title: Serum levels of cholesterol, pregnenolone, DHEA, and their sulfate conjugates based on sex and pubertal stage in adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study aim was to evaluate the correlation of sexual dimorphism and pubertal stage with steroid metabolism in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of cholesterol, pregnenolone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and their sulfate conjugates were quantitatively profiled from serum samples of 199 adolescents (87 boys and 112 girls), aged 6 to 14years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the prepubertal stage, DHEA levels in girls were higher than those in boys; however, significantly increased DHEA levels during pubertal development in boys. Pregnenolone levels were significantly higher in girls; however, the levels of its sulfate were higher in boys. The serum levels of both cholesterol and its sulfate were higher in boys, especially in the early to mid-pubertal stages. DHEA and DHEA sulfate levels in both sexes significantly increased with pubertal development (P for trend<0.05), while pregnenolone, cholesterol, and cholesterol sulfate in both sexes were stable. The metabolic ratios, indicating sulfotransferase activity, were significantly higher in boys, and increased with pubertal development in boys, but not in girls, while CYP11A1 activity levels increased significantly in both sexes with pubertal development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual dimorphism in key enzymes of androgen biosynthesis during pubertal changes may help elucidate the normal physiology of steroidogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul 01757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Shin Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su Hyeon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeongae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul 01757, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: pmj@paik.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mi-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Molecular Recognition Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mh_choi@kist.re.kr.
authors.forename: Man Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013431:Sulfates / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013431:Sulfates; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011284:Pregnenolone; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Adolescent; Cholesterol; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Pregnenolone; Sulfotransferase