title: Systemic distribution and tissue localizations of human 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 12.
abstract: The 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs) are enzymes that catalyze the reduction of 17-ketosteroids or the oxidation of 17beta-hydroxysteroids. 17beta-HSD type 12, the most recently cloned member of this gene family, was classified into the 17beta-HSD family based on sequence homology, rather than steroid catalyzing activity. Meanwhile, it has been reported that 17beta-HSD type 12 may be involved in fatty acid synthesis. To better understand the role of 17beta-HSD type 12 in lipid metabolism, we determined the detailed systemic distribution and tissue localizations of 17beta-HSD type 12, which, due partly to the lack of antibodies, had not yet been studied. We carried out these investigations by quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, Northern blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry, using an antibody against 17beta-HSD type 12 that we have generated. 17beta-HSD type 12 is highly expressed in organs related to lipid metabolism such as liver, kidney, heart and skeletal muscle. 17beta-HSD type 12 is also detected in endocrine-related organs such as pancreas, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, testis and placenta, and in the gastrointestinal tract, which point to the possible involvement of 17beta-HSD type 12 in the regulation of lipid biosynthesis and steroid metabolism. These results support previous reports and solidify the possibility that 17beta-HSD type 12 may play critical roles in the physiological processes, such as fatty acid synthesis, in addition to the steroid metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narita
authors.forename: Kozue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Tetsu M C
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Handa
mesh_terms: D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; C476565:17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3