Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Hydroxysteroids”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 973 records · Page 54Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Three-dimensional structure of rat liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase: a member of the aldo-keto reductase superfamily.

The 3.0-A-resolution x-ray structure of rat liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (3 alpha-HSD, EC 1.1.1.50) was determined by molecular replacement using human placental aldose reductase as the search model. The protein folds into an alpha/beta or triose-phosphate isomerase barrel and lacks a canonical Rossmann fold for binding pyridine nucleotide. The structure contains a concentration of hydrophobic amino acids that lie in a cavity near the top of the barrel and that are presumed to be involved in binding hydrophobic substrates (steroids, prostaglandins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and inhibitors (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs). At the distal end of this cavity lie three residues in close proximity that have been implicated in catalysis by site-directed mutagenesis--Tyr-55, Asp-50, and Lys-84. Tyr-55 is postulated to act as the general acid. 3 alpha-HSD shares significant sequence identity with other HSDs that belong to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily and these may show similar architecture. Other members of this family include prostaglandin F synthase and rho-crystallin. By contrast, 3 alpha-HSD shares no sequence identity with HSDs that are members of the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase family but does contain the Tyr-Xaa-Xaa-Xaa-Lys consensus sequence implicated in catalysis in this family. In the 3 alpha-HSD structure these residues are on the periphery of the barrel and are unlikely to participate in catalysis.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1997

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 knockout mice show attenuated glucocorticoid-inducible responses and resist hyperglycemia on obesity or stress.

Glucocorticoid hormones, acting via nuclear receptors, regulate many metabolic processes, including hepatic gluconeogenesis. It recently has been recognized that intracellular glucocorticoid concentrations are determined not only by plasma hormone levels, but also by intracellular 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11beta-HSDs), which interconvert active corticosterone (cortisol in humans) and inert 11-dehydrocorticosterone (cortisone in humans). 11beta-HSD type 2, a dehydrogenase, thus excludes glucocorticoids from otherwise nonselective mineralocorticoid receptors in the kidney. Recent data suggest the type 1 isozyme (11beta-HSD-1) may function as an 11beta-reductase, regenerating active glucocorticoids from circulating inert 11-keto forms in specific tissues, notably the liver. To examine the importance of this enzyme isoform in vivo, mice were produced with targeted disruption of the 11beta-HSD-1 gene. These mice were unable to convert inert 11-dehydrocorticosterone to corticosterone in vivo. Despite compensatory adrenal hyperplasia and increased adrenal secretion of corticosterone, on starvation homozygous mutants had attenuated activation of the key hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, presumably, because of relative intrahepatic glucocorticoid deficiency. The 11beta-HSD-1 -/- mice were found to resist hyperglycamia provoked by obesity or stress. Attenuation of hepatic 11beta-HSD-1 may provide a novel approach to the regulation of gluconeogenesis.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1995

Lumenal orientation and post-translational modifications of the liver microsomal 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

The topology and post-translational modifications of microsomal 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-DH) was investigated using the approaches of protein structure analysis. Sequence analysis of peptides generated by chemical and enzymatic cleavages revealed that carbohydrate is attached at Asn-122, -161, and -206. Enzymatic deglycosylation reactions of the protein identified the attached glycans as high mannose carbohydrates, implying that the bulk of the protein molecule is oriented on the lumenal side of the endoplasmic membrane. The carbohydrate moiety of native dehydrogenase was cleaved by endo-N-acetylglucosaminidase H without significantly affecting the 11 beta-DH activity. Chemical modification of cysteinyl residues, followed by amino acid sequence analysis, identified one disulfide bond linking Cys-77 and Cys-212. This disulfide bond was inaccessible to thiol reagents, unless the protein was denatured. Contrary to the partially purified 11 beta-DH preparations, the purified enzymatically active protein failed to bind to a 2,5'-ADP affinity column, suggesting that a conformational change has occurred in the enzyme during purification. The proposed model of the 11 beta-DH has a single trans-membrane segment at the N terminus, with the bulk of the polypeptide chain projecting into the lumen of endoplasmic reticulum. Limited proteolysis studies of 11 beta-DH concluded an absence of a flexible intradomain segment between the membranous and the lumenal domains. The lumenal localization of the 11 beta-DH requires a mechanism by which cortisol is transported to the endoplasmic reticulum of the lumen.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1996

Subcellular localization of the type 2 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. A green fluorescent protein study.

