Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0006142 (breast cancer)
 160,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Advanced breast cancer responds to a range of cytotoxic agents, but resistance always develops. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance may provide new therapeutic options. There are several major groups of resistance mechanisms. 1) The multidrug resistant phenotype. This is due to a membrane pump that can extrude a wide range of anticancer drugs--the P-glycoprotein. It is inhibited by a range of clinically used calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine and verapamil. Several other membrane proteins of 180 KD, 170 KD, 300 KD and 85 KD have been reported and are associated with MDR. 2) Glutathione transferences and detoxification mechanisms. These are a multigene family of enzymes that conjugate glutathione to chemically reactive groups. There are 3 major groups of enzymes--acidic, basic and neutral. They have been implicated in resistance to doxorubicin, melphalan cisplatinum chlorambucil and other alkylating agents. Other protecting systems include metallothionein and selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase. HSP27 confers doxorubicin resistance. 3) Topoisomerase II. DNA topoisomerases are involved in several aspects of DNA metabolism in particular genetic recombination, DNA transcription, chromosome segregation. They are a target for doxorubicin, mitoxantrone, VP16. Low levels of expression are associated with resistance. However, it is oestrogen inducible and this may be of therapeutic value. A novel topo IIb which is more drug resistant has been reported. 4) DNA repair. A score or more of genes are involved in the repair of DNA damage by drugs and radiation. Defective DNA repair may predispose to cancer of the breast and be responsible for adverse radiation reactions. Enhanced repair has been shown to be a mechanism of cisplatinum resistance. Several genes are inducible by DNA damage and may confer resistance e.g. A45. 5) Drug activation. Mitomycin C as well as cyclophosphamide and VP16 require activation for their effects. Low levels of cytochrome p450 reductase are associated with MMC resistance.
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PMID:Mechanisms of multidrug resistance in cancer treatment. 135 55

NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase was purified from human placental microsomes using a combination of affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Affinity chromatography using agarose-hexane-adenosine 2'5 diphosphate resulted in two protein bands being detected by SDS-PAGE of approximate MwS 68 and 75 kDa. Fractions containing the two proteins were pooled, and then resolved using Sephacryl S-200. Both of the purified proteins displayed enzyme activity, measured by their ability to reduce cytochrome c. The 75 kDa protein obtained was used to immunize three female New Zealand white rabbits. The IgG fraction was partly purified from rabbit sera which suppressed placental microsomal NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity by > 80% using 33% ammonium sulphate. The procured antibody suppressed androstenedione aromatase activity in microsomal preparations of human placental and breast adipose tissue, and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity in prostate (benign and malignant), MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, breast adipose, Hep G2 hepatoma cells and placental microsomal preparations. The extent of NADPH cytochrome c reductase inhibition varied in the order of malignant prostate < benign prostate < MDA < breast adipose < Hep G2 < placenta. The results suggest that human placental NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase shares common antigenic epitopes pertinent to its capability of reducing cytochrome c in all of the above-mentioned tissues. In attempting to associate possible changes in NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity imposed by neoplasia to the obtained immunochemical cross reactivity and enzyme activity results, it was noted that microsomes obtained from MDA cells exhibited enzyme activity significantly less than that of breast adipose microsomes (1.6 and 8.1 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively) and by comparison showed 6% less homology towards the placental antibody. The results obtained for benign and malignant prostate showed no significant difference between the neoplastic states as adjudged by enzyme activity and immunochemical assays.
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PMID:Immunochemical specificity of placental NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase in neoplastic and non-neoplastic human tissue. 141 86

The proliferative rate as well as the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG CoA) reductase, which regulates de novo synthesis of mevalonate, was comparable in the two human breast cancer cell lines Hs578T and MDA-231 when cultured in the presence of serum. Upon treatment with mevinolin (an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor) the proliferation of the cell lines was depressed with similar dose response kinetics. A depression of the enzymatic activity to a level of 1-1.5 pmol mevalonate/min/mg protein decreased DNA-synthesis by approximately 90%. In contrast, at slightly higher enzymatic activities, ie 2-2.5 pmol/min/mg protein, there was only a mild decrease in DNA-synthesis. Addition of mevalonate to a final concentrations of 0.77 mM completely prevented the mevinolin-induced block on cell proliferation in both cell lines. Exposure to serum-free medium caused by itself a depression of HMG CoA reductase activity to 2.5-3 pmol/min/mg protein in both cell lines. Whereas the proliferation of MDA-231 was not inhibited at all by serum depletion, this treatment decreased DNA-synthesis in Hs578T by nearly 80%. Interestingly, the addition of mevalonate also prevented this growth inhibition in Hs578T, irrespective of whether mevinolin was present or not. However, this required a 30-fold increase in the mevalonate concentration (23.1 mM) as compared to MDA-231. The present data indicate that mevalonate is not only necessary for cell proliferation, but also that mevalonate is involved in the serum-dependent control of cell proliferation in serum-sensitive cells. In this respect, serum seems to affect the utilization of mevalonate in the formation of mevalonate-derived growth-regulatory molecules, rather than regulating the de novo synthesis of mevalonate.
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PMID:Requirement for mevalonate in the control of proliferation of human breast cancer cells. 158 May 50

