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A series of 2-phenylaliphatic-substituted androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-diones (6) as well as their androstenedione derivatives (5) were synthesized as aromatase inhibitors to gain insights of structure–activity relationships of varying the alkyl moiety (C1 to C4) of the 2-phenylaliphatic substituents as well as introducing a methyl- or trifluoromethyl function to p-position of a phenethyl moiety to the inhibitory activity. The inhibitors examined showed a competitive type inhibition. The 2-phenpropylandrosta-1,4-diene 6c was the most powerful inhibitor (Ki: 16.1 nM) among them. Compounds 6c along with the phenethyl derivative 6b caused a time-dependent inactivation of aromatase (kinact: 0.0293 and 0.0454 min−1 for 6b and 6c, respectively). The inactivation was prevented by the substrate androstenedione, and no significant effect of l -cysteine on the inactivation was observed in each case. Molecular docking of the phenpropyl compound 6c to aromatase was conducted to demonstrate that the phenpropyl group orients to a hydrophobic binding pocket in the active site to result in the formation of thermodynamically stable enzyme–inhibitor complex.

We developed highly sensitive detection of testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry using high proton affinitive derivatization of 17β-hydroxyl group of T and DHT with picolinic acid, mobile phase consisting of MeCN–MeOH–H2O–formic acid and conventional octadecylsilica (ODS) column. Purification of the derivatives was carried out using solid-phase extraction with ODS cartridge. By this method, T and DHT were determined simultaneously with limits of quantification (LOQs) of 1 pg/0.2 ml in serum, and T and DHT with LOQs of 0.5 pg and 1 pg/3 mg in prostate tissue, respectively, under acceptable assay performance (intra-assay and inter-assay accuracy and precision). The present method provides reliable and reproducible results for quantification of T and DHT in small volumes of serum and prostate samples for diagnosis in prostatic disorders and male climacteric.

Inhibition of aromatase is an efficient approach for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. New 6beta,19-bridged steroid analogs of androstenedione, 6beta,19-epithio- and 6beta,19-methano compounds 11 and 17, were synthesized starting from 19-hydroxyandrostenedione (6) and 19-formylandrost-5-ene-3beta,17beta-yl diacetate (12), respectively, as aromatase inhibitors. All of the compounds including known steroids 6beta,19-epoxyandrostenedione (4) and 6beta,19-cycloandrostenedione (5) tested were weak to poor competitive inhibitors of aromatase and, among them, 6beta,19-epoxy steroid 4 provided only moderate inhibition (K(i): 2.2 microM). These results show that the 6beta,19-bridged groups of the inhibitors interfere with binding in active site of aromatase.

We describe a new sensitive and specific method for the quantification of serum malonate (malonic acid, MA), which could be a new biomarker for de novo lipogenesis (fatty acid synthesis). This method is based upon a stable isotope-dilution technique using LC-MS/MS. MA from 50 microl of serum was derivatized into di-(1-methyl-3-piperidinyl)malonate (DMP-MA) and quantified by LC-MS/MS using the positive electrospray ionization mode. The detection limit of the DMP-MA was approximately 4.8 fmol (500 fg) (signal-to-noise ratio = 10), which was more than 100 times more sensitive compared with that of MA by LC-MS/MS using the negative electrospray ionization mode. The relative standard deviations between sample preparations and measurements made using the present method were 4.4% and 3.2%, respectively, by one-way ANOVA. Recovery experiments were performed using 50 microl aliquots of normal human serum spiked with 9.6 pmol (1 ng) to 28.8 pmol (3 ng) of MA and were validated by orthogonal regression analysis. The results showed that the estimated amount within a 95% confidence limit was 14.1 +/- 1.1 pmol, which was in complete agreement with the observed X(0) = 15.0 +/- 0.6 pmol, with a mean recovery of 96.0%. This method provides reliable and reproducible results for the quantification of MA in human serum.

To gain the structure-activity relationship of Delta(1)-androstenediones (Delta(1)-ADs) as mechanism-based inactivator of aromatase, series of 2-alkyl- and 2-alkoxy-substituted Delta(1)-ADs (6 and 9) as well as 2-bromo-Delta(1)-AD (14) were synthesized and tested. All of the inhibitors examined blocked aromatase in human placental microsomes in a competitive manner. In a series of 2-alkyl-Delta(1)-ADs (6), n-hexyl compound 6f was the most powerful inhibitor with an apparent K(i) value of 31 nM. The inhibitory activities of 2-alkoxy steroids 9 decreased in relation to length of the alkyl chain up to n-hexyloxy group (K(i): 95 nM for methoxy 9a). All of the alkyl steroids 6 along with the alkoxy steroid 9, except for the ethyl and n-propyl compounds 6b and 6c, caused a time-dependent inactivation of aromatase. The inactivation rates (k(inact): 0.020-0.084 min(-1)) were comparable to that of the parent compound Delta(1)-AD. The inactivation was prevented by the substrate AD, and no significant effect of l-cysteine on the inactivation was observed in each case. The results indicate that the 2-hexyl compound 6f act as the most powerful mechanism-based inactivator of aromatase among Delta(1)-AD analogs and may be submitted to the preclinical study in estrogen-dependent breast cancer.

