3β-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY IN THE HUMAN FOETAL ADRENAL CORTEX

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Abstract
3[beta]-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity was studied histochemically in the adrenal cortex of 10 human male fetuses, ranging in crown-rump length from 3.0 cm to 18.3 cm, with the following steroids: 3[beta]-hydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (pregnenolone); 3[beta],17[alpha]-dihydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (17-[alpha]hydroxypregnenolone); 3[beta]-hydroxy-androst-5-en-17-one (DHA); 3[beta]-17[beta]-dihydroxy-androst-5-ene (androstenediol); 3[beta]-sulphoxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (pregnenolone sulphate); 3[beta]-sulphoxy-17[alpha]-hydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (17[alpha]-hydroxy-pregenolone sulphate); 3[beta]-sulphoxy-androst-5-en-17-one (DHAsulphate); 3[beta]-hydroxy-5[alpha]-androstan-17-one (epiandrosterone). After incubation with pregnenolone, 17[alpha]-hydroxypregnenolone, DHA and androstenediol a positive histochemical reaction was obtained in the inner part of the "definitive" cortex and throughout the fetal cortex of all adrenals studied. Initially very weak, the reaction became strongly positive about the twelfth week of fetal life. Pregnenolone sulphate and 17a-hydroxypregnenolone sulphate also gave a histochemical reaction in all the adrenals investigated, but DHA sulphate differed significantly from the free steroid by giving a very poor reaction. Formazan deposition followed incubation with epiandrosterone in all adrenals used and this may imply that a [DELTA]5 configuration is not necessary for enzyme-substrate binding.