2-Methoxyestradiol does not inhibit superoxide dismutase

It has been reported in the literature that the endogenous estrogen metabol ite 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) inhibits both manganese and copper,zinc super oxide dismutases (Mn and Cu,Zn SODs) and that this mechanism is responsible for 2-ME's ability to kill cancer cells. In fact, as demonstrated using se veral SOD assays including pulse radiolysis, 2-ME does not inhibit SOD but rather interferes with the SOD assay originally used. Nevertheless, as conf irmed by aconitase inactivation measurements and lactate dehydrogenase rele ase in human leukemia HL-60 cells, 2-ME does increase superoxide production in these cells and is more toxic than its non-O-methylated precursor 2-hyd roxyestradiol. Other mechanisms previously suggested in the literature may explain 2-ME's ability to increase intracellular superoxide levels in tumor cells. (C) 2001 Academic Press.