Endocrine Abstracts

Chronic elevation of glucocorticoids adversely impacts on cognition and the integrity of hippocampal cells. Moreover, inter-individual differences in memory with ageing correlate directly with blood glucocorticoid levels in rodents and humans. Beyond plasma steroid levels, glucocorticoid action on target tissues is determined by the density of nuclear receptors and by intracellular metabolism by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSDs) which catalyse interconvers...

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type one (11β-HSD1) converts inert glucocorticoids to active forms, amplifying intracellular glucocorticoid action. 11β-HSD1 also catalyses the reduction of seven-ketocholesterol (7KC) to 7β-hydroxycholesterol (7βHC). 7KC may inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis (Brown et al. 2002). Alteration of cholesterol homeostasis is a major atherosclerotic risk factor. 11β-HSD1 deficiency/inhibition is atheroprotective ...

Insulin-resistant diabetes is characterised by progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Elevated pancreatic islet activity of the intracellular glucocorticoid amplifying enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) was hypothesized to drive this process in genetically obese rodents. To determine the direct effects of elevated 11β-HSD1 on β-cell function in diabetes in vivo we created a transgenic model overexpressing 11β-HSD1...

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates active glucocorticoids thus amplifying their intracellular actions. 11β-HSD1 deficiency or inhibition, which improve metabolic syndrome and attenuate atherosclerosis in vulnerable rodent strains, is a target for drug development. However, 11β-HSD1 also converts 7-ketocholesterol (7KC) (which accumulates in fatty tissues), to the potentially more atherogenic, 7β-hydroxycholesterol. Whether a...

Glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory agents. Endogenous glucocorticoid action is modulated by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) which interconverts active (cortisol, corticosterone) and intrinsically inert glucocorticoids (cortisone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone). 11β-HSD type 1 regenerates active glucocorticoids. 11β-HSD 1 highly expressed in the lung but its role is little explored.Immunohistochemical staining of mouse ...