Phytoestrogens are natural constituents of our diets that have been suggested to protect against hormone-dependent breast cancer. Some of the diverse effects of these compounds may be attributed to ligand-dependent differences in their interaction with oestrogen receptor sub-classes. However, phytoestrogens can also inhibit enzymes that are involved in the generation and removal of endogenous steroid hormones. Among the most potent effects of dietary phytoestrogens is their ability to inhibit the sulphotransferases that sulphate both oestrogenic steroids and a variety of environmental chemicals, including dietary pro-carcinogens. Circulating steroid sulphates are thought to be the major source of oestradiol in post-menopausal breast tumours and sulphation is a key step in the activation of some dietary procarcinogens. Hence the inhibition of sulpho-transferases by dietary phytoestrogens may have complex effects upon human susceptibility to breast cancer.
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Conference Article|
May 01 2001
Do dietary phytoestrogens influence susceptibility to hormone-dependent cancer by disrupting the metabolism of endogenous oestrogens?
C. J. Kirk;
C. J. Kirk
1
*School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail c.j.kirk@bham.ac.uk)
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R. M. Harris;
R. M. Harris
*School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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D. M. Wood;
D. M. Wood
*School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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R. H. Waring;
R. H. Waring
*School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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P. J. Hughes
P. J. Hughes
†Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
November 01 2000
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2001 Biochemical Society
2001
Biochem Soc Trans (2001) 29 (2): 209–216.
Article history
Received:
November 01 2000
Citation
C. J. Kirk, R. M. Harris, D. M. Wood, R. H. Waring, P. J. Hughes; Do dietary phytoestrogens influence susceptibility to hormone-dependent cancer by disrupting the metabolism of endogenous oestrogens?. Biochem Soc Trans 1 May 2001; 29 (2): 209–216. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0290209
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