JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2017) 109(3): djw236 doi: 10.1093/jnci/djw236 First published online February 10, 2017 Article ARTICLE Estrogen Receptor b as a Therapeutic Target in Breast Cancer Stem Cells Ran Ma, Govindasamy-Muralidharan Karthik, John Lo¨ vrot, Felix Haglund, Gustaf Rosin, Anne Katchy, Xiaonan Zhang, Lisa Viberg, Jan Frisell, Cecilia Williams, Stig Linder, Irma Fredriksson, Johan Hartman Affiliations of authors: Department of Oncology and Pathology (RM, GMK, JL, FH, XZ, LV, SL, JH), Cancer Center Karolinska (RM, GMK, JL, FH, GR, XZ, LV, SL, JH), and Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery (JF, IF), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden (GR, CW); Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX (AK, CW); Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden (FH, JH); Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (JF, IF); Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Proteomics, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (CW); Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Department of Medicine and Health, Linko¨ ping University, Linko¨ ping, Sweden (SL); Correspondence to: Johan Hartman, M.D., PhD, Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden (e-mail:
[email protected]). Abstract Abstract Background: Breast cancer cells with tumor-initiating capabilities (BSCs) are considered to maintain tumor growth and govern metastasis. Hence, targeting BSCs will be crucial to achieve successful treatment of breast cancer. Methods: We characterized mammospheres derived from more than 40 cancer patients and two breast cancer cell lines for the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) and stem cell markers.