title: Expression of cytochrome P-450(17) alpha, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta 5----4-isomerase, and steroid 5 alpha-reductase in rat H540 Leydig tumor cells.
abstract: The rat H540 Leydig tumor cell is established as a model for acute lutropin action on the initial step of steroidogenesis, namely the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone. Herein, we demonstrate that H540 cells express high levels of three steroid-metabolizing enzymes which are involved in the further processing of pregnenolone in the endoplasmic reticulum of the steroidogenic cell. In particular, in addition to expressing 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450 (P-450(17) alpha) and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta 5----4-isomerase (3 beta-HSD), H540 cells also showed high levels of steroid 5 alpha-reductase mRNA and activity. The H540 cells therefore exhibit similarity to Leydig cells from sexually immature animals which also demonstrate high 5 alpha-reductase activity. Thus, after 3 beta-HSD-catalyzed formation from pregnenolone, progesterone was efficiently converted to 5 alpha-pregnan-3,20-dione (5 alpha-dihydroprogesterone) and subsequent metabolism to the corresponding 17 alpha-hydroxylated derivative and 5 alpha-androstan-3,17-dione in a reaction catalyzed by P-450(17) alpha. H540 cells have apparently very low 17-ketosteroid reductase activity and, therefore, a principal end-product of the steroidogenic pathway in these cells was 5 alpha-androstan-3,17-dione. H540 cells maintained in primary culture under serum-free conditions accumulated demonstrable levels of mRNA species for P-540 17 alpha (1.7 kb), 3 beta-HSD (1.6 kb) and 5 alpha-reductase (2.7 kb). This finding suggests that the H540 tumor cell model will not only be of utility in the study of acute lutropin action but also in the elucidation of mechanisms involved in the regulation of expression of various families of microsomal steroid-metabolizing enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9051.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lorence
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D043582:5-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone; D000818:Animals; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007985:Leydig Cells; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011277:Pregnanediones / Q000378:metabolism; D011375:Progesterone Reductase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013251:Steroid Isomerases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: C021425:3 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase-delta(5) 3-ketosteroid isomerase; D015342:DNA Probes; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011277:Pregnanediones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D043582:5-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone; D011375:Progesterone Reductase; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase; D013251:Steroid Isomerases