Molecular biology of the Ah receptor and its role in carcinogenesis. Conference Paper

abstract

• The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor that mediates responses to toxic halogenated aromatic toxins such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, combustion products, and numerous phytochemicals such as flavonoids and indole-3-carbinol (I3C). The nuclear AhR complex is a heterodimer containing the AhR and AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) proteins, and the molecular mechanism of AhR action is associated with binding of the heterodimer to dioxin responsive elements (DREs) in regulatory regions of Ah-responsive genes. TCDD, a 'xenodioxin', is a multi-site carcinogen in several species and possibly in humans, whereas natural AhR ligands including I3C and flavonoids tend to protect against cancer. Both TCDD and phytochemicals inhibit estrogen-induced breast and endometrial cancer, and the molecular mechanisms of this common response will be described.

authors

• Safe, Stephen

published proceedings

• Toxicol Lett

altmetric score

• 9

author list (cited authors)

• Safe, S.

citation count

• 277

complete list of authors

• Safe, S

publication date

• March 2001

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Toxicology Letters  Journal

keywords

• Animals
• Breast Neoplasms
• Endometrial Neoplasms
• Estrogen Receptor Alpha
• Female
• Humans
• Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins
• Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon
• Receptors, Estrogen

PubMed Central ID

• 11323156

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/s0378-4274(01)00301-0

start page

• 1

end page

• 7

volume

• 120

issue

• 1-3

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0378-4274(01)00301-0