title: Esterase activity in human breast cyst fluid: associations with steroid sulfates and cations.
abstract: Human breast cyst fluid (BCF) contains an esterase that on the basis of electrophoretic mobility and response to inhibitors differs from those found in the plasma. From a total of 384 BCF samples analyzed for esterase using p-nitrophenyl hexanoate as substrate, 149 (39%) showed significant activity. The samples had been analyzed for the concentrations of the sulfates of estrone, estriol, dehydroepiandrosterone, as well as the potassium and sodium cations (K+/Na+). The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Spearman rank order test. The esterase-positive samples exhibited a significant positive association with each of the steroid sulfates and the K+/Na+ ratios. Except for protein concentration, there was no significant correlation between the esterase-positive and esterase-negative cysts. These observations may have physiological significance in that high K+/Na+ ratio cysts have been related to the histological status of the cyst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levitz
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Finlay
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brind
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arcuri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castagnetta
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D004950:Esterases / Q000032:analysis*; D004964:Estriol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000032:analysis; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D013256:Steroids / Q000032:analysis*; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D013256:Steroids; D013431:Sulfates; D004970:Estrone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; C027974:estriol 3-sulfate; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D012964:Sodium; D004950:Esterases; D004964:Estriol; C017296:estrone sulfate; D011188:Potassium