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Aromatase and Its Inhibitors

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Cancer

  • 37 Accesses

Synonyms

Aromatase; CYP 450arom ; Estrogen synthase

Definition

Estrogens are involved in numerous physiological processes including the development and maintenance of the female sexual organs, the reproductive cycle, reproduction, and various other neuroendocrine functions. These hormones have crucial roles in certain disease states, particularly in mammary and endometrial hyperplasias and breast cancers.

Estrogens are biosynthesized from androgens by the cytochrome P450 enzyme complex called “aromatase” first discovered in 1955.

Characteristics

Composition

The aromatase enzyme complex is bound in the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell and is comprised of two major proteins. One protein is cytochrome P450arom, a hemoprotein that converts C19 steroids (androgens) into C18 steroids (estrogens) containing a phenolic A ring. The second protein is NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, which transfers reducing equivalents to cytochrome P450arom. Three moles of NADPH and three moles of oxygen are...

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References

  • Brodie A (2003) Aromatase inhibitor development and hormone therapy: a perspective. Semin Oncol 30:12–22

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  • Brueggemeier RW, Hackett JC, Diaz-Cruz ES (2005) Aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of breast cancer. Endocr Rev 26:331–345

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  • Meyer AS (1955) 19-Hydroxylation of Δ-androstene-3,17-dione and dehydroepiandrosterone by bovine adrenals. Acta Endocrinol 18:148

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  • Njar VC, Brodie AM (1999) Comprehensive pharmacology and clinical efficacy of aromatase inhibitors. Drugs 58:233–255

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  • Winer EP, Hudis C, Burstein HJ et al (2005) American Society of Clinical Oncology technology assessment on the use of aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: status report 2004. J Clin Oncol 23:619–629

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Gauri Sabnis & Angela Brodie

Authors
  1. Gauri Sabnis
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  2. Angela Brodie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gauri Sabnis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Sabnis, G., Brodie, A. (2015). Aromatase and Its Inhibitors. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_395-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_395-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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