Inhibition of aromatase activity in human placental microsomes with androstenedione (AD) (1a) and its 19-oxygenated derivatives 1b and 1c, their 16alpha-hydroxy compounds 2 and 3, and 3-deoxyandrost-4-ene compounds 5 and 6 was studied using [1beta-(3)H]AD as a substrate and compared to that with [1beta-(3)H]16alpha-hydroxyandrostenedione (16-OHAD). AD series of steroids, compounds 1, inhibited competitively [1beta-(3)H]AD aromatization whereas other 16alpha-hydroxy steroids 2, 3, 5, and 6 inhibited AD aromatization in a non-competitive manner. On the other hand, all of 16-OHAD series, compounds 2, blocked the [1beta-(3)H]16-OHAD aromatization in a competitive manner whereas the AD series steroids 1 as well as the 3-deoxy-16alpha-hydroxy-17-one steroids 5 and 3-deoxy-16alpha,17beta-diol steroids 6 inhibited 16-OHAD aromatization non-competitively. 3-carbonyl and 16alpha-hydroxy functions of 16-OHAD play a critical role of selection of the 16-OHAD binding site. The results suggest that the AD derivatives 1 are kinetically aromatized at a different site from the 16-OHAD derivatives 2. Physical and/or chemical environments around the aromatase protein in the microsomal membrane may play a significant role in the expression of the substrate specificity, and the present results do not exclude the idea that the placental microsomes have a single binding site.

We have developed a highly sensitive and specific method for the analysis of serum sterol profiles. Sterols in 1 mul of dried serum were derivatized into picolinyl esters (3beta-picolinate) and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using the electrospray ionization (ESI) mode. In addition to cholesterol, 19 cholesterol precursors, cholestanol, campesterol, sitosterol, and sitostanol were identified simultaneously. Quantitative analyses for the picolinyl esters of 11 available sterols were performed, and detection limits were found to be less than 1 pg on-column. Reproducibilities and recoveries of 8 noncholesterol sterols were validated according to one-way layout and polynomial equation, respectively. The variances between sample preparations and between measurements by this method were calculated to be 1.6% to 8.2% and 2.5% to 16.5%, respectively. The recovery experiments were performed using 1 mul aliquots of normal human serum spiked with 1 ng to 6 ng of sterols, and recoveries of the sterols ranged from 88.1% to 102.5% with a mean recovery of 98.1%. The present method provides reliable and reproducible results for the identification and quantification of neutral sterols, especially in small volumes of blood samples, which is useful for serological diagnosis of inherited disorders in cholesterol metabolism and for noninvasive evaluation of cholesterol biosynthesis and absorption in humans.

Simultaneous quantification method of three major metabolites of cortisone and cortisol, tetrahydrocortisol, allotetrahydrocortisol and tetrahydrocortisone by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was investigated in a positive mode using a recently developed picolinyl derivatization. Conversion of each steroid into the corresponding picolinyl derivatives (1b, 2b or 3b) was performed by mixed anhydride method using picolinic acids and 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride. Derivatization proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding 3, 21-dipicolinyl derivatives. Positive ion-ESI mass spectra of the picolinyl derivatives were dominated by an appearance of [M+H](+) as base peaks in all cases. The picolinyl derivatives provided 15 to 80-fold higher ESI response in the LC-ESI-MS/MS (selected reaction monitoring: SRM) when compared to those of underivatized molecules in a positive LC-ESI mode. The use of the picolinyl ester, solid-phase extraction, and deuterium labeled internal standards enabled the concentrations of these metabolites in human urine to be determined simultaneously by LC-ESI-MS/MS (SRM) with a small sample volume of less than 1microl urine.

