Figure 7. DHEA metabolites stimulate the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

The effect of E₂ (10 nM), and 5 µM of either DHEA, DHEA-S, 7-oxo-DHEA, ADIOL or ADIONE alone or in combination with 100 nM ICI 182,780 (fulvestrant, a pure ER antagonist, pretreatment for 6 h), 100 nM Exemestane (AI), or 5 µM miconzaole (A) or in the presence of 10 µM bicalutamide (Casodex, pretreatment for 4 h) on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells was measured by BrdU assay after 48 h treatment as described in Experimental. A) The absorbance values were converted to percent of E₂ values for relative proliferation values. B) Values were normalized to DMSO vehicle control. The data are the mean ± S.E.M. of 3–4 independent experiments in which each treatment was performed in quadruplicate. *, Statistically different from that particular indicated ligand treatment alone; p < 0.05 (one-way ANOVA followed by Student, Newman, Keuls post-hoc testing).