Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitors: Role and Therapeutic Potential

The document from 2002 reviewed the role of Steroid sulfatase (STS) and its inhibitors. STS regulates the local production of oestrogens and androgens from systemic precursors in several tissues, catalysing the hydrolysis of the sulfate esters of 3-hydroxy steroids. The enzyme had received attention due to its potential involvement in the pathogenesis of various diseases. STS inhibitors were considered potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of oestrogen- and androgen-dependent disorders, including cancers of the breast, endometrium and prostate, androgenic alopecia, and acne. They were also proposed to have positive effects on cognitive dysfunction. The review summarized patents on STS inhibitors that had appeared since 1999.