To gain insight into the mechanistic features for aromatase inactivation by the typical suicide substrates, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD, 1) and its 6-ene derivative 2, we synthesized 19-substituted (methyl and halogeno) ADD and 1,4,6-triene derivatives 8 and 10 along with 4,6-diene derivatives 9 and tested for their ability to inhibit aromatase in human placental microsomes as well as their ability to serve as a substrate for the enzyme. 19-Methyl-substituted steroids were the most powerful competitive inhibitors of aromatase (K(i): 8.2-40 nM) in each series. Among the 19-substituted inhibitors examined, 19-chloro-ADD and its 6-ene derivatives (7b and 9b) inactivated aromatase in a time-dependent manner in the presence of NADPH in air while the other ones did not. The time-dependent inactivation was blocked by the substrate AD and required NADPH. Only the time-dependent inactivators 7b and 9b in series of 1,4-diene and 1,4,6-triene steroids as well as all of 4,6-diene steroids 9, except for the methyl compound 9a, served as a substrate for aromatase to yield estradiol and/or its 6-ene estradiol with lower conversion rates compared to the corresponding parent steroids 1,4-diene, 1,4,6-triene and 4,6-diene derivatives. The present findings strongly suggest that the aromatase reaction, 19-oxygenation, at least in part, would be involved in the time-dependent inactivation of aromatase by the suicide substrates 1 and 2, where the 19-substitutent would play a critical role in the aromatase reaction probably though steric and electronic reasons.

A highly sensitive and specific quantification method of estrone and estradiol in human serum was described based upon the use of picolinoyl derivatization and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) in a positive mode. Estrogens were treated with picolinoyl chloride hydrochloride or picolinic acid and 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride followed by a solid-phase extraction with ODS cartridge. Picolinoyl derivatization proceeded quantitatively even in a microscale, and the picolinoyl esters provided simple positive ESI-mass spectra showing [M+H](+) as base peaks for these estrogens. The picolinoyl derivatives of these estrogens showed 100-fold higher detection response compared to underivatized intact molecules by LC-ESI-MS (selected reaction monitoring). Using this derivatization, estrogens spiked in the charcoal treated human serum samples were analyzed with limit of quantification (LOQ), intra-day accuracy and precision of 1.0pg/ml, 96.0% and 9.9% for estrone, and 0.5pg/ml, 84.4% and 12.8% for estradiol, respectively. Estrone and estradiol added to the crude serum samples were recovered with comparable LOQ and accuracy obtained for the charcoal treated serum samples as well.

Our rationale is based on the finding that estrone 3-sulfamate (EMATE, 2d), a typical estrone sulfatase (ES) inhibitor, can be hydrolyzed and the pharmacological effect of the free estrogen contributes to the bioactivity of the sulfamate. A number of 3-sulfamoylated derivatives of the good aromatase inhibitors, 2- and 4-halogeno (F, Cl, and Br) estrones and their estradiol analogs as well as 6beta-methyl and phenyl estrones, were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of ES in human placental microsomes in comparison with the lead compound EMATE. Among them, 2-chloro- and 2-bromoestrone 3-sulfamates (2b and 2c), along with their estradiol analogs 3b and 3c, were powerful competitive inhibitors with K(i)'s ranging between 4.0 and 11.3 nM (K(i) for EMATE, 73 nM). These four sulfamates as well as the 2-fluoro analogs 2a and 3a inactivated ES in a time-dependent manner more efficiently than EMATE, and 2-halogeno estrone sulfamates 2 also caused a concentration-dependent loss of ES activity. The results may be useful for developing a new class of drugs having a dual function, ES inhibition and aromatase inhibition, for the treatment of breast cancer.

Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione (1a, AD) to estrone through three sequential oxygenations of the 19-methyl group. To gain insight into the spatial nature of the AD binding (active) site of aromatase in relation to the catalytic function of the enzyme, we tested for the ability of 2alpha-substituted (halogeno, alkyl, hydroxy, and alkoxy) ADs (1b-1i) to inhibit aromatase in human placental microsomes as well as their ability to serve as a substrate for the enzyme. All of the steroids inhibited the enzyme in a competitive manner with the apparent K(i)'s ranging from 45 to 1150 nM. 2alpha-Halogeno (F, Cl, and Br) and 2alpha-alkyl (CH3 and CH2CH3) steroids 1b-1f were powerful to good inhibitors (Ki=45-171 nM) whereas steroids 1g-1i, having an oxygen function (hydroxy or alkoxy) at C-2alpha, were poor inhibitors (Ki=670-1150 nM). Aromatization of some of the steroids with placental microsomes was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, indicating that the aromatization rate of the bromide 1d was about two-fold that of the natural substrate AD and that of 2alpha-methoxide 1h was similar to that of AD. Kinetic analysis of the aromatization of androgens revealed that a good substrate was not essentially a good inhibitor for aromatase.

