title: Low sex steroid environment affects survival and steroid secretion of ovarian tumour cells in primary cultures.
abstract: Ovarian epithelial tumours are considered to be endocrine related. The effects of an environment with low levels of the steroid hormones 17 beta-estradiol, testosterone or progesterone on cell survival and steroid secretion were studied in primary cell cultures derived from 25 patients suffering from epithelial ovarian tumours. Tumour cells cultured in 17 beta-estradiol and testosterone showed a reduced cell survival (-10.3 +/- 2.3% and -15.6 +/- 2.7% minimum survival respectively). This reduction was inversely proportional to hormone concentrations within the range studied. No similar effect was observed in the progesterone cultures. It was found that 17 beta-estradiol was secreted from the primary cell cultures and, interestingly, the amount of 17 beta-estradiol secreted increased with increasing levels of 17 beta-estradiol in the environment. Neither progesterone nor testosterone production was observed in any of the cultures studied. It is believed that 17 beta-estradiol has an antiapoptotic effect on ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells. Reduction of 17 beta-estradiol in the environment may inhibit this effect, resulting in reduced cell survival. The ability of ovarian epithelial tumour cells to secrete 17 beta-estradiol suggests that epithelial ovarian tumours play an active role in altering their own hormonal environment, promoting tumour progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Umeå, SE 901 85 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taube
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Höckenström
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isaksson
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bäckström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol