title: Expression of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid/dehydrogenase/delta5-delta4/isomerase in the tracheal cartilage of the rat.
abstract: The enzyme complex 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isomerase/delta5-delta4 (3beta-HSD) is involved in the biosynthesis of all classes of active steroids. In this study, the presence of 3beta-HSD was defined in rat tracheal cartilage. The expression of the 3beta-HSD gene was examined by Northern blot analysis from 30-day-old rats. Western blot and immunohistochemical localization were also performed with antibodies raised against purified human placental 3beta-HSD to obtain further information on the expression of 3beta-HSD protein during fetal and postnatal periods of development in rat cartilage. Northern blot analysis using an oligonucleotide common to the 4 known 3beta-HSD isoforms showed 3beta-HSD mRNA corresponding to a transcript of 1.7 kb. Furthermore, a 42 KDa protein band was detected in the tracheal cartilage extracts by Western blot analysis. Immunostaining for 3beta-SD was observed in chondrocytes. The first expression was detected on the 17th day of fetal life by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactivity of 3beta-HSD showed a significant increase at 7 and 15 days after birth, and then remained unchanged through adulthood, in agreement with the data of the Western blot. Our results demonstrated the expression for 3beta-HSD in the tracheal cartilage at both the mRNA and protein levels during fetal life and postnatal development of the rat. These results suggest that 3beta-HSD may synthesize certain steroids which play major roles in differentiation and maintenance of function during development of rat cartilage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan City, Chonbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002356:Cartilage / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014132:Trachea / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases