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17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in normal human mammary epithelial cells and breast tissue

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Abstract

17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity represents a group of several isoenzymes (17HSDs) that catalyze the interconversion between highly active 17β‐hydroxy‐ and low activity 17‐ketosteroids and thereby regulate the biological activity of sex steroids. The present study was carried out to characterize the expression of 17HSD isoenzymes in human mammary epithelial cells and breast tissue. In normal breast tissues 17HSD types 1 and 2 mRNAs were both evenly expressed in glandular epithelium. In two human mammary epithelial cell lines, mRNAs for 17HSD types 1, 2 and 4 were detected. In enzyme activity measurements only oxidative 17HSD activity, corresponding to either type 2 or type 4 enzyme, was present. The role of 17HSD type 4 in estrogen metabolism was further investigated, using several cell lines originating from various tissues. No correlation between the presence of 17HSD type 4 mRNA and 17HSD activity in different cultured cell lines was detected. Instead, oxidative 17HSD activity appeared in cell lines where 17HSD type 2 was expressed and reductive 17HSD activity was present in cells expressing 17HSD type 1. These data strongly suggest that in mammary epithelial cell lines the oxidative activity is due to type 2 17HSD and that oxidation of 17β‐hydroxysteroids is not the primary activity of the 17HSD type 4 enzyme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biocenter Oulu and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Reproductive Health, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Minna Miettinen, Mika Mustonen, Matti Poutanen, Veli Isomaa, Reijo Vihko & Pirkko Vihko

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Marie Wickman

  3. Department of Woman and Child Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Gunnar Söderqvist

Authors
  1. Minna Miettinen
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  2. Mika Mustonen
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  3. Matti Poutanen
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  4. Veli Isomaa
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  5. Marie Wickman
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  6. Gunnar Söderqvist
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  7. Reijo Vihko
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  8. Pirkko Vihko
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Miettinen, M., Mustonen, M., Poutanen, M. et al. 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in normal human mammary epithelial cells and breast tissue. Breast Cancer Res Treat 57, 175–182 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006217400137

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