title: 3alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in animal and human tissues.
abstract: This review analyzes data on the biological role of 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3alpha-HSD) in animal and human tissues and describes its main characteristics, mechanism of action, and regulation of activity. Based on published data, a scheme for the actions of androgen, progestin, and glucocorticoids involving the participation of 3alpha-HSD is proposed. According to this scheme, in the mechanism of steroid action 3alpha-HSD not only regulates the concentration of the main effector androgen, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, in target cells, but also switches androgen, progestin, and glucocorticosteroid genomic activity to non-genomic activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, 115478, Russia.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Degtiar
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kushlinsky
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D045002:3-alpha-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (B-Specific); D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011372:Progestins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011372:Progestins; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D045002:3-alpha-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (B-Specific)