The Divergent Effects of Ovarian Steroid Hormones in the MCF-7 Model for Luminal A Breast Cancer: Mechanistic Leads for Therapy

The growth modulating effects of the ovarian steroid hormones 17β-estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (PRG) on endocrine-responsive target tissues are well established. In hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, E₂ functions as a potent growth promoter, while the function of PRG is less defined. In the hormone-receptor-positive Luminal A and Luminal B molecular subtypes of clinical breast cancer, conventional endocrine therapy predominantly targets estrogen receptor function and estrogen biosynthesis and/or growth factor receptors. These therapeutic options are associated with systemic toxicity, acquired tumor resistance, and the emergence of drug-resistant cancer stem cells, facilitating the progression of therapy-resistant disease. The limitations of targeted endocrine therapy emphasize the identification of nontoxic testable alternatives. In the human breast, carcinoma-derived hormone-receptor-positive MCF-7 model treatment with E₂ within the physiological concentration range of 1 nM to 20 nM induces progressive growth, upregulated cell cycle progression, and downregulated cellular apoptosis. In contrast, treatment with PRG at the equimolar concentration range exhibits dose-dependent growth inhibition, downregulated cell-cycle progression, and upregulated cellular apoptosis. Nontoxic nutritional herbs at their respective maximum cytostatic concentrations (IC₉₀) effectively increase the E₂ metabolite ratio in favor of the anti-proliferative metabolite. The long-term exposure to the selective estrogen-receptor modulator tamoxifen selects a drug-resistant phenotype, exhibiting increased expressions of stem cell markers. The present review discusses the published evidence relevant to hormone metabolism, growth modulation by hormone metabolites, drug-resistant stem cells, and growth-inhibitory efficacy of nutritional herbs. Collectively, this evidence provides proof of the concept for future research directions that are focused on novel therapeutic options for endocrine therapy-resistant breast cancer that may operate via E₂- and/or PRG-mediated growth regulation.