The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 (Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita on the X Chromosome, gene 1) plays an important role in the development of adrenal and gonadal tissues and functions as a global negative-regulator of steroidogenesis. In addition, it is known to be involved in several diseases including some cancers. Herein, we describe our examination of the role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, specifically its influence on proliferation and metastasis and its expression during progressive stages of disease. In an effort to understand how DAX-1 influences breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we used MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF10A normal breast cells and manipulated their DAX-1 expression to increase DAX-1 expression by adenovirus infection in MCF7 cells, or knockdown expression of DAX-1 through the use of RNAi in MCF10A cells. We found a trend toward increased cell proliferation when DAX-1 expression was knocked down, and decreased proliferation when DAX-1 is overexpressed. In addition, we looked at the influence of DAX-1 on breast cancer cell proliferation when the estrogen receptor a (ERa) activity is inhibited by the antagonist, Fulvestrant. To gain a better understanding of the transcriptional role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, we utilized PCR arrays to analyze changes in gene expression in the presence of DAX-1. We identified several genes with roles in breast cancer, estrogen receptor signaling and metastasis whose expression was significantly influenced by overexpression of DAX-1 in MCF7 cells. To investigate expression of DAX-1 through progressive stages of disease we utilized IHC and bioinformatics techniques. We found DAX-1 to be expressed more frequently and at higher levels at earlier stages of breast cancers and at very low levels regardless of stage in hormone receptor-positive (ER and PR) patients. Through these studies, we hypothesize that DAX-1 has the potential to be utilized clinically as biomarker for predicting disease progression and for tailoring more personalized treatment plans. There may even be a role for DAX-1 as a possible therapeutic for later stage or hormone receptor-positive patients.
","abstract_html":"<p>The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 (Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita on the X Chromosome, gene 1) plays an important role in the development of adrenal and gonadal tissues and functions as a global negative-regulator of steroidogenesis. In addition, it is known to be involved in several diseases including some cancers. Herein, we describe our examination of the role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, specifically its influence on proliferation and metastasis and its expression during progressive stages of disease. In an effort to understand how DAX-1 influences breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we used MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF10A normal breast cells and manipulated their DAX-1 expression to increase DAX-1 expression by adenovirus infection in MCF7 cells, or knockdown expression of DAX-1 through the use of RNAi in MCF10A cells. We found a trend toward increased cell proliferation when DAX-1 expression was knocked down, and decreased proliferation when DAX-1 is overexpressed. In addition, we looked at the influence of DAX-1 on breast cancer cell proliferation when the estrogen receptor a (ERa) activity is inhibited by the antagonist, Fulvestrant. To gain a better understanding of the transcriptional role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, we utilized PCR arrays to analyze changes in gene expression in the presence of DAX-1. We identified several genes with roles in breast cancer, estrogen receptor signaling and metastasis whose expression was significantly influenced by overexpression of DAX-1 in MCF7 cells. To investigate expression of DAX-1 through progressive stages of disease we utilized IHC and bioinformatics techniques. We found DAX-1 to be expressed more frequently and at higher levels at earlier stages of breast cancers and at very low levels regardless of stage in hormone receptor-positive (ER and PR) patients. Through these studies, we hypothesize that DAX-1 has the potential to be utilized clinically as biomarker for predicting disease progression and for tailoring more personalized treatment plans. There may even be a role for DAX-1 as a possible therapeutic for later stage or hormone receptor-positive patients.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dishington, Erin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Biology","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Christina Tzagarakis-Foster","James Sikes","Jennifer Dever"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-12-12T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-12-12T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:20Z","subjects":["DAX-1","NR0B1","breast cancer","orphan nuclear receptor","NHR","ONR","Biology","Genetics"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/269","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Christina Tzagarakis-Foster","James Sikes","Jennifer Dever"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Dishington, Erin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-02-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Biology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["DAX-1","NR0B1","breast