title: The functional roles of 11 beta-HSD1: vascular tissue, testis and brain.
abstract: Glucocorticoid hormones bind both glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) exerting a broad spectrum of actions in various tissues. The concentrations of glucocorticoid hormones in the target cells are regulated by 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, type 1 (11 beta-HSD1) and type 2 (11 beta-HSD2). 11 beta-HSD2 is a unidirectional dehydrogenase, which inactivates biologically active glucocorticoid into inert metabolite, while 11 beta-HSD1 is a bi-directional oxidoreductase, which either inactivates biologically active glucocorticoid or activates inert metabolite into active forms. GRs and MRs are present in various tissues and mediate a broad spectrum of physiological actions. The co-existence of 11 beta-HSD1 with these two types of receptors plays an important role in regulation of glucocorticoid actions. This review examines the roles of 11 beta-HSD1 in vascular tissues, testis, brain and other tissues such as placental, retinal and adipose tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906, USA. dmorris@lifespan.org
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brem
authors.forename: Renshan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: P Harry
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Jellinck
authors.forename: Randall R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hardy
mesh_terms: D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000201:enzymology; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1