Sulfatase activity in normal and neoplastic endometrium.
BACKGROUND
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is metabolized to active androgens and estrogens, which may have a role in the development of endometrial cancer.


METHODS
We studied DHEAS conversion to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in normal and neoplastic endometrium utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectral (GC-MS) analysis. Endometrial homogenate was incubated with known amounts of DHEAS for 4 h at 37 degrees C. Methanol extract was separated from debris by centrifugation, concentrated to 200 microl and 1 microl injected into the GC-MS instrument, equipped with a CP-Sil 8 column. DHEAS and DHEA areas were calculated by autoquantization and DHEA/DHEAS ratio was used for comparing sulfatase activity among normal endometrium (n = 6), Stage I endometrioid carcinoma (EC) (n = 15), Stage I mixed mesodermal Mullerian tumor (MMMT) (n = 6) and Stage I uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) (n = 7).


RESULTS
DHEA/DHEAS ratios in normal endometrium, EC, MMMT and UPSC were 1.45 +/- 1.10, 5.63 +/- 3.27, 2.88 +/- 0.99, and 3.04 +/- 1.76, respectively. Sulfatase activity was significantly higher in EC when compared with normal endometrium (p < 0.001), MMMT (p < 0.05), and UPSC (p < 0.05). The enzyme activity did not differ significantly between low-grade and high-grade EC tumors (5.8 +/- 2.77 and 5.49 +/- 3.84, respectively, p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Stage I EC have higher sulfatase activity than normal endometrium, and Stage I MMMT and UPSC tumors.
Division of Gynecological Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York (SUNY), Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y., USA. oabulafia@aol.com
Ovadia
O
Abulafia
Yi-Chun
YC
Lee
Alison
A
Wagreich
Kathy
K
Economos
Eli
E
Serur
Vijaya L
VL
Nacharaju
D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000201:enzymology*; D018283:Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000201:enzymology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D018200:Mixed Tumor, Mullerian / Q000201:enzymology*; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase / Q000378:metabolism*
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase