title: Steroid Sulfatase Deficiency and Androgen Activation Before and After Puberty.
abstract: Steroid sulfatase (STS) cleaves the sulfate moiety off steroid sulfates, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfate (DHEAS), the inactive sulfate ester of the adrenal androgen precursor DHEA. Deficient DHEA sulfation, the opposite enzymatic reaction to that catalyzed by STS, results in androgen excess by increased conversion of DHEA to active androgens. STS deficiency (STSD) due to deletions or inactivating mutations in the X-linked STS gene manifests with ichthyosis, but androgen synthesis and metabolism in STSD have not been studied in detail yet.
  
  
  
  We carried out a cross-sectional study in 30 males with STSD (age 6-27 y; 13 prepubertal, 5 peripubertal, and 12 postpubertal) and 38 age-, sex-, and Tanner stage-matched healthy controls. Serum and 24-hour urine steroid metabolome analysis was performed by mass spectrometry and genetic analysis of the STS gene by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and Sanger sequencing.
  
  
  
  Genetic analysis showed STS mutations in all patients, comprising 27 complete gene deletions, 1 intragenic deletion and 2 missense mutations. STSD patients had apparently normal pubertal development. Serum and 24-hour urinary DHEAS were increased in STSD, whereas serum DHEA and testosterone were decreased. However, total 24-hour urinary androgen excretion was similar to controls, with evidence of increased 5α-reductase activity in STSD. Prepubertal healthy controls showed a marked increase in the serum DHEA to DHEAS ratio that was absent in postpubertal controls and in STSD patients of any pubertal stage.
  
  
  
  In STSD patients, an increased 5α-reductase activity appears to compensate for a reduced rate of androgen generation by enhancing peripheral androgen activation in affected patients. In healthy controls, we discovered a prepubertal surge in the serum DHEA to DHEAS ratio that was absent in STSD, indicative of physiologically up-regulated STS activity before puberty. This may represent a fine tuning mechanism for tissue-specific androgen activation preparing for the major changes in androgen production during puberty.
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Idkowiak
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Angela E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subtil
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Raymon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vijzelaar
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Renuka P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Cedric H L
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shackleton
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Jeremy M W
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.affiliation: Institutes of Metabolism and Systems Research (J.I., A.E.T., S.S., D.M.O., C.H.L.S., W.A.) and Cancer and Genomic Sciences (T.G.B.), University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; Centres for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (J.I., A.E.T., R.P.D., T.G.B., C.H.L.S., J.M.W.K., W.A.) and Rare Diseases and Personalised Medicine (T.G.B.), Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham B15 2TH, United Kingdom; Departments of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (J.I., R.P.D., T.G.B., J.M.W.K.) and Paediatric Dermatology (C.M.), Birmingham Children's Hospital National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom; MRC-Holland bv (R.V.), 1057-DN Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Paediatric Endocrinology (R.A.), Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom; and Benioff Children's Hospital (C.H.L.S.), University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California 94609.
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arlt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D016114:Ichthyosis, X-Linked / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009154:Mutation; D011627:Puberty / Q000378:metabolism*; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase / Q000235:genetics*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase; D043266:Steryl-Sulfatase