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17ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 in Normal Breast Tissue during the Menstrual Cycle and Hormonal Contraception¹

Department of Woman and Child Health, Division for Obstetrics and Gynecology (G.S., B.v.S.), Department of Plastic Surgery (M.W.), and Department of Pathology, Division for Clinical Cytology (L.S.), Karolinska Hospital, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden; and Biocenter Oulu and Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Oulu (M.P., R.V.), FIN-90220 Oulu, Finland

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Gunnar Söderqvist, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Woman and Child Health, Division for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Hospital, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract

Our purpose was to assess 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD) type 1 protein expression in normal breast tissue during the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception. We analyzed 17HSD type 1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry during the regular menstrual cycle (n = 12) and hormonal contraception (n = 7) in women undergoing reduction mammoplasty. 17HSD type 1 protein was detected in normal breast epithelial cells throughout the menstrual cycle and in all women using hormonal contraception. Mean 17HSD type 1 staining intensity was higher in alveolar epithelial cells in women using hormonal contraception (2.14) than in untreated women (1.25; P < 0.04). For ducts, this difference approached significance (2.29 vs. 1.41; P = 0.06). There was a negative correlation between serum estradiol (E₂) levels and 17HSD type 1 protein expression for both alveolar (r_s = -0.68; P = 0.004) and ductal (r_s = -0.75; P = 0.002) breast epithelial cells.

Enhanced 17HSD type 1 protein expression might increase the conversion to E₂ in normal breast tissue during hormonal contraception. The negative correlation between serum E₂ levels and 17HSD type 1 suggests this enzyme to be one of the regulatory mechanisms of intratissue E₂ concentration in normal breast tissue.

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