The most abundant catechol estrogen in serum and urine is 2-hydroxyestrone, with 2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-hydroxyestriol also being formed, while the principal 4-hydroxy catechol estrogen, 4-hydroxyestrone, is present in only small amounts in urine.[1] 4-Hydroxyestriol has been detected in the urine of pregnant women.[3] The catechol estrogens are formed from estradiol and estrone by cytochrome P450enzymes predominantly in the liver but also in extrahepatic tissues, and are metabolized by catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) into methoxylated estrogens such as 2-methoxyestradiol and 4-methoxyestrone as well as by conjugation via other phase II enzymes.[1][2] Under poor conditions of inactivation by phase II enzymes, catechol estrogens can undergo oxidation to reactivequinones and semiquinones, and this has been hypothesized to contribute to estrogen-induced carcinogenesis.[2]
Similarly to estradiol and estrone, catechol estrogens possess estrogenic activity.[1] 2-Hydroxylated catechol estrogens are weak and possibly antiestrogenic estrogens, whereas their 4-hydroxylated counterparts are more potent in their estrogenic activity.[1] For instance, 2-hydroxyestrone reportedly shows negligible uterotrophic effect in animals, whereas 4-hydroxy catechol estrogens show moderate changes in stimulating uterine weight.[1] In addition to being substrates for COMT similarly to catecholamines like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, catechol estrogens are potent competitiveinhibitors of COMT as well as of tyrosine hydroxylase, and may affect both catecholamine biosynthesis and metabolism.[1][2]
Footnotes:a = (1) Binding affinity values are of the format "median (range)" (# (#–#)), "range" (#–#), or "value" (#) depending on the values available. The full sets of values within the ranges can be found in the Wiki code. (2) Binding affinities were determined via displacement studies in a variety of in-vitro systems with labeled estradiol and human ERα and ERβ proteins (except the ERβ values from Kuiper et al. (1997), which are rat ERβ). Sources: See template page.
Close
More information Estrogen, ERTooltip Estrogen receptor RBATooltip relative binding affinity (%) ...
Notes: Values are mean ± SD or range. ER RBA = Relative binding affinity to estrogen receptors of rat uterinecytosol. Uterine weight = Percentage change in uterine wet weight of ovariectomized rats after 72hours with continuous administration of 1μg/hour via subcutaneously implantedosmotic pumps. LH levels = Luteinizing hormone levels relative to baseline of ovariectomized rats after 24 to 72hours of continuous administration via subcutaneous implant. Footnotes:a = Synthetic (i.e., not endogenous). b = Atypical uterotrophic effect which plateaus within 48hours (estradiol's uterotrophy continues linearly up to 72hours). Sources: See template.