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Characterization of estrogen‐dependent growth of cultured MCF‐7 human breast‐cancer cells expressing 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1
Author(s) -
Miettinen Minna M.,
Poutanen Matti H.,
Vihko Reijo K.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19961127)68:5<600::aid-ijc8>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - estrone , mcf 7 , estrogen , endocrinology , medicine , estrogen receptor , breast cancer , transfection , cancer cell , biology , hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase , cancer research , cancer , chemistry , enzyme , cell culture , dehydrogenase , human breast , biochemistry , genetics
17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD) type 1 converts the weakly active estrogen, estrone, into highly active estradiol. In addition to being essential for gonadal estradiol biosynthesis, the enzyme is also expressed in a significant proportion of breast tumors. In order to study the role of the enzyme in estrogen‐dependent growth of breast cancer, MCF‐7 breast‐cancer cells stably expressing human 17HSD type 1 were generated. In control MCF‐7 cells a very low 17HSD activity was observed and, in line with its low estrogenic activity, estrone was devoid of the growth‐enhancing effect of estradiol. The presence of the enzyme in the stably transfected HSD‐7 cells resulted in a rapid conversion of estrone into estradiol but did not alter the estrogen‐receptor concentration in the cells. However, in transfected cells, estrone had a growth‐promoting effect practically identical to that of estradiol. The presence or absence of 17HSD type 1 in breast‐cancer cells may therefore be decisive with regard to estrogen exposure and the estrogen‐responsive growth of breast‐cancer tissues. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.