Effects of 4-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione and 10-propargylestr-4-ene-3,17-dione on the metabolism of androstenedione in human breast carcinoma and breast adipose tissues

E. Perel, S. P. Davis, D. F. Covey, D. W. Killinger

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14 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of 4-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (4-OH-A) and 10-propargylestr-4-ene-3,17-dione (PED) on the aromatization of androstenedione (A) and the conversion of A to testosterone (T) were studied in incubations with breast carcinoma and breast adipose tissues. Parallel studies were carried out to determine the effects of 4-OH-A and PED on A metabolism in tissue from 5 patients with breast carcinoma. At 11 μM, both compounds fully inhibited aromatization, whereas the conversion of A to T was decreased in only 2 incubations. Studies with varying concentrations of 4-OH-A and PED demonstrated that both compounds inhibited estrone (E1) formation by 80% at a concentration of 0.085 μM, with maximum effect at 0.34 μM. 90% inhibition of estradiol (E2) formation was observed at inhibitor concentrations of 0.17 μM or greater. T formation was slightly affected at 0.67 μM, but was progressively inhibited with increasing 4-OH-A or PED concentrations, reaching 70% at 11 μM. Similar experiments with 4-OH-A in breast adipose tissue homogenates showed that a concentration of 0.1 μM was sufficient to inhibit aromatization while T inhibition required 11 μM. 4-OH-A and PED are selective inhibitors of aromatization in human breast tissues and may provide a mechanism for controlling estrogen responsive processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)397-405
Number of pages9
JournalSteroids
Volume38
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1981

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