Endocrine Abstracts

11BHSD1 is a NADP-dependant, bi-directional enzyme which inter-converts the glucocorticoid cortisol with its inactive metabolite cortisone. Follicular fluid (FF) from large antral ovarian follicles contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds which stimulate and inhibit 11BHSD1 enzyme activities, respectively. The objective of this study was to assess whether levels of these enzyme modulators change in FF during development of porcine follicles. Pooled samples of FF, aspirat...

Cortisol is metabolised by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes (11βHSD1 and 11βHSD2). In immature rat Leydig cells, 11βHSD1 acts as an oxo-reductase whereas, after puberty, the dehydrogenase activity of 11βHSD1 predominates. In adult rats, 11βHSD1 is also highly expressed in caput epididymis, vas deferens and vesicular glands. Recently, 11βHSD1 mRNA and activities have been reported in post-pubertal pig testis. The objective of this stud...

In the ovary, glucocorticoids are metabolised by 11βHSD enzymes. The bi-directional 11βHSD1 enzyme usually acts as an NADPH-dependent 11-ketoreductase to regenerate cortisol (F) from circulating cortisone (E), while 11βHSD 2 inactivates F using NAD+ as cofactor. Having isolated endogenous inhibitors of 11βHSD1 from porcine follicular fluid (pFF) and ovarian cysts, the aims of this study were to establish whether 11βHSD enzymes interconvert F...