17 beta-HSD1/HSD17B1: Proteins and Enzymes

The principal human estrogen, 17 beta-estradiol, is a potent stimulator of certain endocrine-dependent forms of breast cancer. Because human estrogenic 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD17B1) catalyzes the last step in the biosynthesis of 17 beta-estradiol from the less potent estrogen, estrone, it is an attractive target for the design of inhibitors of estrogen production and tumor growth (1). It is concluded that the steroid-binding site of human placental HSD17B1 contains a histidine ...