Abstract
The regulation of aromatase (estrogen synthase) activity of cultured stromal vascular cells from human breast adipose tissue by cortisol, db-cAMP and growth factors was studied m a serum-free culture system. While PDGF-BB alone inhibited the effect of db-cAMP on aromatase induction, it stimulated aromatase activity in the presence of cortisol with or without db-cAMP. In the presence of 1μM insulin consistently higher aromatase activities were found as compared to 1 nM insulin. In contrast to PDGF-BB, bFGF led to an increase of aromatase activity only in the presence of both cortisol and db-cAMP.