Aromatase is a cytochrome P-450 enzyme complex that catalyzes the conversion of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) to estrone through three sequential oxidations of the 19-methyl group. 3-DeoxyAD ( 1 ) and its 5-ene isomer 4 are potent and good competitive aromatase inhibitors, which are converted by aromatase to the aldehyde derivatives 3 and 6 , respectively, through 19-hydroxy intermediates 2 and 5 , respectively. To study the deuterium isotope effect on the conversions of 19-ols 2 and 5 into the corresponding 19-als 3 and 6 , we initially synthesized [19,19- 2 H 2 ]19-ols 2 and 5 starting from the corresponding non-labeled 19-als 3 and 6 through NaB 2 H 4 reduction of the 19-aldehyde group, followed by oxidation with pyridinium dichromate, and a subsequent NaB 2 H 4 reduction. Approximately 1:1 mixtures of non-labeled ( d 0 ) and deuterated ( d 2 ) 19-ols 2 and 5 were separately incubated with human placental microsomes in the presence of NADPH under an air atmosphere, and deuterium contents of the recovered substrates and the 19-aldehyde products were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. In each experiment, the ratio of d 0 to d 2 of the recovered substrate along with that of d 0 to d 1 of the product were identical to the d 0 to d 2 ratio of the employed substrate irrespective of the incubation time, indicating that the 19-oxygenations of the 3-deoxy steroids 2 and 5 proceeded without a detectable isotope effect, as seen in the aromatization sequence of the natural substrate AD.

Aromatase, which is responsible for the conversion of androgens to estrogens, is a potential therapeutic target for the selective lowering of estrogen levels in patients with estrogen-dependent breast cancer. To develop a novel class of aromatase inhibitors, we tested series of 2- and 4-substituted (halogeno, methyl, formyl, methoxy, nitro, and amino) estrones (7 and 9), as well as series of 6alpha- and 6beta-substituted (alkyl, phenalkyl, and alkoxy) estrones (13 and 14), and their estradiol analogs (8, 10, 11, and 12) as aromatase inhibitors. All of the inhibitors examined blocked the androstenedione aromatization in a competitive manner. Introduction of halogeno and methyl functions at C-2 of estrone as well as that of a phenalkyl or methyl function at the C-6alpha or C-6beta position markedly increased affinity to aromatase (apparent K(i) value=0.10-0.66 microM for the inhibitors versus 2.5 microM for estrone). 6alpha-Phenylestrone (13c) was the most powerful inhibitor among the estrogens studied, and its affinity was comparable to that of the androgen substrate androstenedione. Estradiol analogs were much weaker inhibitors than the corresponding estrone compounds in each series, indicating that the 17-carbonyl group plays a critical role in the formation of a thermodynamically stable enzyme-inhibitor complex.

As part of our investigation into the structure–activity relationship of a novel class of aromatase inhibitors, two series of 3-deoxy androgens, androst-5-en-17-ones with a non-polar alkoxy ( 5 and 6 ), alkyl ( 20 − 22 ), or phenylalkyl ( 23 and 24 ) group at C-4β and 4-acyloxyandrost-4-en-17-ones ( 29 – 32 , and 34 ) were synthesized and evaluated. The 4β-alkyl and 4β-phenylalkyl compounds were obtained through reaction of 4α,5α-epoxy steroid ( 8 ) with RMgBr (R: alkyl and phenylalkyl) followed by dehydration of the 4β-substituted 5α-hydroxy products ( 15 − 19 ) with SOCl 2 as key reactions. Acylation of 4α,5α-diol ( 25 ) with (RCO) 2 O in pyridine and subsequent dehydration with SOCl 2 gave the 4-acyloxy steroids. All of the steroids studied, except for 4-acetoxy-19-ol ( 34 ) that was a non-competitive inhibitor of human placental aromatase, blocked aromatase activity in a competitive manner. 4-Benzoyloxy- and 4-acetoxy steroids ( 31 ) and ( 32 ) were the most powerful inhibitors of aromatase ( K i =70 and 60 nM, respectively). Elongation of an acetoxy group in a series of 4-acyloxy steroids or a methyl group in a series of 4β-alkyl steroids decreased affinity for aromatase principally in relation to carbon number of the acyl or alkyl function. The present findings are potentially useful for understanding the spatial and electronic nature of the binding site of aromatase as well as for developing effective aromatase inhibitors.

To gain insight into the catalytic function of aromatase, we studied aromatization of a series of 6α- and 6β-ether-substituted (methoxy, ethoxy, and n -butoxy) androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) steroids ( 1 and 2 ) and their androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) derivatives ( 3 and 4 ) with human placental aromatase by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Among the steroids examined, 6β-methoxy and 6β-ethoxyADDs ( 4a and 4b ) are suicide substrates of aromatase. All of the steroids were found to be converted into the corresponding 6-alkoxy estrogens. Introduction of the alkoxy groups at C-6 of AD or ADD decreased the ability of these to serve as a substrate of aromatase. In 6α-alkoxy steroid series, compounds 1 and 3 , the aromatization rate increased by elongating the 6-methoxy group up to the n -butoxy group whereas, in the 6β-isomers series, 2 and 4 , the rate decreased due to this structural modification. 6β-Alkoxy steroids, 2 and 4 , including the suicide substrates, were extremely poor substrates for the aromatization reaction. Apparent K m values obtained for 6α-alkoxy compounds 1 and 3 were similar to each other, ranging from 92 to 111 nM, as shown by their previously-obtained K i values. The findings indicate that the stereochemistry as well as the bulkiness of the 6-ether-substituent play an important role in the ability to serve as a substrate. It is also predicted that the aromatization reaction and the mechanism-based inactivation reaction would be related and have a definite partition number which is characteristic to the compound in a series of suicide substrates.

