caArray_green-00030: 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) induces mammary gland differentiation through amphiregulin-EGFR mediated signaling

2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) induces mammary gland differentiation through amphiregulin-EGFR mediated signaling: molecular distinctions from the mammary gland of pregnant mice.High levels of 2ME2 are observed in the late stages of pregnancy. We investigated the role of 2ME2 on normal mammary gland development. Large scale gene expression assays were performed using Affymetrix GeneChips in pursuit of detailed molecular basis. (1) Mammary glands of wild type FVB mice administered 75 or 150 mg/kg of 2ME2 (2) Mammary glands of normal FVB/Nj mice (i) at day 16 of pregnancy, (ii) day 2 of lactation (iii) day 30 of post-lactation, and (3) mammary epithelial SCp2 cells after 6, 24 and 48 hours of 10 micromol 2ME2 treatment were examined. In vivo studies revealed that 2ME2 treatment up regulates the expression of amphiregulin. The clue to the role of 2ME2 in differentiation comes from studies in vitro which detected down regulation of inhibitor of differentiation (Id-1) gene and consequent up regulation of amphiregulin. The differentiation of E2 negative SCp2 cells by 2ME2 indicate estradiol independent mechanism. For details, please see our paper in Endocrinology 2006.

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Huh JI, Qiu TH, Chandramouli GV, Charles R, Wiench M, Hager GL, Catena R, Calvo A, LaVallee TM, Desprez PY, Green JE