Estrone sulfatase activity was measured in normal and neoplastic endometrial tissues of human uterus. The tissue homogenates were incubated in air with [3H] estrone sulfate (E1-S, 20 microM) at 37 degrees C for 30 min. After the enzyme reaction was terminated with ethyl ether, the ethyl ether extract was purified by thin-layer chromatography. The apparent Km of sulfatase was 3.0 microM, and the maximum velocity was 14.7 nmol/h/mg protein. Estrone sulfatase activity in endometrial tissues was detected throughout the menstrual cycle with no significant change. Moreover, estrone sulfatase activity in endometrial cells was not stimulated by the addition of progestogen. The enzyme activity in cancer tissue was significantly higher than in normal tissue. Thus we concluded that this enzyme may play a role in regulating the estrogen action by sifting the intracellular equilibrium between free estrogens and estrogen sulfates. We also concluded that in the endometrial cancer tissue, sulfatase appears to act on local production of estrone.