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Comparative C19-radiosteroid metabolism by MA 160 and HeLa cell lines

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Since the designation of the human MA 160 line as prostatic epithelial cells has been questioned and the possibility of HeLa cross contamination raised, this comparative study of C19-radiosteroid transformation in MA 160 and HeLa monolayer cultures was done to determine whether these cells possess the distinguishing features of reductive and oxidative androgen metabolism expected in male and female genital organs, respectively. We compared the radiometabolite patterns produced by incubating [14C]testosterone (300nM) and [3H]testosterone (3nm) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one) with cultures of prostatic MA 160 and HeLa Parent, TCRC-1, TCRC-2 and ATC 229 cells. C19-Radiosteroid metabolite patterns from MA 160 cell incubations also were compared with patterns generated by MA 196 fibroblasts from abdomnal skin of the same donor. MA 160 cells metabolized radiotestosterone predominantly to 5α-dihydrotestosterone, 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol. The diol epimers were the principal metabolites of 5α-dihydrotestosterone radiosubstrate. In contrast, radiotestosterone metabolism by MA 196 and HeLa Parent, TCRC-1 and TCRC-2 cells was overwhelmingly to the 17-oxosteroids 4-androstene-3,17-dione and androsterone. Another pathway was operative in HeLa 229 and, to a minor extent, in TCRC-1, which converted radiotestosterone to 4-androstene-3α,17β-diol and 5α-androstane-3α,17β-dol, with little formation of 5α-dihydrotestosterone. MA 160 cells thus metabolize radiotestosterone preponderantly to 5α-reduced 17β-hydroxysteroids as expected for prostatic epithelial cells, whereas HeLa cells show heterogeneity in metabolizing the labeled hormone by the alternative 17-oxosteroid and Δ4 pathways.

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Author notes

  1. R. M. Singer

    Present address: School of Dentistry, Department of Anatomy, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 07601, Hackensack, New Jersey

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steroid Biochemistry Laboratory, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02130

    P. Ofner & R. L. Vena

  2. Department of Urology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 02111, Boston, Massachusetts

    P. Ofner & R. L. Vena

  3. Laboratory of Pharmacology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Department of Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 02115, Boston, Massachusetts

    P. Ofner, R. L. Vena, N. J. Barowsky & A. H. Tashjian Jr.

  4. Tufts Cancer Research Center, and Department of Pathology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 02111, Boston, Massachusetts

    R. M. Singer

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  1. P. Ofner
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  2. R. L. Vena
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  3. N. J. Barowsky
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  4. R. M. Singer
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  5. A. H. Tashjian Jr.
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Additional information

This work was supported by Public Health Service Research Grants CA 13417 and CA 12924 from the National Cancer Institute, AM 11011 from the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and Digestive Diseases, and by appropriations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Item No. 4532-9003-01.

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Ofner, P., Vena, R.L., Barowsky, N.J. et al. Comparative C19-radiosteroid metabolism by MA 160 and HeLa cell lines. In Vitro 13, 378–388 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02615098

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