THE CONVERSION OF PREGNENOLONE TO PROGESTERONE AND 16α-HYDROXYDEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE IN VITRO BY ADRENAL TISSUE FROM A NEWBORN ANENCEPHALIC INFANT
- 1 January 1968
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Bioscientifica in Journal of Endocrinology
- Vol. 40 (1) , 29-35
- https://doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.0400029
Abstract
SUMMARY: Adrenal tissue, largely composed of the definitive zone, from a newborn anencephalic infant, contained the following enzyme systems: (1) a Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase for pregnenolone, demonstrated by the conversion of [14C]pregnenolone to [14C]progesterone; (2) a C(17)-C(20) desmolase, and (3) a steroid 16α-hydroxylase, demonstrated by the conversion of [14C]pregnenolone to [14C]3β, 16α-dihydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one. The metabolites could not be separated from carrier steroids during sequential partition chromatography. [14C]Progesterone was identified by recrystallization to constant specific activity. [14C]3β, 16α-Dihydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one was identified by enzymatic conversion to [14C]16α-hydroxyoestrone followed by reduction to oestriol and determination of the specific activity of the oestriol after partition chromatography. It is suggested that these enzymes may play some part in the production of cortisol by the newborn anencephalic infant, and in the provision of precursors for placental oestriol production.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: