A useful cell system for studying the regulation of 17HSD/KSR type 2 activity and expression in ovarian epithelial cancer

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/17-ketosteroid reductase (17HSD/KSR) activity and 17HSD/KSR types 1, 2, 4, and 5 mRNA levels were characterized in ovarian cancer cell lines derived from patients unexposed to radiation or chemotherapy. Activity was at the limit of detection in TOV-112D and TOV-21G cells. Activity in OV-90 was comparable to that in human placental tissue, was predominantly microsomal and was 17HSD/KSR type 2-like in substrate specificity and inhibition patterns. In monolayers, conversion of testosterone (T) to androstenedione (A) was 12-fold greater than that of A to T. Reduction of fetal bovine serum to 0.3% in the culture medium had no effect on 17β-HSD activity. Significant levels of type 1 and type 2 mRNAs were observed in OV-90 while only trace amounts were detected in TOV-21G. In contrast, type 4 mRNA levels were comparable for OV-90 and TOV-21G. Type 5 mRNA was detected in both cell lines but its level in OV-90 was twice that of TOV-21G. In OV-90, the type 2-like activity was predominant even though the type 5 mRNA level was 2.5-fold higher than that of the type 2. OV-90 cells may be a useful system for studying the regulation of 17HSD/KSR type 2 activity and expression in ovarian epithelial cancer.