HER-2 tyrosine kinase pathway targets estrogen receptor and promotes hormone-independent growth in human breast cancer cells.

Growth of human breast cells is closely regulated by steroid hormone as well as peptide hormone receptors. Members of both receptor classes are important prognostic factors in human breast cancer. Clinical data indicate that overexpression of the HER-2 gene is associated with an estrogen receptor-negative phenotype. In this study, we demonstrate that introduction of a HER-2 cDNA, converting non-overexpressing breast cancer cells to those which overexpress this receptor, results in development of estrogen-independent growth which is insensitive to both estrogen and the antiestrogen, tamoxifen. Moreover, activation of the HER-2 receptor in breast cancer cells by the peptide growth factor, heregulin, leads to direct and rapid phosphorylation of ER on tyrosine residues. This is followed by interaction between ER and the estrogen-response elements in the nucleus and production of an estrogen-induced protein, progesterone receptor. In addition, overexpression of HER-2 receptor in estrogen-dependent tumor cells promotes ligand-independent down-regulation of ER and a delayed autoregulatory suppression of ER transcripts. These data demonstrate a direct link between these two receptor pathways and suggest one mechanism for development of endocrine resistance in human breast cancers.