Rg1
  • MCF-7 cells

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology

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