Linked Life Data

9589695

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/9589695

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-6-4
pubmed:abstractText
This report represents the first study in the literature linking development of severe gynecomastia, in a 17 1/2-yr-old boy, to high levels of aromatase expression in a large fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, which gave rise to extremely elevated serum levels of estrone (1200 pg/mL) and estradiol-17 beta (312 pg/mL) that suppressed FSH and LH (1.3 and 2.8 IU/L, respectively), and consequently testosterone (1.53 ng/mL). After removal of a 1.5-kg hepatocellular carcinoma, gynecomastia partially regressed, and essentially, normal hormone levels were restored (estradiol-17 beta, < 50 pg/mL; estrone, 74 pg/mL; testosterone, 6.85 ng/mL; and FSH/LH, 6.3/3.7 mIU/mL). Conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens occurs in a number of human tissues and is catalyzed by aromatase P450 (P450arom), the product of the CYP19 gene in a number of human tissues. Tissue-specific promoters are used to regulate P450arom gene transcription in adult human tissues, e.g. promoters I.4 and I.3 in adipose fibroblasts, and promoter II in the gonads. Human fetal liver uses promoter I.4 to express markedly high levels of P450arom, whereas hepatic P450arom expression normally becomes undetectable in postnatal life. Using immunohistochemistry, diffuse intracytoplasmic aromatase expression was detected in the liver cancer cells from this severely feminized boy. Northern analysis indicated the presence of P450arom transcripts in total RNA from the hepatocellular cancer but not in the adjacent liver nor in disease-free adult liver samples. Promoter use for aromatase expression was determined by a specific RT-PCR method. Promoters I.3 and II were used for P450arom gene expression in the hepatocellular cancer tissue. Because aromatase is not expressed in the disease-free adult liver, the presence of extremely high levels of aromatase expression in this fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma tissue is intriguing, particularly because there is preferential use of the proximally located P450arom promoters I.3 and II by the tumor, instead of the much more distally located fetal liver-type promoter I.4.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
May
pubmed:issn
0021-972X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
83
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1797-800
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Molecular basis of severe gynecomastia associated with aromatase expression in a fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma.
pubmed:affiliation
Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9051, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Case Reports