A postulated role for 16 alpha-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone in the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome.
The concentrations of 16-hydroxylated steroids, especially 16 alpha-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (16 alpha-hydroxyDHEA) in amniotic fluid and infants' blood are elevated many fold at normal birth time as compared with mid-term concentrations and those found in prematurely born infants. It is logical to postulate that 16 alpha-hydroxyDHEA may be the natural inducer of lung maturation and preventor of respiratory distress syndrome. Because the infant born at normal gestational terminus has a very high concentration of blood 16 alpha-hydroxyDHEA, treating premature infants with amounts of this steroid to provide blood concentrations that are normal in full-term infants should be a well-tolerated procedure and should avoid the developmental problems associated with glucocorticoid treatments.
Lardy
Henry
H
Institute for Enzyme Research, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53726, USA. halardy@wisc.edu
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
C011277:16-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone