Gonadal steroids modulate adrenal fasciculata 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity in mice.
The observation that adrenal 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-delta 5----delta 4-isomerase (3 beta HSD) activity is greater in females than in males of both C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ inbred strains of mice led us to test the hypothesis that this enzyme's activity within the adrenal gland may be modulated by gonadal steroids. Two weeks after sham-operation or castration, no castration effect was seen in adrenal 3 beta HSD activity, but the sex difference had been eliminated in C57BL/6J animals. Gonadal steroids were replaced in castrated animals of both sexes of C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ mice. Daily injections of androgenic steroids (testosterone propionate or dihydrotestosterone) decreased adrenal 3 beta HSD activity in both sexes of both strains of mouse. Although estradiol benzoate did not alter adrenal 3 beta HSD activity in either sex or strain tested when the activity was expressed on a per adrenal gland basis, it did inhibit adrenal 3 beta HSD activity when expressed on a per milligram of adrenal tissue basis in C57BL/6J but not in C3H/HeJ animals. Histochemical staining for 3 beta HSD and the relationship between adrenal weight and the cross-sectional area of the zona fasciculata suggested that the adrenal zona fasciculata was the target of the inhibitory effects of androgens on adrenal 3 beta HSD activity.[1]References
- Gonadal steroids modulate adrenal fasciculata 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity in mice. Perry, J.E., Stalvey, J.R. Biol. Reprod. (1992) [Pubmed]
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