CARCINOGENICITY OF B RING UNSATURATED ESTROGENS

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The major concern regarding estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is the significant increase in the risk of breast cancer that accompanies long-term use. The most commonly used formulation for ERT is Premarin, a preparation consisting largely of B-ring unsaturated estrogens including conjugated forms of equilin (Eq) and equilenin (Eqn). Our preliminary studies show Ah-receptor-regulated metabolism of Eqn to 4-hydroxylated metabolites in several human breast-derived cell lines expressing cytochrome P4501B1 (CYP1Bl). Semiquinones and quinones derived from these 4-hydroxy metabolites, which are adductive and lead to free radical production, may be involved in carcinogenesis. We hypothesize that estrogens are involved in both the initiation and promotion phases of carcinogenesis, and that aromaticity of the B-ring of steroidal estrogens increases carcinogenic potency. Our broad, long-term goal is to determine whether steroidal estrogens, including the B-ring unsaturated estrogens, Eq and Eqn, are carcinogenic through metabolic activation via catechol estrogens. 0ur Specific Aims are to: 1) Characterize Eq and Eqn metabolism in a series of immortalized tumor- and non-tumor-derived human breast-cell lines. Pathways of Eq and Eqn bioactivation involving hydrolysis of conjugates, reduction to 17beta-dihydro forms and hydroxyation to catechol estrogens will be investigated. 2) Determine the catechol synthetic activities of human cytochromes P450 of the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 families with Eq, Eqn, and their 17alpha- and 17beta-dihydro forms as substrates. 3) Establish transgenic mouse lines expressing human CYP1B1 in the mammary epithelium, 4) Determine the effects of treatment with Eq and Eqn on DNA damage and the incidence of mammary-gland tumors in human CYP1B1-transgenic mice. The studies described here will provide novel results regarding the metabolism of the B-ring unsaturated estrogens by human enzymes in breast epithelial cells, and may provide mechanistic data supporting a role of metabolic activation of Eq, Eqn, and endogenous in the initiation of carcinogenesis in the human breast.