Interactive effects of interleukin-6, 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone on growth and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in human breast carcinoma cells.
It has been demonstrated that reductive 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (17-HSD) in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 can be stimulated by 17 beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). We have examined the interactive effects of these factors on growth and reductive 17-HSD activity of MCF-7 cells cultured under defined conditions in phenol red-free medium. E2 stimulated growth of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, while IL-6 had a growth inhibitory effect and in combination with E2, it reduced or abolished the stimulatory effects of the steroid. Both E2 and IL-6 stimulated 17-HSD activity by a maximum of 2- to 5-fold, but, in combination, the stimulatory effects ranged from 7- to 10-fold, indicating a strong synergism between the 2 factors. P had growth stimulatory effects on MCF-7, but when combined with IL-6 had no further positive or negative growth effects. Both factors stimulated reductive 17-HSD activity and simultaneous treatment with P and IL-6 indicated a synergy between the 2 factors. These results provide evidence of powerful interactive effects between steroidal and paracrine control of human breast epithelial cells in vitro.
Department of Medicine, University of Liverpool, England.
V
V
Speirs
E F
EF
Adams
B
B
Rafferty
M C
MC
White
D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015850:Interleukin-6; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases