Ectopic expression of epidermal growth factor receptors induces hormone independence in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is inversely related to expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor in primary breast tumors and is a negative predictor for response to endocrine therapy. To investigate a possible causal role of EGF receptor expression in breast cancer progression to hormone independence, we have created an experimental cell system. Epidermal growth factor receptor complementary DNA was introduced in estrogen-dependent ZR-75-1 breast cancer cells, and the resulting ZR/HERc cells exhibited a mitogenic response to epidermal growth factor, thus bypassing estrogen dependence. This EGF-induced proliferation could not be inhibited by antiestrogens. In addition, we noted changes in cell morphology and keratin expression of EGF-stimulated ZR/HERc cells, suggestive of an altered differentiation state. Furthermore, intolerance of functional ER and EGF receptor signal transduction pathways in ZR/HERc cells was observed during simultaneous activation, which possibly explains the inverse relationship of ER and EGF receptor expression in primary tumors. In contrast to the parental cells, ZR/HERc cells rapidly progressed to a stable ER-negative phenotype when cultured in the presence of the antiestrogen hydroxy-tamoxifen. These results suggest a possible role for EGF receptor in progression of breast cancer to hormone independence.