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) is thought to confer aldosterone specificity to mineralocorticoid target cells by protecting the inherently non-selective mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) from occupancy by endogenous glucocorticoids. Recently, we characterized a novel isoform of 11beta-HSD in aldosterone target cells, which has high affinity for its substrate, is unidirectional, and prefers NAD as cofactor. In this study we utilized a green fluorescent protein (GFP) technique to determine the subcellular localization of this isoform, 11beta-HSD2. We generated a chimeric gene encoding the full-length rabbit 11beta-HSD2 and, fused to its C terminus, the coding sequence of GFP. This construct was stably transfected into CHO cells. The enzymatic characteristics of the expressed 11beta-HSD2/GFP fusion protein were undistinguishable from those of the native enzyme: high affinity for corticosterone (KM 8-10 nM), NAD dependence, and lack of reductase activity. The intracellular location of the recombinant protein was determined by fluorescence microscopy. 11beta-HSD2-associated fluorescence was observed as a reticular network over the cytoplasm and nuclear envelope, whereas the plasma membrane and the nucleus were negative, suggesting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localization. Staining of CHO cells expressing 11beta-HSD2/GFP with established subcellular organelle markers revealed a colocalization of 11beta-HSD2/GFP only with ER markers and tubulin. To examine the orientation of 11beta-HSD2 within the ER, we selectively permeabilized CHO cells and stained them with an anti-GFP antibody. Fluorescence microscopy indicated that the C-terminal region of 11beta-HSD2 is on the cytoplasmic surface of the ER membrane, since it was accessible to the GFP antibody. This conclusion was confirmed by trypsin treatment of permeabilized cells followed by Western blotting. The C-terminal region of 11beta-HSD2 was accessible to trypsin, indicating that it is on the cytoplasmic side of the ER membrane. These results indicate that 11beta-HSD2 is localized exclusively to the ER. Since 11beta-HSD2 does not contain any known ER retrieval signal, experiments are currently under way to determine what structural motifs are responsible for its ER localization.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of the substrate binding site in rat liver 3alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase. The roles of tryptophans in ligand binding and protein fluorescence.

Rat liver 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3alpha-HSD), a member of the aldoketoreductase superfamily, inactivates circulating steroid hormones using NAD(P)H as cofactor. Despite determination of the 3alpha-HSD.NADP+ binary complex structure, the functional elements that dictate the binding of steroids remain unclear (Bennett, M.J., Schlegel, B.P., Jez, J.M., Penning, T.M., and Lewis, M. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 10702-10711). Two tryptophans (Trp86 and Trp227) near the active site may have roles in substrate binding, and their fluorescence may be quenched upon binding of NADPH. Trp86 is located within an apolar cleft, while Trp227 is found on an opposing loop near the active site. A third tryptophan, Trp148, is on the periphery of the structure. To investigate the roles of these tryptophans in protein fluorescence and ligand binding, we generated three mutant enzymes (W86Y, W148Y, and W227Y) by site-directed mutagenesis. Spectroscopic measurements on these proteins showed that Trp148 contributed the most to the enzyme fluorescence spectra, with Trp227 adding the least. Trp86 was identified as the tryptophan quenched by bound NADPH through an energy transfer mechanism. The W86Y mutant altered binding of cofactor (a 3-fold increase in Kd for NADPH) and steroid (a 7-fold increase in Kd for testosterone). This mutation also dramatically decreased the catalytic efficiency observed with one-, two-, and three-ring substrates and decreased the binding affinity for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but had little effect on the binding of aldose reductase inhibitors. Interestingly, mutation of Trp227 significantly impaired steroid binding (a 22-fold increase in Kd for testosterone), but did not alter binding of cofactor, smaller substrates, or inhibitors. Kinetically, the W148Y mutant was similar to wild-type enzyme. Our results demonstrate that Trp86 and the apolar cleft is part of the substrate binding pocket. In addition, we propose a role for Trp227 and its associated loop in binding steroids, but not small substrates or inhibitors, most likely through interaction with the C- and D-rings of the steroid. This work provides the first evidence that tryptophans on opposite sides of the apolar cleft are part of the steroid binding pocket and suggests how the enzyme may discriminate between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aldose reductase inhibitors like zopolrestat. A model of how androstanedione binds in the apolar cleft is developed. These data provide further evidence that loop structures in members of the aldoketoreductase superfamily are critical determinants of ligand binding.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1998