Treatment of enol acetates of 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-en-17-one and its 5α-reduced analog, 5α-androstan-17-one, and estrone acetate, 1–4 , with Pb(OCOCH 3 ) 4 in acetic acid and acetic anhydride gave the previously unreported products, 16β-(acetoxy)acetoxy-17-ketones 8–10 and 12 , in 9–15% yields along with the known major products, 16β-acetoxy-17-ketones 5–7 and 11 . Similar treatment of the 16β-acetoxy-17-ketones with the lead reagent did not yield the corresponding (acetoxy)acetates. Reaction of the enol acetate 3 with Pb(OCOCD 3 ) 4 in CD 3 COOD yielded principally the labeled (acetoxy)acetate 10 - d 3 , which had a CD 3 COOCH 2 COO moiety at C-16β. In contrast, when the deuterated enol acetate 3 - d 3 , which was obtained by treatment of the 17-ketone 14 with (CD 3 CO) 2 O in the presence of LDA and which had a CD 3 COO moiety at C-17, was reacted with Pb(OCOCH 3 ) 4 , the resulting product was the labeled compound 10 - d 2 . This product had a CH 3 COOCD 2 COO function at C-16β. Based on these results, along with further isotope-labeling experiments, it seems likely that the (acetoxy)acetate is produced through a lead (IV) acetate-catalyzed migration of the 17-acetyl function of the enol acetate to the C-16β-position followed by attack of an acetoxy anion of the lead reagent.

Two series of 6-alkylandrosta-4,6-diene-3,17-diones (5) and their 1,4,6-triene analogs 6 were synthesized as aromatase inhibitors to gain insight into the structure-activity relationship between varying the 6-n-alkyl substituents (C1–C7) and inhibitory activity. All of the steroids synthesized were extremely powerful competitive inhibitors of aromatase in human placental microsomes, with apparent Ki values for the 6-alkyl-4,6-diene steroids 5 ranging from 17 to 36 nM and with those for the 1,4,6-triene steroids 6 ranging from 2.5 to 58 nM. The 6-ethyl-1,4,6-triene compound 6b (Ki = 2.5 nM) was the most potent inhibitor among them. The 6-alkyl-1,4,6-triene steroids 6, except for the 6-methyl analog 6a, had higher affinity for aromatase than the natural substrate androstenedione (Km = 24 nM), and their inhibitory activities were more potent than the corresponding 4,6-diene steroids 5. In a series of the 4,6-diene steroids 5, compounds 5c–f with the n-alkyl chain substituents (C3 to C6) also had slightly higher affinity than androstenedione for aromatase. All of the 1,4,6-triene steroids 6 inactivated aromatase in a time-dependent manner, with kinact values ranging from 0.021 to 0.074 min−1; in contrast, the 4,6-diene analogs 5 did not. The inactivation was prevented by androstenedione, and no significant effect of l -cysteine on the inactivation was observed in each case. These results indicate that the length of the n-alkyl substituent at C-6 of androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione (6h), rather than its 4,6-diene analog 5h, plays a critical role in tight binding to the active site of aromatase. No significant correlation was observed between affinity for the enzyme and the inactivation ability of the 6-alkyl-1,4,6-trienes.

Aromatase is a cytochrome P450 enzyme complex that catalyzes the conversion of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione to estrone through three sequential oxygenations of the 19-methyl group. Androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione (1) is a suicide substrate of aromatase. The inactivation mechanism for steroid 1 has been studied to show that the inactivation reaction proceeds through the 19-oxo intermediate 3. To further clarify the mechanism, 4β,5β-epoxyandrosta-3,6,17,19-tetraone (6) was synthesized as a candidate for a reactive electrophile involved in irreversible binding to the active site of aromatase, upon treatment of compound 3 with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of NaHCO3. The epoxide 6 inhibited human placental aromatase in a competitive manner (Ki = 30 μM); moreover, it inactivated the enzyme in an active-site-directed manner in the absence of NADPH (KI = 88 μM, fkinact = 0.071 min−1). NADPH and BSA both stimulated the inactivation rate without a significant change of the K, in either case (kinact: 0.133 or 0.091 min−1), in the presence of NADPH or BSA, respectively). The substrate androst-4-ene-3,17-dione protected the inactivation, but a nucleophile, l -cysteine, did not. When both the epoxide 6 and its 19-methyl analog 4 were subjected separately to reaction with N-acetyl- l -cysteine in the presence of NaHCO3, the 19-oxo steroid 6 disappeared from the reaction mixture more rapidly ( T 1 2 = 40 sec ) than the 19-methyl analog 4 ( T 1 2 = 3.0 min ). The results clearly indicate that the 4β,5β-epoxy-19-oxo compound 6, which is possibly produced from 19-oxo-4-ene steroid 3 through the 19-hydroxy-19-hydroperoxide intermediate, is a reactive electrophile that irreversibly binds to the active site of aromatase. BIOCHEM PHARMACOL 52;8:1253–1259, 1996.

