Yingxue Bai

Ms. Yingxue Bai


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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11 November 2021 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YBYingxue Bai
Yingxue Bai
MLMarina Ludescher
Marina Ludescher
GPGereon Poschmann
Gereon Poschmann
KSKai Stühler
Kai Stühler
MWMartine Wyrich
Martine Wyrich
HNHans Neubauer
Hans Neubauer
In previous studies, we reported that progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) is implicated in progestin signaling and possibly associated with increased breast cancer risk upon combined hormone replacement therapy. To gain mechanistic insight, we searched for potential PGRMC1 interaction partners upon progestin treatment by co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry. The interactions with the identified partners were further characterized with respect to PGRMC1 phosphorylation status and with emphasis on the crosstalk between PGRMC1 and estrogen receptor α (ERα). We report that PGRMC1 overexpression resulted in increased proliferation of hormone receptor positive breast cancer cell lines upon treatment with a subgroup of progestins including norethisterone and dydrogesterone that promote PGRMC1-phosphorylation on S181. The ERα modulators prohibitin-1 (PHB1) and prohibitin-2 (PHB2) interact with PGRMC1 in dependency on S181-phosphorylation upon treatment with the same progestins. Moreover, increased interaction between PGRMC1 and PHBs correlated with decreased binding of PHBs to ERα and subsequent ERα activation. Inhibition of either PGRMC1 or ERα abolished this effect. In summary, we provide strong evidence that activated PGRMC1 associates with PHBs, competitively removing them from ERα, which then can develop its transcriptional activities on target genes. This study emphasizes the role of PGRMC1 in a key breast cancer signaling pathway which may provide a new avenue to target hormone-dependent breast cancer.