title: Aromatization of androgens by human abdominal and breast fat tissue.
abstract: The ability of human abdominal, breast and axillary fat to convert androgens into estrogens was investigated by incubating labeled substrates in the presence of NADPH with a variety of cell preparations. The incubation products were subjected to phenolic partition, paper chromatography, methyl-ether formation, repeat chromatography and crystallization with cold carrier reference standards to constant specific activity. Androstenedione was converted to estrone and, to a lesser extent, to 17beta-estradiol by crude homogenates, minces, fat-free particulate fractions (1,000-100,000 time g) and isolated fat cells obtained from abdominal, breast or axillary fat. Testosterone was found to be aromatized as actively as androstenedione, but inthis case more 17 beta-estrodiol was formed than estrone. 19-Hydroxyandrostenedione-2 also served as substrate, givingresults similar to those obtained with androstenedione. Fat tissue obtained from cancerous breasts was found to be as active as normal breast fat (1-4 pg/g fat/90 min) and within the range found for abdominal fat (1-27 pg/g fat/90 min). In each case in which axillary fat was compared to breast fat from the same subject, the activity of the axillary fat was 5 to 10 times higher. The results indicate a possible role of adipose tissue as a significant extra-gonadal source of estrogens.
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D000737:Androstenols / Q000378:metabolism; D001365:Axilla / Q000378:metabolism; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004967:Estrogens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004970:Estrone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009249:NADP; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D000737:Androstenols; D004967:Estrogens; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D009249:NADP