Carcinogenic oestrogens induce respiration deficiency mutation in yeast.

In addition to hormonal activity, genetic damage has been proposed as an important factor in oestrogen-mediated carcinogenesis. However, as short-term tests for oestrogens usually fail to show DNA mutations, lesions other than classic nuclear DNA mutation have to be considered. Oestrogen-induced mitochondrial damage was studied in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Stilbene-type, but not steroidal, oestrogens were found to induce respiration-deficient petite mutation. The effect was inversely correlated with cytotoxicity and required aromatic hydroxyl groups at the stilbene molecule. It only occurred under growth conditions and apparently was not due to the ATPase inhibitory qualities of stilbene oestrogens. Other studies have shown that petite mutation clones, which can be induced by a variety of substances, contain altered mitochondrial DNA. The mechanism of petite mutation induction might be important in tumorigenesis by also acting on nuclear DNA or facilitating carcinogenesis by disturbance of mitochondrial function.