ERα prevents tumorigenesis of both liver and breast cancer cells through CCN5

Abstract

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-mediated estrogen signaling has also shown to prevent hepatic tumorigenesis in mice. Consistent with this, hormone replacement therapy with estrogen supplementation dramatically reduced the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Silencing of ERα is also a key event for the transformation of ERα-positive breast cancer cells into malignant triple-negative breast cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying ERα-mediated prevention of both hepatic and mammary tumorigenesis in humans are still unclear. Here, we present a functional genomics study of ERα targeting by comparing human liver cancer cells with human breast cancer cells using “loss or gain of function” genetic assays of ERα in vitro and in vivo. We discover that cellular communication network factor 5 (CCN5) is a direct downstream target of ERα; ERα suppresses growth and prevents tumorigenesis and malignant transformation of both liver and breast cancer cells through CCN5 in humans. The ERα-CCN5 regulatory axis functions as suppressors for both hepatic and mammary tumors, which is a common mechanism of preventing tumorigenesis for both liver cancer and breast cancer in humans.