cancer","orphan nuclear receptor","NHR","ONR","Biology","Genetics"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/269"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 (Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita on the X Chromosome, gene 1) plays an important role in the development of adrenal and gonadal tissues and functions as a global negative-regulator of steroidogenesis. In addition, it is known to be involved in several diseases including some cancers. Herein, we describe our examination of the role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, specifically its influence on proliferation and metastasis and its expression during progressive stages of disease. In an effort to understand how DAX-1 influences breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we used MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF10A normal breast cells and manipulated their DAX-1 expression to increase DAX-1 expression by adenovirus infection in MCF7 cells, or knockdown expression of DAX-1 through the use of RNAi in MCF10A cells. We found a trend toward increased cell proliferation when DAX-1 expression was knocked down, and decreased proliferation when DAX-1 is overexpressed. In addition, we looked at the influence of DAX-1 on breast cancer cell proliferation when the estrogen receptor a (ERa) activity is inhibited by the antagonist, Fulvestrant. To gain a better understanding of the transcriptional role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, we utilized PCR arrays to analyze changes in gene expression in the presence of DAX-1. We identified several genes with roles in breast cancer, estrogen receptor signaling and metastasis whose expression was significantly influenced by overexpression of DAX-1 in MCF7 cells. To investigate expression of DAX-1 through progressive stages of disease we utilized IHC and bioinformatics techniques. We found DAX-1 to be expressed more frequently and at higher levels at earlier stages of breast cancers and at very low levels regardless of stage in hormone receptor-positive (ER and PR) patients. Through these studies, we hypothesize that DAX-1 has the potential to be utilized clinically as biomarker for predicting disease progression and for tailoring more personalized treatment plans. There may even be a role for DAX-1 as a possible therapeutic for later stage or hormone receptor-positive patients.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The role of orphan nuclear receptor DAX-1 (NR0B1) in human breast cancer cells: expression, proliferation and metastasis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Christina Tzagarakis-Foster","James Sikes","Jennifer Dever"],"dc:creator":["Dishington, Erin"],"dc:date.available":["2018-02-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 (Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita on the X Chromosome, gene 1) plays an important role in the development of adrenal and gonadal tissues and functions as a global negative-regulator of steroidogenesis. In addition, it is known to be involved in several diseases including some cancers. Herein, we describe our examination of the role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, specifically its influence on proliferation and metastasis and its expression during progressive stages of disease. In an effort to understand how DAX-1 influences breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, we used MCF7 breast cancer cells and MCF10A normal breast cells and manipulated their DAX-1 expression to increase DAX-1 expression by adenovirus infection in MCF7 cells, or knockdown expression of DAX-1 through the use of RNAi in MCF10A cells. We found a trend toward increased cell proliferation when DAX-1 expression was knocked down, and decreased proliferation when DAX-1 is overexpressed. In addition, we looked at the influence of DAX-1 on breast cancer cell proliferation when the estrogen receptor a (ERa) activity is inhibited by the antagonist, Fulvestrant. To gain a better understanding of the transcriptional role of DAX-1 in breast cancer, we utilized PCR arrays to analyze changes in gene expression in the presence of DAX-1. We identified several genes with roles in breast cancer, estrogen receptor signaling and metastasis whose expression was significantly influenced by overexpression of DAX-1 in MCF7 cells. To investigate expression of DAX-1 through progressive stages of disease we utilized IHC and bioinformatics techniques. We found DAX-1 to be expressed more frequently and at higher levels at earlier stages of breast cancers and at very low levels regardless of stage in hormone receptor-positive (ER and PR) patients. Through these studies, we hypothesize that DAX-1 has the potential to be utilized clinically as biomarker for predicting disease progression and for tailoring more personalized treatment plans. There may even be a role for DAX-1 as a possible therapeutic for later stage or hormone receptor-positive patients.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/269"],"dc:subject":["DAX-1","NR0B1","breast cancer","orphan nuclear receptor","NHR","ONR","Biology","Genetics"],"dc:title":["The role of orphan nuclear receptor DAX-1 (NR0B1) in human breast cancer cells: expression, proliferation and metastasis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Biology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:20Z"}