A relationship between estrogen sulfurylation and estrogen and progesterone receptor status in human mammary carcinoma

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 1360 - 1362
• Main Authors: Pewnim, T, Adams, J B, Ho, K P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-04-1980
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Cytosol - metabolism; Estrogens - metabolism; Estrone - metabolism; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen; Receptors, Progesterone; Sulfotransferases; Sulfurtransferases - metabolism
• ISSN: 0008-5472

It was previously demonstrated that a correlation existed between estrogen receptor (ER) status and levels of estrogen sulfotransferase in human mammary cancer, high levels being associated with ER-positive and low levels with ER-negative tumors. We have now examined these same parameters, along with progesterone receptor (PGR) status, in 44 primary human mammary tumors. Tumors which were both ER-positive and PGR-positive (n = 21), showed significantly higher levels of estrogen sulfotransferase compared to ER-positive PGR-negative (n = 12) and ER-negative PGR-negative (n = 11) tumors. These values (pmol estradiol sulfate per mg protein per 2 hr) were 72 +/- 12 (S.E.), 25 +/- 5, and 11 +/- 4 (p less than 0.01 and less than 0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference between ER-positive PGR-negative and ER-negative PGR-negative tumors. The possible involvement of PGR in the regulation of estrogen sulfotransferase is discussed.