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Morelli C, Chiodo C, Nocito MC, Cormace A, Catalano S, Sisci D, Sirianni R, Casaburi I, Andò S, Lanzino M. Androgens Modulate Bcl-2 Agonist of Cell Death (BAD) Expression and Function in Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13464. [PMID: 37686282 PMCID: PMC10487823 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) expression in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) correlates with lower tumor grade and a better clinical outcome. Additionally, in normal mammary epithelium or ER+ BC preclinical models, androgens counteract basal/ER-dependent proliferation. Here, we report an additional mechanism, underlining the protective role exerted by AR. Specifically, the activation of intracellular AR upregulates the Bcl-2-family protein BAD, and TCGA database analyses show that in ER+ BC, BAD expression is associated with better disease-free survival. Ligand-activated AR influences its own and BAD cellular compartmentalization by enhancing levels in the nucleus, as well as in mitochondrial fractions. In both compartments, BAD exerts unconventional functions. In the nucleus, BAD and AR physically interact and, upon androgen stimulation, are recruited at the AP-1 and ARE sites within the cyclin D1 promoter region, contributing to explaining the anti-proliferative effect of androgens in BC cells. Androgens cause an enrichment in BAD and AR content in the mitochondria, correlated with a decrease in mitochondrial function. Thus, we have defined a novel mechanism by which androgens modulate BAD expression, its mitochondria localization, and nuclear content to force its ability to act as a cell cycle inhibitor, strengthening the protective role of androgen signaling in estrogen-responsive BCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catia Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Chiara Chiodo
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Marta Claudia Nocito
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Alessandro Cormace
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Stefania Catalano
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Diego Sisci
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Rosa Sirianni
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Ivan Casaburi
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Marilena Lanzino
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.M.); (M.C.N.); (S.C.); (D.S.); (R.S.); (S.A.)
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata Di Rende, CS, Italy; (C.C.); (A.C.)
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