This updated literature review on heterosteroids and drug research has information on chemical structure, pharmacology, and effects. It first discusses the anti-inflammatory heterosteroids, such as mometasone furoate and cortivazol. It also covers heterosteroidal antimineralocorticoids and anabolic hetero derivatives. The review discusses at length the 19-norsteroid, mifepristone (RU-486), which exhibits antiprogestational activity and is being used for fertility control in women. It also has antiglucocorticoid activity and shows promise as a treatment of diseases characterized by muscle atrophy. In vitro studies indicate that mifepristone inhibits growth of breast cancer cell lines and of endometrial cancer cell lines. It has already exhibited growth inhibitory effects in some breast cancer patients. Discussions of mifepristone's pharmacokinetics and structural modifications of mifepristone follow. Danazol is an antigonadotropin and is used to treat endometriosis, benign breast disease, precocious puberty, hereditary angioneurotic edema, menorrhagia, some types of infertility, and gynecomastia. Danazol effects considerable changes in lipid metabolism. Other hormonal, antihormonal, and/or antifertility heterosteroids and/or aspects include androgen antagonists (e.g., cyproterone acetate), estrogen activity, antiestrogens, STS-557, and oximinosteroids. Heterosteroidal inhibitors of steroid hormone biosynthesis discussed are aromatase inhibitors, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitors (trilostane, epostane, and azastene). Heterosteroids affect the cardiovascular system, including the cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmic agents, and antilipemic agents. Some heterosteroids affect central nervous system activity (e.g., RU-5135 causes convulsions in rodents). Pancuronium analogues and chandonium and analogues are neuromuscular blocking azasteroids. In addition to danazol and RU-486, several other antineoplastic heterosteroids exist (e.g., estramustine phosphate sodium, a prostate cancer drug).
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PMID:Heterosteroids and drug research. 184 48

Tamoxifen (TXF), a triphenylethylene antiestrogen, is the major therapeutic agent for breast cancer. In rare cases, TXF treatment appears to increase incidence of endometrial cancer. Also in rats, TXF was found to induce hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies suggested that metabolism of TXF may contribute to its antiestrogenic and anticancer activity. The current study demonstrates a novel route of TXF metabolism. TXF is metabolized by rat and human liver microsomes into a reactive intermediate (txf*) which binds irreversibly to microsomal proteins. The binding requires NADPH and O2 and is inhibited by CO, inhibitors of P-450, and antibodies to rat NADPH-P450 reductase, indicating catalysis by P450. Phenobarbital treatment of rats markedly increases binding, suggesting the involvement of induced P450s. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins from incubation of [14C] TXF with phenobarbital-treated microsomes exhibits a major radiolabeled zone which corresponds to a molecular weight of approximately 54,000, suggesting binding to a P-450. Cysteine and glutathione inhibited the binding of TXF without significantly affecting P-450-mediated metabolism of TXF, possibly by reacting with txf* or by competing for the same binding sites. Exposure of phenobarbital-treated microsomes and control-microsomes to 50 degrees C for 90 s, which inactivates the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), diminished binding and pH 8.6 enhanced binding. Also, alternate FMO substrates inhibited binding. These findings indicate that P-450 and possibly FMO catalyze the reactions leading to the formation of txf*. However, incubations with single-labeled and dual-radiolabeled tamoxifen or with [14C]TXF-N-oxide demonstrated that monodesmethyl-TXF and TXF-N-oxide, the principal P-450 and FMO-mediated metabolites, respectively, are not on the major route of txf* formation, indicating that txf* could not be an aldehyde derived from tamoxifen nitrone. Thus, though the structure of txf* was not characterized, certain possibilities were excluded. Speculations on the structure of txf* and on its possible pharmacological and toxicological activity are presented.
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PMID:Cytochrome P-450-mediated activation and irreversible binding of the antiestrogen tamoxifen to proteins in rat and human liver: possible involvement of flavin-containing monooxygenases in tamoxifen activation. 193 68

