Interaction between dehydroepiandrosterone, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate in neoplastic and normal human mammary tissue.

When total DHEA, G-6-PDH activity, and c-AMP were determined in human neoplastic mammary tissue and corresponding normal tissue the G-6-PDH activity in the former tissue greatly exceeded that found in normal tissue. On the other hand, a remarkable decrease of total DHEA and c-AMP could be detected in cancer tissue, hinting at the participation of DHEA in the intracellular regulation of G-6-PDH and c-AMP levels.