Title:Interlinking of Hypoxia and Estrogen in Thyroid Cancer Progression
VOLUME: 21 ISSUE: 11
Author(s):S. Rajoria, E. Hanly, A. Nicolini, A.L. George, J. Geliebter, E.J. Shin, R. Suriano, A. Carpi and R.K. Tiwari
Affiliation:Department of Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY- 10595, USA.
Keywords:Angiogenesis, antiestrogens, estrogen, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, hypoxia, hypoxia inhibitors, thyroid
cancer.
Abstract:Estrogen aids in neo-vascularization of various tumors during hypoxic conditions, however the role of estrogen
within the hypoxic environment of thyroid cancer is not known. In a series of experimentations, using human thyroid cancer
cells, we observed that estrogen and hypoxia modulate the hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling which is abrogated
by the anti-estrogen fulvestrant and the HIF-1 inhibitor YC-1 (3-(5’-hydroxymethyl-2’-furyl)-1-benzylindazole).
Furthermore, we found that the conditioned medium from estrogen treated thyroid cancer cells lead to enhanced migration
and tubulogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) which is abrogated by HIF-1 inhibitor. These
findings, in addition to our previous and other scientific literature data, lead us to conclude that estrogen and hypoxia are
interlinked in thyroid cancer and can equally modulate epithelial-endothelial cell interactions by mediating key cellular,
metabolic and molecular processes of thyroid cancer progression. We believe that the hormonal component and cellular
adaptation to oxygen tension of cancer cells are functionally equivalent with a cellular transition that can be exploited
clinically for a combinational approach for thyroid cancer treatment involving antiestrogens as well as anti-hypoxic
agents.