Purification and characterization of hamster liver microsomal 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenase. Similarity to type I 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

While studying the bile acid synthetic pathway of hamsters, we discovered an NADP+-dependent liver microsomal 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenase (7alpha-HCD) activity that was not observed in rat liver microsomal fractions. The hamster liver microsomal 7alpha-HCD was purified to homogeneity using 2', 5'-ADP and cholic acid-agarose affinity chromatography. 7alpha-HCD displayed a molecular weight of approximately 34,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; it is an intrinsic membrane protein of the hamster liver endoplasmic reticulum and exists as a multimeric aggregate in pure form. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis showed that 7alpha-HCD had high sequence similarity to human 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD; 24/30 amino acid identity). The Km values for corticosterone and 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol were 1.2 and 1.9 microM, respectively, for purified 7alpha-HCD; both reactions displayed identical Vmax values (approximately 170 nmol/min/mg of protein). The IC50 of carbenoxolone, a competitive inhibitor of 11beta-HSD, was 75 nM for 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenation and 210 nM for corticosterone dehydrogenation. The tissue-specific expression in hamster was as follows: adrenal >/= liver > kidney > testis >> brain > lung. Microsomal 7alpha-HCD is uniquely expressed in hamster liver and to some extent in human liver but not in rat liver. Western blot analysis with two antibodies elicited against an N-terminal peptide of the human 11beta-HSD and purified hamster liver 7alpha-HCD, respectively, suggested the presence of multiple forms of 7alpha-HCD in hamster liver, most likely due to the existence of a family of 11beta-HSD proteins. Since 7-oxocholesterol is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, alternative mechanisms for regulation of bile acid synthesis may exist in human and hamster liver due to production of this metabolite and its potential as an oxysterol.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning, overexpression, and characterization of steroid-inducible 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase from Comamonas testosteroni. A novel member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily.

3alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase (3alpha-HSD/CR) from Comamonas testosteroni, a bacterium that is able to grow on steroids as the sole carbon source, catalyzes the oxidoreduction at position 3 of a variety of C19-27 steroids and the carbonyl reduction of a variety of nonsteroidal aldehydes and ketones. The gene of this steroid-inducible 3alpha-HSD/CR was cloned by screening a C. testosteroni gene bank with a homologous DNA probe that was obtained by polymerase chain reaction with two degenerative primers based on the N-terminal sequence of the purified enzyme. The 3alpha-HSD/CR gene is 774 base pairs long, and the deduced amino acid sequence comprises 258 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 26.4 kDa. A homology search revealed that amino acid sequences highly conserved in the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily are present in 3alpha-HSD/CR. Two consensus sequences of the SDR superfamily were found, an N-terminal Gly-X-X-X-Gly-X-Gly cofactor-binding motif and a Tyr-X-X-X-Lys segment (residues 155-159 in the 3alpha-HSD/CR sequence) essential for catalytic activity of SDR proteins. 3alpha-HSD/CR was overexpressed and purified to homogeneity, and its activity was determined for steroid and nonsteroidal carbonyl substrates. These results suggest that inducible 3alpha-HSD/CR from C. testosteroni is a novel member of the SDR superfamily.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1999

Targeting proteins to the lumen of endoplasmic reticulum using N-terminal domains of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and the 50-kDa esterase.

