Dual roles of estrogen metabolism in mammary carcinogenesis

A female hormone, estrogen, is linked to breast cancer incidence. Estrogens undergo phase I and II metabolism by which they are biotransformed into genotoxic catechol estrogen metabolites and conjugate metabolites are produced for excretion or accumulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying estrogen-mediated mammary carcinogenesis remain unclear. Cell proliferation through activation of estrogen receptor (ER) by its agonist ligands and is clearly considered as one of carcinogenic mechanisms. Recent studies have proposed that reactive oxygen species generated from estrogen or estrogen metabolites are attributed to genotoxic effects and signal transduction through influencing redox sensitive transcription factors resulting in cell transformation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion of the breast cancer. Conjuguation metabolic pathway is thought to protect cells from genotoxic and cytotoxic effects by catechol estrogen metabolites. However, methoxylated catechol estrogens have been shown to induce ER-mediated signaling pathways, implying that conjugation is not a simply detoxification pathway. Dual action of catechol estrogen metabolites in mammary carcinogenesis as the ER-signaling molecules and chemical carcinogen will be discussed in this review. [BMB reports 2011; 44(7): 423-434]