Esterase activity in human breast cyst fluid: associations with steroid sulfates and cations

• Published in: Steroids Vol. 57; no. 10; pp. 485 - 487
• Main Authors: Levitz, Mortimer, Raju, Uma, Katz, Joseph, Finlay, Thomas H., Brind, Joel L., Arcuri, Felice, Castagnetta, Luigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.10.1992; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; Body Fluids - chemistry; Body Fluids - enzymology; dehydroepiandrosterone; Dehydroepiandrosterone - analogs & derivatives; Dehydroepiandrosterone - analysis; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; esterase; Esterases - analysis; Estriol - analogs & derivatives; Estriol - analysis; estriol-3-sulfate; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) - analysis; Estrone - analogs & derivatives; Estrone - analysis; estrone sulfate; Female; Fibrocystic Breast Disease - chemistry; Fibrocystic Breast Disease - enzymology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; human breast cyst fluid; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Potassium - analysis; potassium and sodium cations; Sodium - analysis; steroids; Steroids - analysis; Sulfates - analysis; potassium and sodium cations; human breast cyst fluid; estriol-3-sulfate; esterase; steroids; dehydroepiandrosterone; estrone sulfate; Human; Enzyme; Steroid hormone; Sulfates; Mammary gland diseases; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Enzymatic activity; Esterase; Estriol; Estrone; Cations; Mammary gland; Cystic fluid
• ISSN: 0039-128X; 1878-5867
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-128X(92)90042-8

Human breast cyst fluid (BCF) contains an esterase that on the basis of electrophoretic mobility and response to inhibitors differs from those found in the plasma. From a total of 384 BCF samples analyzed for esterase using p- nitrophenyl hexanoate as substrate, 149 (39%) showed significant activity. The samples had been analyzed for the concentrations of the sulfates of estrone, estriol, dehydroepiandrosterone, as well as the potassium and sodium cations (K +/Na +). The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Spearman rank order test. The esterase-positive samples exhibited a significant positive association with each of the steroid sulfates and the K +/Na + ratios. Except for protein concentration, there was no significant correlation between the esterase-positive and esterase-negative cysts. These observations may have physiological significance in that high K +/Na + ratio cysts have been related to the histological status of the cyst . ( Steroids 57:485–487, 1992)