Enzymic Synthesis of Steroid Sulfates. II. Presence of Steroid Sulfokinase in Human Mammary Carcinoma Extracts

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Abstract
Extracts of human primary and secondary mammary carcinomas have been shown to contain steroid sulfokinase (s) in every case examined. Examination of normal breast tissue surrounding the tumors revealed very weak steroid sulfokinase activity in some instances. This was thought to be due to the fibrous nature and poor cellularity of the normal breast tissue. Normal ovarian tissue specimens, obtained from cancer patients undergoing oophorectomy, did not generally contain the enzyme, but trace levels were detected in 1 of 5 specimens examined. Steroids, without necessarily showing conversion to steroid sulfate, were observed to increase the incorporation of 35S sulfate into one of the products formed enzymically on incubating breast tissue extracts with 35S adenosine-3′-phosphate-5′-phosphosulfate.