Human estrogen sulfotransferase (hEST1) activities and its mRNA in various breast cancer cell lines. Effect of the progestin, promegestone (R-5020)

• Published in: The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 1998-09, Vol.66 (5), p.295-302
• Main Authors: Chetrite, G, Le Nestour, E, Pasqualini, J.R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - enzymology; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; estrogens; Estrone - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - physiology; Hormones. Endocrine system; Humans; Medical sciences; mRNA; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Promegestone - pharmacology; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Neoplasm - analysis; sulfotransferase; Sulfotransferases - genetics; Sulfotransferases - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured
• ISSN: 0960-0760; 1879-1220
• DOI: 10.1016/S0960-0760(98)00063-6

Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification it was possible to detect the presence of type 1 human estrogen sulfotransferase (hEST1) mRNA in the hormone-dependent: MCF-7 and T-47D, and hormone-independent: MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, human breast cancer cells. The expression of this mRNA is significantly higher in the MDA-MB-468 cells and a correlation of this mRNA expression with the enzymatic activity was observed. The progestin promegestone (R-5020) at a low concentration (5×10 −7 M) can significantly increase the estrogen sulfotransferase activity and its mRNA in the hormone-dependent MCF-7 and T-47D cells. As estrogen sulfates are biologically inactive, the stimulatory effect on sulfotransferase by promegestone may open attractive possibilities in the control of estradiol in human breast cancer.