[Estrogen production in epithelial tumors of the ovary--localization of estrogen-synthesizing cells].

The origin of the elevated serum estrogen in postmenopausal patients with common epithelial tumors of the ovary was investigated by means of endocrinological, histochemical, immune histochemical and autoradiographic techniques. Estrone and estradiol and their precursors were quantitatively extracted from the tumor tissue homogenate, and the results indicated that the estrogen-producing pathway was not uniform among the tumors. On the tissue section Sudan-IV staining showed positive in the stromal area in the form of fine granules or droplets. The immune peroxidase method revealed that the Sudan staining-positive substance included estrogen and its precursors. Estrogen was also detected in the epithelium, but it seemed to be present in the epithelial (tumor) cells as an estrogen-estrogen receptor complex. Cholesterol staining was focally positive in the subepithelial stromal area and incorporation of 3H-cholesterol into the stromal cells was observed by microautoradiography. These findings indicated that steroid synthesis from cholesterol to estrogen appeared in the stroma of the tumor and high serum concentrations of estrogen in the patient were the result of accelerated estrogen-synthesis in the ovarian tumor.