Sex-specific difference in the interconversion of cortisol and cortisone in men and women.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to demonstrate that the smaller oxoreductase activity of 11beta-HSD1 in women would shift the interconversion of cortisol and cortisone toward cortisone, resulting in a larger amount of generated labeled cortisone in healthy women than in healthy men.


METHODS
Using mass spectrometry, the amount of cortisone generated from a continuous infusion (8 am to 6 pm) of stable-labeled cortisol (1alpha,2alpha-d-cortisol) was determined in non-obese and in obese (BMI>35 kg/m2) men and women during steady-state conditions (from 2 pm to 6 pm). In this setting, the amount of generated labeled cortisone (expressed as % of the achieved steady-state concentrations of labeled cortisol) reflects the sum of the bi-directional conversion of cortisol into cortisone (and vice versa) by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.


RESULTS
The amount of generated labeled cortisone was higher in men than in women (p<0.0001). This sex difference was higher in obese than in non-obese patients (p=0.0062).


CONCLUSIONS
The interconversion of cortisol and cortisone during steady-state conditions is shifted toward cortisol in men as compared with women. This suggests a higher overall oxoreductase activity of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in men than in women. This sex-specific difference is maintained in obesity.
Vierhapper
Heinrich
H
Clinical Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Wien, Austria. heinrich.vierhapper@meduniwien.ac.at
Heinze
Georg
G
Nowotny
Peter
P
D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003348:Cortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D007477:Ions; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013760:Tetrahydrocortisol / Q000652:urine; D013761:Tetrahydrocortisone / Q000652:urine
D007477:Ions; D013761:Tetrahydrocortisone; D013760:Tetrahydrocortisol; D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; D003348:Cortisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone