• proliferation
• clonogenic
• spheroids
• migration
• Estradiol
• Estetrol
• Allopregnanolone
• T47D
• Mdamb231
• line
• cell
• breast
• cancer

Allopregnanolone effects in human breast cancer cell line
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers among women. The WHO reports that BC is the leading or second leading cause of female cancer deaths in 95% of countries.
Prior researches have established the significant role that steroid progesterone (P4) and estrogens play in the etiology, proliferation, and treatment of BC. Moreover, earlier studies have suggested that P4 metabolites regulate the initiation and growth of tumors in estrogen and progesterone receptor-negative (ER-/PR-) human breast cells.
In the CNS and in adrenal and ovary glands, Allopregnanolone (ALLO, 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one) is synthesized from P4 through a two-step process. Two enzymes, 5α-reductase type I and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase act consecutively in a unique metabolic pathway. ALLO treatments have been reported to provide a variety of protective effects in different neuroinflammation and psychiatric diseases. It has also been demonstrated that ALLO significantly increases proliferation of human U87 glioblastoma-like cells. However, in T98G and A172 human glioblastoma cell lines ALLO promotes cell death. In the IGROV-1 human ovarian cancer cell line ALLO promotes proliferation, migration, and clonogenicity. In BC ALLO mechanisms of actions remain unknown.
Therefore, we propose a novel investigation to investigate the role of ALLO on viability, proliferation and migration in a human BC cell line in-vitro study. 2D and 3D cell cultures of the BC T47D cell line (ER+/PR+) and the MDA-MB-231 cell line (ER-/PR-) were selected to study whether ALLO exerts its activity through steroid receptors. Furthermore, an analysis of the molecular effects of ALLO on cytoskeleton remodelling will be performed in a 3D culture of human breast cancer cells.