The identification of several steroid-transforming enzymes within human breast cancers has led to speculation that the growth of some hormone-responsive tumors might be mediated in part by intracellularly derived estrogens. Reports that MCF-7 human breast cancer cells can transform both estrone (E1)1 to estradiol (E2) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to the estrogenic steroid 5-androstenediol (AED), have prompted us to investigate the 17-ketosteroid reductase activities (17-KSR's) which mediate these potentially important reactions. Enzyme assays were performed by quantifying the amounts of [3H]AED or [3H]E2 former from [3H]DHEA or [3H]E1, respectively, by various subcellular preparations from MCF-7 cells under a variety of experimental conditions. DHEA 17-KSR was found to be localized exclusively within cytosol, whereas the E1 17-KSR activity appeared to be nearly equally divided between the soluble and particulate cytoplasmic subfractions. The particulate E1 17-KSR appeared capable of utilizing NADH or NADPH, whereas both the cytosolic form of this enzyme and the soluble DHEA 17-KSR activity showed a strict requirement for NADPH. Although both of the soluble 17-KSR's also showed similar pH optima, several other features suggested that they are different enzymes in MCF-7. E1 did not inhibit the conversion of DHEA to AED, and DHEA did not interfere with the transformation of E1 to E2, indicating that major differences in substrate specificity exist between the two cytosolic activities. Furthermore, DHEA 17-KSR activity within cytosol stored at -20 degrees C deteriorated almost completely over twelve weeks of storage, whereas E1 17-KSR activity remained stable. Finally, although both enzymes were found to be subject to product inhibition, AED inhibited DHEA 17-KSR competitively, whereas cytosolic E1 17-KSR activity was inhibited by E2 in noncompetitive fashion. Studies of the oxidation of E2 to E1 by MCF-7 cells showed that this transformation is catalyzed by both soluble and particulate 17-hydroxysteroid oxidases which utilize either NAD or NADP as cofactor. Having previously reported the presence of a particulate NADP(H)-linked androstenedione (AE) 17-ketosteroid oxidoreductase in MCF-7, we now suggest that at least three different enzymes, one particulate and two soluble forms, participate in the conversion of 17-ketosteroids to their hormonally active 17-hydroxysteroid derivatives within this cell line. The restricted substrate requirements of each enzyme provide a rationale for developing selective enzyme inhibitors which could provide important investigational tools and potentially effective therapeutic agents.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 1990 Oct
PMID:Dehydroepiandrosterone and estrone 17-ketosteroid reductases in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. 196 14

In order to characterize the main enzymatic systems involved in androgen and estrogen formation as well as metabolism in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells, incubation of intact cells was performed for 12 or 24 h at 37 degrees C with tritiated estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), androst-5-ene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (5-ene-diol), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone (T), androstenedione (4-ene-dione), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or androsterone (ADT). The extra- and intracellular steroids were extracted, separated into free steroids, sulfates and non-polar derivatives (FAE) and identified by HPLC coupled to a Berthold radioactivity monitor. Following incubation with E2, 5-ene-diol or T, E1, DHEA and 4-ene-dione were the main products, respectively, thus indicating high levels of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD). When 4-ene-dione was used, on the other hand, a high level of transformation into 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione (A-dione), Epi-ADT and ADT was found, thus indicating the presence of high levels of 5 alpha-reductase as well as 3 alpha- and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Moreover, some T was formed, due to oxidation by 17 beta-HSD. No estrogen was detected with the androgen precursors T or 4-ene-dione, thus indicating the absence of significant aromatase activity. Moreover, significant amounts of sulfates and non-polar derivatives were found with all the above-mentioned substrates. The present study shows that ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells possess most of the enzymatic systems involved in androgen and estrogen formation and metabolism, thus offering an excellent model for studies of the control of sex steroid formation and action in breast cancer tissue.
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PMID:Multiple steroid metabolic pathways in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells. 200 38