To gain further insight on the relationship between 6-alkylandrost-4-ene-3,17-diones and their aromatase inhibition activity, a series of alkyl steroids with long alkyl chains (n-pentyl, n-hexyl, or n-octyl) at C-6 alpha and 6 beta were synthesized. All of the steroids studied inhibited human placental aromatase in a competitive manner with apparent Ki values ranging from 2.8 to 80 nM. The 6 beta-pentyl analog 4a (Ki = 2.8 nM) was the most potent inhibitor. The inhibitory activities of the 6 beta-alkyl steroids 4 were more powerful than those of the corresponding 6 alpha-isomers 5. The addition of one methylene unit to the 6 alpha- and 6 beta-n-butyl moieties of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione markedly increased the affinity to aromatase, whereas further elongation of the n-pentyl group decreased affinity in relation to the carbon number of the alkyl chain. These results, along with molecular modeling with the PM3 method, suggest that the increased affinities of the pentyl steroids 4a and 5a may essentially depend on the formation of thermodynamically stable enzyme-inhibitor complex in the hydrophobic binding pocket.

2,2-Dimethylandrost-4-ene-3,6,17-trione ( 5 ) and its 4-methoxy- ( 7 ) and 4-hydroxy- ( 8 ) derivatives were synthesized. 7α-Acetoxy-4-ene-3,6-dione steroid 2 was also prepared by the improved method involving the lead tetraacetate oxidation of androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione ( 1 ). These steroids along with the 2-acetoxy- ( 11 and 12 ), 2-substituted 1-ene- ( 9 and 10 ), and 4-substituted ( 13–15 ) derivatives of compound 1 were evaluated as inhibitors of human placental aromatase. All the steroids, except the 2-acetoxy-1-ene 10 and the 2β-acetate 11 of which K i values were not determined because of their poor inhibitory activities, blocked aromatase in a competitive manner. Compounds 5 and 8 as well as the 4-hydroxy steroid 15 were potent inhibitors (K i : 25–42 nM) whereas the inhibitory activities of steroids 2, 7, 9, 13 , and 14 were good to fair, respectively (K i : 160–810 nM). Inhibitors 2 and 15 inactivated the enzyme in a time-dependent manner in the presence of NADPH but the 2,3-dimethyl derivatives 5 and 8 did not. Androstenedione blocked the inactivation by l -cysteine did not. The results suggest that the 2β-methyl group would prevent the aromatase-catalyzed oxygenation at C-19 of the dimethyl steroids 5 and 8 most likely through the steric reasons.

Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione to estrogen through sequential oxygenations at the 19-methyl group. Androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione (AT) is a suicide substrate of aromatase, and the mechanism of inactivation of aromatase has been postulated to involve enzymatic oxygenation at the 19-position. [1 beta-3H,4-14C]-, [19-3H3,4-14C]-, and [1 beta-3H,19-14C]ATs, with high specific activities, were synthesized to study metabolic aspects and the inactivation mechanism. Incubation of the labeled AT with human placental microsomes yielded the 19-oxygenated derivatives, 19-hydroxy-AT and 19-oxo-AT, as well as the aromatization products, 6-oxoestrone and 6-oxoestradiol. A stereospecific 1 beta-proton elimination occurred during the aromatization of [1 beta-3H,4-14C]AT, and a marked tritium isotope effect was observed in the first hydroxylation at C-19 of [19-3H3,4-14C]AT. After incubation of the three double-labeled ATs, the solubilized proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE and the 3H/14C ratio of the aromatase-bound metabolite in a 46-69 kDa fraction was analyzed. A marked decrease of the 3H/14C ratio of the metabolite was observed in the experiment using [19-3H3,4-14C]AT, compared with that of the labeled AT used, but there were no significant changes in the other experiments, indicating that the adduct retains the 1 beta-proton, the 19-carbon, and one of the three 19-methyl protons of AT. Thus, we conclude that further oxygenation of 19-oxo-AT produced by the two initial hydroxylations of AT at C-19 yields not only 6-oxoestrogen (by a mechanism similar to that involved in the aromatization of the natural substrate) but also a reactive electrophile that immediately binds to the active site in an irreversible manner, resulting in inactivation of aromatase.

