The effect of 17-beta oestradiol on Na+/H+ exchange in breast cancer cells lines

The tumour environment is more acidic than normal (pH 6.8 vs 7.3), and this may aid tumour progression or affect the uptake of drugs. The extracellular pH may, be part-regulated by cellular sodium/hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), and NHE activation may, in turn, be regulated by hormones such as oestradiol. Some breast cancers have oestradiol receptors and stimulation or blockade of these may modulate the cell’s ability to regulate pH. This project will investigate the effect of oestradiol on the ability of breast cancer cells grown in the laboratory to regulate their pH by NHE.