title: Developmental changes in steroidogenic enzymes in human postnatal adrenal cortex: immunohistochemical studies.
abstract: Adrenarche is considered to occur as a result of intra-adrenal changes in steroidogenic enzymes involved in C19 steroid production. The present study was conducted because developmental changes in steroidogenic enzymes have not been examined well in human postnatal adrenal. Twenty-four specimens of nonpathological human adrenals from 7 months to 62 years retrieved from autopsy files. Immunohistochemistry for P450 side-chain cleavage (P450scc), 17alpha hydroxylase (P450c17), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase (DHEA-ST), P450 oxidoreductase, cytochrome b5, and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD) was per-formed in these specimens, and the immuno-intensity was evaluated using CAS 200 computed image analysis system. Immunoreactivity of P450scc was marked in the zona glomerulosa, fasciculata and reticularis in the adrenal glands of all the cases examined. P450c17 and DHEA-ST immunoreactivity was weak in the zona fasciculata and reticularis in the adrenals of age 7 months to 5 years, but thereafter became prominent in the zona reticularis. Immunoreactivity of P450 oxidoreductase and cytochrome b5, components of the electron transfer system hypothesized to regulate the 17-20 lyase activity of P450c17, was weak in all three zones of adrenal cortex from 7 months to 5 years, and became more marked in the zona reticularis after age 5 years. 3betaHSD immunoreactivity was marked in all three zones of the adrenal cortex from 7 months to 8 years but thereafter decreased in the zona reticularis. These data suggest that the human adrenal zona reticularis markedly begins to develop morphologically and functionally at around 5 years of age. The increased level of P450c17, DHEA-ST, P450 oxidoreductase, and cytochrome b5, and the decreased level of 3betaHSD in the reticularis is likely to contribute to increased C19 steroid production during adrenarche.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. t-suzuki@patholo2.med.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Freije
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Rainey
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000032:analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000201:enzymology*; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000032:analysis; D003580:Cytochromes / Q000032:analysis*; D015786:Cytochromes b5 / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009251:NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase / Q000032:analysis; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000032:analysis; D015383:Zona Fasciculata / Q000201:enzymology; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000201:enzymology; D015385:Zona Reticularis / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D003580:Cytochromes; D015786:Cytochromes b5; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D009251:NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase; D015238:Sulfotransferases; C019998:dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase