Estrogen receptor expression and gene promoter methylation in non-small cell lung cancer - a short report.

PURPOSE: In the past, anomalous estrogen receptor (ER) regulation has been associated with various lung pathologies, but so far its involvement in lung cancer initiation and/or progression has remained unclear. Here, we aimed at assessing in vivo and in vitro ER expression and its possible epigenetic regulation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples and their corresponding normal tissues and cells. METHODS: ERα and ERß gene expression levels were assessed using real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), whereas ERα and ERß gene promoter methylation levels were assessed using DNA bisulfite conversion followed by pyrosequencing. We included NSCLC (n = 87) and adjacent histologically normal lung tissue samples from lung cancer patients (n = 184), primary normal bronchial epithelial-derived cell cultures (n = 11), immortalized bronchial epithelial-derived cell lines (n = 3) and NSCLC derived cell lines (n = 9). RESULTS: Using RT-qPCR we found significantly lower ERα and ERß expression levels in the NSCLC tissue samples compared to their normal adjacent tissue samples. These lower ER expression levels were confirmed in vitro using primary normal bronchial epithelial-derived cell cultures, immortalized bronchial epithelial-derived cell lines and NSCLC-derived cell lines. By using this latter panel of cells, we found that ER gene promoter hypermethylation was associated with decreased ER expression. In addition we found that in tumor and normal lung tissues, smoking was associated with decreased ER expression and that normal lung tissues with a low ERß expression level exhibited increased smoking-related DNA adducts. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results indicate that decreased ER expression mediated by DNA methylation may play a role in NSCLC development.

Quantitative analysis of benzo[a]pyrene biotransformation and adduct formation in Ahr knockout mice.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BP) is an ubiquitous environmental pollutant with potent mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. The Ah receptor (Ahr) is involved in the metabolic activation of BP and is therefore important in the induction of chemical carcinogenesis. In this study, the relationship between Ahr genotype and biotransformation of BP in internal organs was investigated in Ahr (+/+), Ahr (+/-) and Ahr (-/-) mice. The mice were treated with BP (100mg/kg) by gavage. Gene expression was measured after 24h by real-time RT-PCR and showed induction of Cyp1a1 in liver and lung, and Cyp1b1 in lung in both Ahr (+/+) and Ahr (+/-). No induction of the Cyp genes was observed in the Ahr (-/-). There was a significant basal expression of Cyp1b1 in the liver of all genotypes, and this expression was independent of the BP exposure. Analyzed by HPLC-fluorescence, there were increased levels of protein and DNA adducts, metabolites, conjugates and unmetabolized BP in the internal organs of Ahr (-/-) as compared to Ahr (+/+) and Ahr (+/-) mice. This may be partly explained by a delayed bioactivation of BP in the Ahr deficient mice. The BP metabolism observed in the Ahr (-/-) mice is also evidence of an Ahr independent biotransformation of BP.

Sex differences in risk of lung cancer: Expression of genes in the PAH bioactivation pathway in relation to smoking and bulky DNA adducts.

It is controversial whether women have a higher lung cancer susceptibility compared to men. We previously reported higher levels of smoking-related bulky DNA adducts in female lungs. In a pilot study (27 cases), we also found a higher level of female lung cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) gene expression. In the present extended study we report on the pulmonary expression of several genes involved in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioactivation in relation to sex, smoking and DNA adducts. CYP1A1, CYP1B1, aryl hydrocarbon receptor and microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene expression was measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR in 121 normal lung tissue samples. The expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was significantly higher among current smokers compared to ex-smokers and never-smokers. Among current smokers, females had a 3.9-fold higher median level of CYP1A1 compared to males (p = 0.011). CYP1B1 expression was not related to sex. Lung DNA adducts (measured by 32P-postlabeling) were highly significantly related to CYP1A1 (p < 0.0001) irrespective of smoking-status. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that CYP1A1 plays a significant role in lung DNA adduct formation and support a higher susceptibility to lung cancer among females.