ELF5

A gene on chromosome 11p13-p12 that encodes epithelium-specific Ets transcription factor, which regulates late-stage differentiation of keratinocytes, as well as glandular epithelia—e.g., of salivary glands, breasts and prostate.

References in periodicals archive ?

Researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney found the molecule, known as ELF5, which can turn genes on or off.

The latest discovery made in collaboration with British researchers, raises the potential for drugs designed to reduce the amount of the molecule in those cancer cells dependent on ELF5 for proliferation.

Gene switch may hold key to fight breast cancer

Based on gene expression direction of 14 genes, namely CCR2, CXCL6, DACT2, ELF5, ENAH, ESR1, FLT1, LIN28B, NCAM1, NOX4, SERPINA1, TLE1, TLR7, XRCC5, it can be concluded that Rhodiola may have beneficial effect in cancer, that is in line with growing body of evidence about antitumor activity of Rhodiola and salidroside [Cai et al.

Mechanism of action of Rhodiola, salidroside, tyrosol and triandrin in isolated neuroglial cells: an interactive pathway analysis of the downstream effects using RNA microarray data

In 2008, Associate Professor Chris Ormandy from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research showed that ELF5 was responsible for the development of the oestrogen-receptor-negative cells in the breast during pregnancy that produce milk.

In the current study Ormandy, in collaboration with Drs Maria Kalyga and David Gallego-Ortega, has shown that the same molecular decision occurs in breast cancer and that ELF5 has the ability to change an existing tumour to an oestrogen-insensitive type.

The team has also described the genetic mechanisms by which ELF5 opposes the action of oestrogen, and has shown that it is possible to alter the subtype of breast cancer by manipulating ELF5 levels.

This work tells us that cancers which become refractory to anti-oestrogen treatment often do so by elevating their levels of ELF5 and becoming functionally oestrogen receptor negative," said Ormandy.

This raises the therapeutic option of manipulating ELF5 levels to treat breast cancer.