Expression of membrane transporters and metabolic enzymes involved in estrone-3-sulphate disposition in human breast tumour tissues.

Two-thirds of newly diagnosed hormone-dependent (HR?) breast cancers are detected in post-menopausal patients where estrone-3-sulphate (E3S) is the predominant source for tumour estradiol. Understanding intra-tumoral fate of E3S would facilitate in the identification of novel molecular targets for HR? post-menopausal breast cancer patients. Hence this study investigates the clinical expression of (i) organic anion-transporting polypeptides (OATPs), (ii) multidrug resistance protein (MRP-1), breast cancer resistance proteins (BCRP), and (iii) sulphatase (STS), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD-1), involved in E3S uptake, efflux and metabolism, respectively. Fluorescent and brightfield images of stained tumour sections (n = 40) were acquired at 4× and 20× magnification, respectively. Marker densities were measured as the total area of positive signal divided by the surface area of the tumour section analysed and was reported as % area (ImageJ software). Tumour, stroma and non-tumour tissue areas were also quantified (Inform software), and the ratio of optical intensity per histologic area was reported as % area/tumour, % area/stroma and % area/non-tumour. Functional role of OATPs and STS was further investigated in HR? (MCF-7, T47-D, ZR-75) and HR-(MDA-MB-231) cells by transport studies conducted in the presence or absence of specific inhibitors. Amongst all the transporters and enzymes, OATPs and STS have significantly (p < 0.0001) higher expression in HR? tumour sections with highest target signals obtained from the tumour regions of the tissues. Specific OATP-mediated E3S uptake and STS-mediated metabolism were also observed in all HR? breast cancer cells. These observations suggest the potential of OATPs as novel molecular targets for HR? breast cancers.