The properties of enzyme systems involved in the formation of the glutathione 1- and 4-thioethers of catechol estrogen from estradiol, 2-hydroxy-3-deoxyestradiol, or 2-hydroxyestradiol in rat liver microsomes have been investigated. Molecular oxygen was essential and NADPH was preferable as a cofactor to obtain the maximum activity with the three substrates. The presence of carbon monoxide suppressed the formation of the thioethers where the CO O 2 ratios needed for 50 per cent inhibition of the bioconversion were 2.1 to 3.6. This inhibitory effect was reversed almost completely by illumination with white light. SKF-525A inhibited considerably the formation of the glutathione conjugates. Pretreatment with phenobarbital stimulated the formation of the thioethers from the three substrates by 100–220 per cent, whereas administration of 3-methylcholanthrene did not exert any significant influence. The storage of frozen microsomes resulted in a marked decrease in the enzyme activity: the initial activity was depressed to 50 per cent at 24 hr for catechol estrogen and at 4–5 days for phenol estrogens. The NADH-dependent enzyme activities were also inhibited by both SKF-525A and CO; the CO inhibition was reversed by light irradiation. It is evident from these data that cytochrome P-450 participated in both NADPH- and NADH-dependent formation of 2-hydroxyestradiol glutathione thioethers and two different enzyme systems are involved in this biotransformation between phenol estrogens and catechol estrogen.

3 beta,16 alpha,19-Trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one and 16 alpha,17-dihydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione were synthesized from the 5 alpha-bromo-6 beta,19-epoxy-17-ketone derivative 1, using the bromination at C-16 alpha of the 17-ketone 1 and the controlled alkaline hydrolysis of the 16 alpha-bromo-17-ketones 2 and 11 as key reactions. Zinc dust reductive cleavage of the 6 beta,19-epoxy-16 alpha-hydroxy-17-ketones 4 and 12, produced by controlled hydrolysis, gave the corresponding 19-alcohol derivatives 6 and 14, which were rearranged to the 17 beta-hydroxy-16-ketones 7 and 15 when treated with sodium hydroxide. The 3 beta,16 alpha,17 beta,19-tetrol 8 was obtained from the 16 alpha-ketol 6 by reaction with sodium borohydride.

An efficient synthesis of 2-aminoestrone ( 14 ), 2-aminoestradiol ( 15 ), 2-amino-16α-hydroxyestrone ( 16 ) and 2-aminoestriol ( 17 ) is described. 2,4-Dibromo estrogens 1 – 4 were regiospecifically converted to the corresponding 2-nitro-4-bromo derivatives 5 – 8 in quantitative yields, with Zincke nitration using sodium nitrite. Catalytic hydrogenation of the 2-nitro-4-bromides 5 – 8 over palladium-on-charcoal gave directly the desired 2-amino estrogens 14 – 17 in high yields. The 2-amino compounds 15 and 17 were also obtained by the reduction of the corresponding 2-nitro-4-bromides 6 and 8 with sodium borohydride in the presence of palladium chloride.

The 3-formate (II), 3-acetate (III), 3-bromoacetate (IV), 3-propionate (V), 3-methyl ether (VI), and 3-deoxy-derivative (VII) of 3 β -hydroxyandrost-4-ene-6,17-dione (I) were synthesized and tested in human placental microsomes for their ability to inhibit aromatase. II, III, and VII of this series were potent inhibitors of aromatase with the IC 50 's (1.7 and 3.3 μ M) of the latter two comparable to that (1.2 μ M) of 4-hydroxyandrostenedione. Kinetic studies showed that the three steroids are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme with Ki's of 16.0, 5.5, and 0.61 μ M for II, III, and VII. Furthermore, II showed a time-dependent, pseudo-first order rate of inactivation of aromatase with Ki of 20.5 μ M and k inact of 1.54 × 10 −2 min −1 , while III gave a time-dependent, biphasic loss of the enzyme activity. NADPH and oxygen were required for the time-dependent inactivation and the substrate, androstenedione, prevented it.

A novel synthesis of sodium 17-oxo-16α-hydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratri-en-3-yl sulfate ( 4 ), sodium 16α,17β-dihydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-yl sulfate ( 5 ) and sodium 16-oxo-17β-hydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-3-yl sulfate ( 6 ) is described. 16α-Bromo-3-hydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-one ( 1 ) was efficiently synthesized in one step with 70–97% yield by bromination of 3-hydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-one with cupric bromide. 3,16α-Dihydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-one ( 3 ) was quantitatively obtained by controlled stereospecific hydrolysis of the bromoketone 1 with sodium hydroxide in aqueous pyridine. The bromoketone 1 was converted to the 16α-hydroxy-17-ketone 3-sulfate 4 by sulfation with chlorosulfonic acid in pyridine and a subsequent controlled hydrolysis in a high yield without formation of the other ketols. Treatment of the sulfate 4 with sodium borohydride gave the triol sulfate 5 . The sulfate 4 was also rearranged to the 17β-hydroxy-16-ketone 6 with sodium hydroxide in water in a quantitative yield.

