title: 5alpha-reductase 1 and 2 expression and activity in human ovarian follicles, stroma and corpus luteum as compared to neonatal foreskin.
abstract: 5alpha-Reductase is the steroidogenic enzyme which reduces testosterone to 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone. In the human two different enzymes have been described, 5alpha-reductase 1 and 2. The present investigations were undertaken to determine whether 5alpha-reductase 1 and 2 were expressed in the human ovary, and to determine the relative activity of the two enzymes in various ovarian tissues. The ovary apparently expressed mRNA for only 5alpha-reductase 1, whereas the foreskin expressed both 5alpha-reductase 1 and 2. We compared the 5alpha-reductase activity at both pH 5.5 (optimum for 5alpha-reductase 2 activity) and 8.0 (optimum for 5alpha-reductase 1 activity). 5alpha-reductase activity of foreskin at pH 5.5 was 3900 times higher than small follicles, 1500 times higher than ovarian stroma, and 240 times higher than corpora lutea (all P < 0.01). 5alpha-reductase activity of corpora lutea at pH 5.5 was 17-fold higher than that of follicles (P < 0.01) and 6.5-fold higher than that of ovarian stroma (P < 0.05). 5alpha-Reductase activity of foreskin at pH 8.0 was 93 times higher than small follicles, 51 times higher than corpora lutea, and 170 times higher than ovarian stroma (all P < 0.01). The ratio of 5alpha-reductase activity at pH 5.5 to that at pH 8.0 was higher in foreskin than in corpus luteum (P < 0.05), ovarian stroma (P < 0.01), or ovarian follicles (P < 0.01). The ratio was lower in ovarian follicles than in stroma or corpus luteum (both P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brown University and Women and Infants' Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Haning
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tantravahi
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Canick
mesh_terms: D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000201:enzymology*; D015342:DNA Probes; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D012867:Skin / Q000201:enzymology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase