Integrative analysis of gene expression patterns predicts specific modulations of defined cell functions by estrogen and tamoxifen in MCF7 breast cancer cells (original) (raw)

To explore the mechanisms whereby estrogen and antiestrogen (tamoxifen (TAM)) can regulate breast cancer cell growth, we investigated gene expression changes in MCF7 cells treated with 17β-estradiol (E2) and/or with 4-OH-TAM. The patterns of differential expression were determined by the ValiGen Gene IDentification (VGID) process, a subtractive hybridization approach combined with microarray validation screening. Their possible biologic consequences were evaluated by integrative data analysis. Over 1000 cDNA inserts were isolated and subsequently cloned, sequenced and analyzed against nucleotide and protein databases (NT/NR/EST) with BLAST software. We revealed that E2 induced differential expression of 279 known and 28 unknown sequences, whereas TAM affected the expression of 286 known and 14 unknown sequences. Integrative data analysis singled out a set of 32 differentially expressed genes apparently involved in broad cellular mechanisms. The presence of E2 modulated the expressio...