title: Ontogeny of steroid metabolizing enzymes in rat oligodendrocytes.
abstract: Rat oligodendroglial cells were isolated from newborn and developing brains and used immediately after, for quantification of steroid metabolizing activities. Oligodendrocytes (Ol) and their progenitor cells were incubated with [(14)C] testosterone, [(14)C] progesterone, [(14)C] pregnenolone or [(14)C] dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Oligodendrocytes and their progenitor cells expressed different steroid metabolizing enzymes. The main activities were 5 alpha reduction of testosterone and progesterone and 3 beta hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase-isomerase which transformed pregnenolone into progesterone and DHEA into Delta 4 androstenedione. 5 alpha reductase activity increased in male and female rats in parallel with testosterone or progesterone. Contrary to this, 3 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity was found to be high in the young rat and to decrease when testosterone and progesterone plasma concentration increased.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, 22 Avenue Camille Desmoulins, 29200 Brest, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carre
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Abalain
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sarlieve
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Floch
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D011284:Pregnenolone