Lack of Sulfate-Activating Enzymes in Human Breast Tumors 1

Abstract

Summary

Preparations from human breast tumors which are inactive in the formation of steroid sulfates are shown to be lacking the two sulfate-activating enzymes, sulfate adenylyltransferase, and adenylylsulfate kinase, and to have measurable amounts of 3-β-hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase and estrone sulfotransferase. The study also suggests that the sulfate-activating enzymes are the limiting factor in determining the level of steroid conjugating activity of the tumor preparations that have the ability to form steroid sulfates.