Potential biomarker for early risk assessment of prostate cancer.

Background: Catechol estrogen quinones (CEQ) derived from 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE1) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) react with DNA to form depurinating--N7Gua and--N3Ade adducts. This damage leads to mutations that can initiate breast and prostate cancer. To determine whether this damage occurs in humans, urine samples from men with prostate cancer and benign urological conditions, and healthy controls were analyzed.

Development of monoclonal antibodies to 4-hydroxyestrogen-2-N-acetylcysteine conjugates: immunoaffinity and spectroscopic studies.

Catechol estrogen quinones (CEQ) derived from oxidation of the catechol estrogens 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE1) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) can conjugate with glutathione (GSH), a reaction that prevents damage to DNA and can provide biomarkers of exposure to CEQs. Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to 4-OHE1(E2)-2-N-acetylcysteine [4-OHE1(E2)-2-NAcCys] were developed and characterized by immunological and spectroscopic studies. The NAcCys conjugate is the hydrolytic product of the corresponding conjugate with GSH, followed by N-acetylation of cysteine.