Abstract 953: Therapeutic significance of estrogen receptor ≤ agonists in gliomas

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumors with bleak prognosis. Gliomas exhibit gender bias with females at lower risk than males, implicating estrogen mediated protective effects. Estrogen functions are mediated by two ER subtypes: ERbeta, that functions as tumor promoter and ERbeta that function as tumor suppressor. In this study, we examined the status of ERbeta and tested whether natural ERbeta agonists have therapeutic potential on gliomas. Experimental Design: Tumor microarrays (TMAs) were utilized to determine the levels of ERbeta in gliomas. Therapeutic effect of three ERbeta agonists was determined using proliferation, foci formation and cell cycle progression assays. Functionality of ERbeta signaling in gliomas was determined by reporter assays and localization by confocal microscopy. The therapeutic potential of liquiritigenin was determined by systemic administration in a glioma xenograft model. Results: TMA analysis revealed that ERα expression is down regulated in high-grade gliomas. Glioma model cells exhibited detectable ERα with functional ERα signaling. Treatment of glioma cells with ERα agonists resulted in significant decreases in proliferation. Further, ERbeta agonist treatment induced the expression of ERα. Compared to control mice, animals treated with liquiritigenin had 50% reduction in tumor volume and size. IHC analysis of tumors revealed a significant increase in the nuclear ERα expression with a concomitant decrease in cell proliferation in the liquiritigenin-treated group. Conclusion: We found that ERα agonists promote both expression and tumor suppressive functions of ERα. Liquiritigenin, a plant-derived ERα agonist significantly reduced in vivo tumor growth in a xenograft model. Our results suggest that ERα signaling has a tumor suppressive function in gliomas and thus ERα agonists may represent a novel class of drugs for curbing glioma progression. Since ERα agonists are currently in clinical trials and are well tolerated with fewer side effects, identification of an ERα agonist as a therapeutic agent can be readily extended to clinical use with current chemotherapies, providing an additional tool for enhancing survival in glioma patients. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 953. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-953