Estrogen control of progesterone receptor induction in human breast cancer: role of nuclear estrogen receptor.

We have provocative data which suggest that the nuclear estrogen-receptor complex interacts with DNA, that this interaction is required for appropriate receptor turnover or processing, and that processing may be essential for induction of a specific protein by estrogen. If the receptor is improperly inserted into DNA, as for instance when it is bound by nafoxidine, processing fails and the biological effect is blunted.