Previous studies identified two intrinsic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins, 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, isozyme 1 (11beta-HSD) and the 50-kDa esterase (E3), sharing some amino acid sequence motifs in their N-terminal transmembrane (TM) domains. Both are type II membrane proteins with the C terminus projecting into the lumen of the ER. This finding implied that the N-terminal TM domains of 11beta-HSD and E3 may constitute a lumenal targeting signal (LTS). To investigate this hypothesis we created chimeric fusions using the putative targeting sequences and the reporter gene, Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein. Transfected COS cells expressing LTS-green fluorescent protein chimeras were examined by fluorescent microscopy and electron microscopic immunogold labeling. The orientation of expressed chimeras was established by immunocytofluorescent staining of selectively permeabilized COS cells. In addition, protease protection assays of membranes in the presence and absence of detergents was used to confirm lumenal or the cytosolic orientation of the constructed chimeras. To investigate the general applicability of the proposed LTS, we fused the N terminus of E3 to the N terminus of the NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase lacking the myristoyl group and N-terminal 30-residue membrane anchor. The orientation of the cytochrome b5 reductase was reversed, from cytosolic to lumenal projection of the active domain. These observations establish that an amino acid sequence consisting of short basic or neutral residues at the N terminus, followed by a specific array of hydrophobic residues terminating with acidic residues, is sufficient for lumenal targeting of single-pass proteins that are structurally and functionally unrelated.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1999

The N-terminal anchor sequences of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases determine their orientation in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes (11beta- HSD) regulate the ratio of active endogenous glucocorticoids to their inactive keto-metabolites, thereby controlling the access of glucocorticoids to their cognate receptors. In this study, the topology and intracellular localization of 11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2 have been analyzed by immunohistochemistry and protease protection assays of in vitro transcription/translation products. 11beta-HSD constructs, tagged with the FLAG epitope, were transiently expressed in HEK-293 cells. The enzymatic characteristics of tagged and native enzymes were indistinguishable. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated the localization of both 11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2 exclusively to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. To examine the orientation of tagged 11beta-HSD enzymes within the ER membrane, we stained selectively permeabilized HEK-293 cells with anti-FLAG antibody. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the N terminus of 11beta-HSD1 is cytoplasmic, and the catalytic domain containing the C terminus is protruding into the ER lumen. In contrast, the N terminus of 11beta-HSD2 is lumenal, and the catalytic domain is facing the cytoplasm. Chimeric proteins where the N-terminal anchor sequences of 11beta-HSD1 and 11beta-HSD2 were exchanged adopted inverted orientation in the ER membrane. However, both chimeric proteins were not catalytically active. Furthermore, mutation of a tyrosine motif to alanine in the transmembrane segment of 11beta-HSD1 significantly reduced V(max). The subcellular localization of 11beta-HSD1 was not affected by mutations of the tyrosine motif or of a di-lysine motif in the N terminus. However, residue Lys(5), but not Lys(6), turned out to be critical for the topology of 11beta-HSD1. Mutation of Lys(5) to Ser inverted the orientation of 11beta-HSD1 in the ER membrane without loss of catalytic activity. Our results emphasize the importance of the N-terminal transmembrane segments of 11beta-HSD enzymes for their proper function and demonstrate that they are sufficient to determine their orientation in the ER membrane.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2000

C/EBP regulates hepatic transcription of 11beta -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1. A novel mechanism for cross-talk between the C/EBP and glucocorticoid signaling pathways.

