Intracrine mechanism of estrogen synthesis in breast cancer.
It has been demonstrated that biologically active estrogens are locally produced from circulating inactive steroids in an intracrine mechanism in the breast carcinoma. The in situ production of estrogens is considered to play an important role in the proliferation of breast cancer cells, especially in the postmenopausal women. Therefore, the total blockade of this pathway may lead to an improvement in the prognosis in breast cancer patients due to the inhibition of estrogenic actions. In this review, we describe the recent studies of enzymes related to intracrine mechanism of estrogen synthesis, including aromatase, steroid sulfatase (STS), and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, in human breast carcinoma tissues, and discuss the biological significance of local production of estrogens in human breast cancer.
Suzuki
Takashi
T
Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. t-suzuki@patholo2.med.tohoku.ac.jp
Moriya
Takuya
T
Ishida
Takanori
T
Ohuchi
Noriaki
N
Sasano
Hironobu
H
D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase / Q000378:metabolism
D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; C044256:3 (or 17)-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; D001141:Aromatase; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase