Received for publication July 19, 2007.
Revised October 31, 2007.
Accepted for publication November 1, 2007.

Transfection of human prostate cancer CA-HPV-10 cells with cytosolic sulfotransferase SULT1E1 affects estrogen signaling and gene transcription

Abstract

Human cytosolic sulfotransferase SULT1E1 catalyzes the sulfation of estrogens and estrogenic drugs in human reproductive tissues. Logically, this estrogen-preferring sulfotransferase isoform could play a regulatory role in estrogen signaling activities in human reproductive cells including the prostate cells. This hypothesis was tested using DNA microarray and real-time RT-PCR methods in the present work. Potential changes in the transcriptional expression of selected signal transduction-related genes in human prostate cancer CA-HPV-10 cell line following SULT1E1 transfection were examined by DNA microarray methods. Notable changes were observed in the mRNA expression levels of TFRC, a cell membrane transferrin receptor gene, and TMEPAI, a gene encoding a steroid-dependent mRNA product. Expression of TFRC was down-regulated while expression of TMEPAI was up-regulated by SULT1E1 transfection in CA-HPV-10 cells. Data from the current studies also showed that the estrogen induced estrogen response element activation in CA-HPV-10 cells was repressed after the cells were transfected with SULT1E1. These results indicate that SULT1E1 may function as a transcriptional mediator in human prostate cancer CA-HPV-10 cells.

Key words: gene regulation, steroids, sulfate conjugation, sulfotransferases, transcriptional regulation