Carbonyl reductase (EC 1.1.1.184) belongs to the group of enzymes called aldo-keto reductases. It is a NADPH-dependent cytosolic protein with specificity for many carbonyl compounds including the antitumor anthracycline antibiotics, daunorubicin and doxorubicin. Human carbonyl reductase was cloned from a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The cDNA clone contained 1219 base paires with an open reading frame corresponding to 277 amino acids encoding a protein of Mr 30,375. Southern analysis of genomic DNA digested with several restriction enzymes and analyzed by hybridization with a labeled cDNA probe indicated that carbonyl reductase is probably coded by a single gene and does not belong to a family of structurally similar enzymes. Southern analysis of 17 mouse/human somatic cell hybrids showed that carbonyl reductase is located on chromosome 21. Carbonyl reductase mRNA could be induced 3-4-fold in 24 h with 10 microM 2,(3)-t-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA), beta-naphthoflavone or Sudan 1.
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PMID:Induction of a human carbonyl reductase gene located on chromosome 21. 218 21

Estrogens have an important role in the growth of breast and other hormone-sensitive cancers. We have shown that 4-hydroxyandrostenedione (4-OHA) selectively blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting aromatase activity in ovarian and peripheral tissues and reduces plasma estrogen levels in rat and non-human primate species. In postmenopausal men and women, estrogens are mainly of peripheral origin. When postmenopausal breast cancer patients were administered either by daily oral or parenteral weekly treatment with 4-OHA, plasma estrogen concentrations were significantly reduced. Complete or partial response to treatment occurred in 34% of 100 patients with advanced breast cancer, while the disease was stabilized in 12%. We recently studied the effects of 4-OHA and other aromatase inhibitors, 10-propargylestr-4-ene-3,17-dione (PED) and imidazo[1,5-alpha]3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrin-6-yl-(4-benzonitrile) (CGS 16949A) as well as 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, N,N-diethyl-4-methyl-3-oxo-4-aza-5 alpha-androstane-17 beta-carboxyamide (4-MA) and 17 beta-hydroxy-4-aza-4-methyl-19norandrost-5-en-3-one (L651190) in prostatic tissue from 11 patients with prostatic cancer and six patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and from normal men at autopsy. We attempted to measure aromatase activity in tissue incubation by quantitating 3H2O released during aromatization of androstenedione or testosterone labeled at the C-1 position. The amount of 3H2O released from all samples was at least twice that of the heat inactivated tissue samples. The 3H2O release was significantly inhibited by 4-OHA and 4-MA, but not by the other aromatase inhibitors. However, when HPLC and TLC were used to isolate steroid products, no estrone or estradiol was detected in the incubates. Furthermore, no aromatase mRNA was detected following amplification by PCR. The 4-OHA was found to inhibit 5 alpha-reductase in both BPH and cancer tissue, although to a lesser extent than 4-MA. The other aromatase inhibitors were without effect. Although a mechanism involving intraprostatic aromatase is not likely, inhibitors may act to reduce peripherally-formed estrogens. In postmenopausal breast cancer, the results indicate that 4-OHA is of significant benefit.
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PMID:Aromatase and other inhibitors in breast and prostatic cancer. 228 80

The polyglutamation kinetics of methotrexate (MTX) in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells have been formulated mathematically. The model takes account of glutamation and hydrolysis kinetics up through the pentaglutamate level, increased synthesis of dihydrofolate reductase following exposure to drug, reversible tight-binding to reductase, and membrane transport of polyglutamates. The glutamation, hydrolysis, and efflux parameters have been determined from fits to experimental MTX polyglutamate uptake and efflux data. The preferred substrate for folypolyglutamyl synthase in the intact cell appears to be MTX diglutamate, on average being two to three times as reactive as either the parent drug or the triglutamate. Hydrolysis rate constants range from 0.03 to 0.19 h-1, but no clear trend with chain length is observable given the large uncertainty of each parameter estimate. However, the efflux of MTX polyglutamates from MCF-7 cells does show a trend with chain length decreasing with increasing length as expected. The best characteristic time of MTX diglutamate efflux is 4.1 h, about one-third that of the higher polyglutamate species, in agreement with observations on the MDA.MB.436 breast cancer cell line. The model shows quantitative agreement with the fraction of MTX polyglutamates found still to be bound to reductase in MCF-7 cells following 24 h of efflux, and qualitative agreement with the time dependence of bound MTX-polyglutamate concentration profiles obtained on the ZR-75 breast cancer line.
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PMID:The kinetics of methotrexate polyglutamation in human breast cancer cells. 243 60


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