A direct radioimmunoassay method using highly specific antisera without prior deconjugation has been developed for determination of estradiol 17-glucuronide and estriol 16-glucoronide in human plasma. Antisera were elicited in the rabbit by immunization with antigens in which the steroid haptens are linked to a carrier protein through the C-2 or C-4 position. After treatment with Rivanol the protein of albumin-free antiserum was covalently bound to a p-arylamine glass bead support through the cross-linkage with glutaraldehyde. A simple and reliable assay method employing the antibody-glass preparation was established and applied to measurement of estrogen ring D glucuronide concentration in peripheral plasma throughout normal pregnancy.

3-Deoxy steroids having a 4-ene system were found to be competitive inhibitors of human placental aromatase. 19-Hydroxy-4-androsten-17-one (2) potently inhibits the enzyme with an apparent Ki of 12.5 nM, but does not produce a time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme.

The properties of enzyme systems involved in the formation of catechol estrogen from estradiol and 2-hydroxy-3-deoxyestradiol in rat liver microsomes have been investigated. Molecular oxygen dissolved in the incubation medium was enough for the occurrence of 2- and 3-hydroxylations. The presence of carbon monoxide suppressed the formation of catechol estrogen from the two substrates where the CO/O2 ratios needed for 50% inhibition of the bioconversion were 12.0 and 14.1, respectively. The inhibitory effect was reversed almost completely by illumination with white light. Pretreatment with phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene did not exert any significant change in the activities of 2- and 3-hydroxylases, but increased the content of cytochrome P-450 or P-448 in liver microsomes. The storage of microsomal preparation in the frozen state resulted in a marked decrease in the hydroxylase activities. These results strongly imply that a similar cytochrome P-450 system would be operative in the formation of catechol estrogen from estradiol and 2-hydroxy-3-deoxyestradiol in rat liver microsomes.

A sensitive nonradiometric assay of aromatization of 16 alpha-hydroxylated androgens, 16 alpha-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (16 alpha-OHA), and 16 alpha-hydroxytestosterone (16 alpha-OHT), has been developed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with voltametric detector. The estrogens produced by human placental microsomes, estriol (E3) and 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone (16 alpha-OHE1), were simultaneously detected in quantities as low as 1-2 ng using 3-methoxy-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-2, 16 alpha,17 beta-triol as an internal standard. E3 was the only estrogen detected from the incubate of 16 alpha-OHT with the microsomes and NADPH, while 16 alpha-OHA gave 16 alpha-OHE1 and E3 under the same conditions. Apparent Km and Vmax of the microsomal aromatase for 16 alpha-OHA and 16 alpha-OHT were 2.56 microM and 71.4 pmol/min/mg and 13.33 microM and 15.4 pmol/min/mg, respectively.

Epimerizations of 16 alpha-chloro- (1a), bromo- (1b), and iodo-3 beta-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one (1c) by a brief treatment with 0.2 equiv NaOH in aqueous pyridine reached equilibrium between 16 alpha- and 16 beta-halo ketones. 16 alpha-/16 beta-Halo ketone ratios at equilibrium were 1.5 for Cl, 1.25 for Br, and 1.0 for I. Kinetic analysis showed that compounds 1a-c were stereoselectively converted to the corresponding 16 alpha-hydroxy derivative 3 by an SN2 mechanism, in which the order of the apparent reactivity was Br greater than I greater than Cl. The hydrolysis of a number of 16 alpha-bromo-17-ketones and 2 alpha-bromo-3-ketones was carried out. The yields of the corresponding alcohols were found to depend on remote structural features in the steroids.

2 alpha-Bromoacetoxy (II), 6-bromoacetoxy (VII and X), and 19-bromoacetoxy (XII) derivatives of androstenedione and 17 beta-bromoacetoxy compounds (III, IV, XIII-XVI) were synthesized as potential affinity-labeling reagents for aromatase. 6 alpha-Bromoacetoxy derivative VII was the most potent inhibitor of human placental microsomal aromatase activity among this series. Its inhibitory activity was higher than that of the parent 6 alpha-hydroxy compound V, although other bromoacetates showed weaker inhibition of aromatase than the corresponding alcohols. The bromoacetates (except the 6 beta-bromoacetate X) inhibited aromatase activity in a time-dependent manner in the absence of NADPH, and the enzyme inactivation was blocked by the addition of androstenedione to the incubates. Kinetic analysis of the time- and concentration-dependent inhibition by the 6 beta-bromo-17 beta-bromoacetoxy compound XV gave an apparent Ki of 25 microM and kinact of 0.027 min-1.