Breast and prostate cancers are both hormone-dependent, at least in some stages of their progression. Hormonal manipulation represents an important therapeutic approach. Although most of breast and prostate cancers initially respond to hormone therapy, most tumors reinitiate to growth. Finally, hormone-resistant and metastatic breast and prostate cancers may develop. Thus, the challenge is the dissection of mechanisms by which steroid receptor signaling pathways continue to influence cell growth and invasiveness. Compelling evidence indicates that steroid hormones elicit non-genomic responses in extra-nuclear compartment of target cells. In this cellular location, steroid-coupled receptors rapidly recruit signaling effectors or scaffold proteins and activate multiple pathways leading to proliferation, survival, migration and invasiveness. The immediate challenge is the dissection of key events regulating the steroid response of target tissues to prevent progression and improve treatment of breast and prostate cancers.

"Steroid Receptors: Methods and Protocols" presents a selection of techniques that have been recently applied to the analysis of steroid receptors, powerful tools for the advancement of our understanding of both the mechanisms regulating gene transcription and the rapid signaling responses of tissues to signals. Research in this area has generated a wealth of data allowing the elucidation of steroid receptor mechanisms and improving the treatment of many endocrine disorders, above all cancers. Chapters cover methods to analyze gene transcription, chromatin and proteomic modifications, extra-nuclear signaling regulation, development of cell and animal models, and preparation of new antibodies. Written in the successful "Methods in Molecular Biology" series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, "Steroid Receptors: Methods and Protocols" offers an updated view on a variety of modern methods that will hopefully contribute to improving our knowledge on the integration of steroid receptors in single or different functionally connected cellular contexts under a variety of physiological and pathological conditions, above all tumors.

Steroid Receptors: Methods and Protocols presents a selection of techniques that have been recently applied to the analysis of steroid receptors, powerful tools for the advancement of our understanding of both the mechanisms regulating gene transcription and the rapid signaling responses of tissues to signals. Research in this area has generated a wealth of data allowing the elucidation of steroid receptor mechanisms and improving the treatment of many endocrine disorders, above all cancers. Chapters cover methods to analyze gene transcription, chromatin and proteomic modifications, extra-nuclear signaling regulation, development of cell and animal models, and preparation of new antibodies. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Steroid Receptors: Methods and Protocols offers an updated view on a variety of modern methods that will hopefully contribute to improving our knowledge on the integration of steroid receptors in single or different functionally connected cellular contexts under a variety of physiological and pathological conditions, above all tumors.

Breast and prostate cancers are both hormone-dependent, at least in some stages of their progression. Hormonal manipulation represents an important therapeutic approach. Although most of breast and prostate cancers initially respond to hormone therapy, most tumors reinitiate to growth. Finally, hormone-resistant and metastatic breast and prostate cancers may develop. Thus, the challenge is the dissection of mechanisms by which steroid receptor signaling pathways continue to influence cell growth and invasiveness. Compelling evidence indicates that steroid hormones elicit non-genomic responses in extra-nuclear compartment of target cells. In this cellular location, steroid-coupled receptors rapidly recruit signaling effectors or scaffold proteins and activate multiple pathways leading to proliferation, survival, migration and invasiveness. The immediate challenge is the dissection of key events regulating the steroid response of target tissues to prevent progression and improve treatment of breast and prostate cancers.