Endocrine Abstracts

Based on the hypothesis that ‘incessant ovulation’ and ‘ovulation-related inflammation’ are associated with the development of epithelial ovarian cancer, we have investigated in vitro the role of androgen and progesterone pre-receptor metabolism and steroid receptor signalling in human ovarian surface epithelium (hOSE) wound healing. Ovulation-associated injury was mimicked with exposure of primary hOSE cells to interleukin-1α, whereas post-ovul...

At least 90% of human ovarian cancers may originate in the OSE. Most studies indicate that EOC is oestrogen responsive. Paradoxically, ovarian cancer generally occurs after the menopause, so the question arises if oestrogen is involved, where does it come from? We hypothesise that the high circulating concentrations of conjugated (inactive) oestrogens in post-menopausal women are substrates for formation of active oestrogen in the OSE through the hydrolytic enzyme activity of ...