The Complex Relationship between BRCA1 and ERα in Hereditary Breast Cancer

Breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) was initially identified as one of the genes conferring genetic predisposition to both breast and ovarian cancer. One of the interesting aspects of BRCA1-linked cancers is the observed specificity for estrogen-responsive tissues such as breast and ovary. Recent advances in our understanding of BRCA1-linked breast cancers have revealed a complex relationship between BRCA1 and estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) signaling. Estrogen stimulation increases expression of BRCA1 at the mRNA and protein level and conversely BRCA1 functions to both induce ER alpha mRNA expression and act as a negative regulator of ER alpha signaling. Here, we review the relationship between BRCA1 and ER alpha and discuss the use of antiestrogen therapies such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of BRCA1 mutation carriers.