RESUMEN
Cancer remains a significant global health concern. Breast cancer is a multifaceted and prevalent disease influenced by several factors, among which estrogen receptors (ERs) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) play pivotal roles. ERs, encompassing ERα and ERß, exert significant diversity on tumor behavior, cell signaling, invasion, and metastatic potential, thus guiding breast cancer prognosis. Understanding the multifunctional connections between ERs and ECM that mediate the dynamics of tumor microenvironment is vital for unraveling the complexity of breast cancer pathobiology and identifying novel therapeutic targets. This critical review delves into the intricate nature of ERs, emphasizing their structural isoforms and the consequential impact on breast cancer outcomes. A detailed examination of ER-mediated cell signaling pathways reveals how differential expression of ERα and ERß isoforms influence breast cancer cell behavior. The functional ERs-matrix interactions emerge as a pivotal factor in modulating epigenetic mechanisms of breast cancer cells, orchestrating changes in cellular phenotype and expression patterns of matrix modulators. Specifically, ERα isoforms are shown to regulate ECM signaling cascades, while the effects of ECM components on ERα activity highlight a bidirectional regulatory axis. The diversity of ERß isoforms is also highlighted, illustrating their distinct contribution to ECM-mediated cellular responses. This review underscores the complex interplay between ERα/ß isoforms and the ECM, shedding light onto the potential therapeutic strategies targeting these interactions to improve breast cancer management.
RESUMEN
The integration of semi-transparent photovoltaics into the roof of greenhouses is an emerging technique used in recent years, due to the simultaneous energy and food production from the same piece of land. Although shading in many cases is a solution to maintain the desired microclimate, in the case of photovoltaic installations, the permanent shading of the crop is a challenge, due to the importance of light to the growth, morphogenesis, and other critical physiological processes. In this study, the effect of shade from semi-transparent photovoltaics on a strawberry crop (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) was examined, in terms of growth and quality (phenolic and flavonoid concentration of fruits). According to the results, in non-shaded plants, there was a trend of larger plants, but without a significant change in leaf number, while the total number of flowers was slightly higher at the end of the cultivation period. Moreover, it was found that the percentage change between the number of ripe fruits was smaller than that of the corresponding change in fruit weight, implying the increased size of the fruits in non-shaded plants. Finally, regarding the antioxidant capacity, it was clearly demonstrated that shading increased the total phenolic content, as well as the free-radical-scavenging activity of the harvested fruits. Although the shading from the semi-transparent photovoltaics did not assist the production of large fruits, it did not affect their number and increased some of their quality characteristics. In addition, the advantageous impact of the semi-transparent photovoltaics in the energy part must not be neglected.