ICI 182,780-regulated gene expression in DU145 prostate cancer cells is mediated by estrogen receptor-β/NFκB crosstalk

Estrogen receptor (ER)-beta is the predominant ER subtype in prostate cancer (PCa). We previously demonstrated that ICI 182,780 (ICI), but not estrogens, exerted dose-dependent growth inhibition on DU145 PCa cells by an ER-beta-mediated pathway. Transcriptional profiling detected a greater than three-fold upregulation of seven genes after a 12-hour exposure to 1 mu M ICI. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction confirmed the upregulation of four genes by ICI: interleukin-12A chain, interleukin-8, embryonic growth/differentiation factor, and RYK tyrosine kinase. Treatment with an ER-beta antisense oligonucleotide reduced cellular ER-beta mRNA and induced loss of expression of these genes. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of consensus NF kappa B sites, but not estrogen-responsive elements, in promoters of all four genes. Reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that ICI-induced gene expression could be mediated by crosstalk between ER-beta and the NF kappa B signaling pathway, denoting a novel mechanism of ER-beta-mediated ICI action. Therefore, combined therapies targeting ER-beta and NF kappa B signaling may be synergistic as treatment for PCa.