Glucocorticoid action within individual cells is potently modulated by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD), which, by interconverting active and inert glucocorticoids, determines steroid access to receptors. Type 1 11beta-HSD (11beta-HSD1) is highly expressed in liver where it regenerates glucocorticoids, thus amplifying their action and contributing to induction of glucocorticoid-responsive genes, most of which are also regulated by members of the C/EBP (CAAT/enhancer-binding protein) family of transcription factors. Here we demonstrate that C/EBPalpha is a potent activator of the 11beta-HSD1 gene in hepatoma cells and that mice deficient in C/EBPalpha have reduced hepatic 11beta-HSD1 expression. In contrast, C/EBPbeta is a relatively weak activator of 11beta-HSD1 transcription in hepatoma cells and attenuates C/EBPalpha induction, and mice that lack C/EBPbeta have increased hepatic 11beta-HSD1 mRNA. The 11beta-HSD1 promoter (between -812 and +76) contains 10 C/EBP binding sites, and mutation of the promoter proximal sites decreases the C/EBP inducibility of the promoter. One site encompasses the transcription start, and both C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta are present in complexes formed by liver nuclear proteins at this site. The regulation of 11beta-HSD1 expression, and hence intracellular glucocorticoid levels, by members of the C/EBP family provides a novel mechanism for cross-talk between the C/EBP family of transcription factors and the glucocorticoid signaling pathway.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2001

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligands inhibit adipocyte 11beta -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 expression and activity.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of expression of a subclass of adipocyte genes and to serve as the molecular target of the thiazolidinedione (TZD) and certain non-TZD antidiabetic agents. Hypercorticosteroidism leads to insulin resistance, a variety of metabolic dysfunctions typically seen in diabetes, and hypertrophy of visceral adipose tissue. In adipocytes, the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD-1) converts inactive cortisone into the active glucocorticoid cortisol and thereby plays an important role in regulating the actions of corticosteroids in adipose tissue. Here, we show that both TZD and non-TZD PPARgamma agonists markedly reduced 11beta-HSD-1 gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This diminution correlated with a significant decrease in the ability of the adipocytes to convert cortisone to cortisol. The half-maximal inhibition of 11beta-HSD-1 mRNA expression by the TZD, rosiglitazone, occurred at a concentration that was similar to its K(d) for binding PPARgamma and EC(50) for inducing adipocyte differentiation thereby indicating that this action was PPARgamma-dependent. The time required for the inhibitory action of the TZD was markedly greater for 11beta-HSD-1 gene expression than for leptin, suggesting that these genes may be down-regulated by different molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, whereas regulation of PPARgamma-inducible genes such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was maintained when cellular protein synthesis was abrogated, PPARgamma agonist inhibition of 11beta-HSD-1 and leptin gene expression was ablated, thereby supporting the conclusion that PPARgamma affects the down-regulation of 11beta-HSD-1 indirectly. Finally, treatment of diabetic db/db mice with rosiglitazone inhibited expression of 11beta-HSD-1 in adipose tissue. This decrease in enzyme expression correlated with a significant decline in plasma corticosterone levels. In sum, these data indicate that some of the beneficial effects of PPARgamma antidiabetic agents may result, at least in part, from the down-regulation of 11beta-HSD-1 expression in adipose tissue.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1↗
PubMed2000

Prostaglandin F2alpha-induced expression of 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase involves the transcription factor NUR77.

Prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha) binding to its receptor on the rat corpus luteum triggers various signal transduction pathways that lead to the activation of a steroidogenic enzyme, 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20alpha-HSD), which in turn catabolizes progesterone. The molecular mechanism underlying PGF(2)alpha-induced 20alpha-HSD enzyme activity has not yet been explored. In this report we show, using mice lacking PGF(2)alpha receptor and pregnant rats, that PGF(2)alpha is responsible for the rapid and massive expression of the 20alpha-HSD gene at the end of pregnancy leading to a decrease in progesterone secretion. We also present evidence that PGF(2)alpha enhances 20alpha-HSD promoter activity. We have determined a region upstream of the -1590 position in the 20alpha-HSD promoter that confers regulation by PGF(2)alpha in ovarian primary cells. This region encompasses a unique transcription factor-binding site with a sequence of a NUR77 response element. Deletion of this motif or overexpression of a NUR77 dominant negative protein caused a complete loss of 20alpha-HSD promoter activation by PGF(2)alpha. NUR77 also transactivated the 20alpha-HSD promoter in transient transfection experiments in corpus luteum-derived cells (GG-CL). This induction required the NUR77-transactivating domain. We also show that PGF(2)alpha induces a very rapid expression of NUR77 that binds to a distal response element located at -1599/-1606 but does not interact with another proximal putative NUR77 response element located downstream in the promoter. A rapid increase in NUR77 mRNA was observed in mice corpora lutea just before parturition at a time when 20alpha-HSD becomes expressed. This increase in the expression of both genes was not seen in PGF(2)alpha receptor knockout mice. By using cyclosporin A and PGF(2)alpha treatment, we established that inhibition of NUR77 DNA binding in vivo prevents PGF(2)alpha induction of the 20alpha-HSD gene in the corpus luteum. Taken together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that PGF(2)alpha induces in the corpus luteum the expression of the nuclear orphan receptor and transcription factor, NUR77, which in turn leads to the transcriptional stimulation of 20alpha-HSD, triggering the decrease in serum progesterone essential for parturition.

20-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2000

The crystal structure of 3alpha -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase from Comamonas testosteroni shows a novel oligomerization pattern within the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family.

The crystal structure of 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase from Comamonas testosteroni (3alpha-HSDH) as well as the structure of its binary complex with NAD(+) have been solved at 1.68-A and 1.95-A resolution, respectively. The enzyme is a member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. Accordingly, the active center and the conformation of the bound nucleotide cofactor closely resemble those of other SDRs. The crystal structure reveals one homodimer per asymmetric unit representing the physiologically active unity. Dimerization takes place via an interface essentially built-up by helix alphaG and strand betaG of each subunit. So far this type of intermolecular contact has exclusively been observed in homotetrameric SDRs but never in the structure of a homodimeric SDR. The formation of a tetramer is blocked in 3alpha-HSDH by the presence of a predominantly alpha-helical subdomain which is missing in all other SDRs of known structure.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2001

Functional expression, characterization, and purification of the catalytic domain of human 11-beta -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1.

11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 catalyzes the conversion of cortisone to hormonally active cortisol and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of disorders including insulin resistance and obesity. The enzyme is a glycosylated membrane-bound protein that has proved difficult to purify in an active state. Extracted enzyme typically loses the reductase properties seen in intact cells and shows principally dehydrogenase activity. The C-terminal catalytic domain is known to contain a disulfide bond and is located within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, anchored to the membrane by a single N-terminal transmembrane domain. We report here the functional expression of the catalytic domain of the human enzyme, without the transmembrane domain and the extreme N terminus, in Escherichia coli. Moderate levels of soluble active protein were obtained using an N-terminal fusion with thioredoxin and a 6xHis tag. In contrast, the inclusion of a 6xHis tag at the C terminus adversely affected protein solubility and activity. However, the highest levels of active protein were obtained using a construct expressing the untagged catalytic domain. Nonreducing electrophoresis revealed the presence of both monomeric and dimeric disulfide bonded forms; however, mutation of a nonconserved cysteine residue resulted in a recombinant protein with no intermolecular disulfide bonds but full enzymatic activity. Using the optimal combination of plasmid construct and E. coli host strain, the recombinant protein was purified to apparent homogeneity by single step affinity chromatography. The purified protein possessed both dehydrogenase and reductase activities with a K(m) of 1.4 micrometer for cortisol and 9.5 micrometer for cortisone. This study indicates that glycosylation, the N-terminal region including the transmembrane helix, and intermolecular disulfide bonds are not essential for enzyme activity and that expression in bacteria can provide active recombinant protein for future structural and functional studies.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1↗
PubMed2001

The intracellular localization of the mineralocorticoid receptor is regulated by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2.

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) type 2 has been considered to protect the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) by converting 11beta-hydroxyglucocorticoids into their inactive 11-keto forms, thereby providing specificity to the MR for aldosterone. To investigate the functional protection of the MR by 11beta-HSD2, we coexpressed epitope-tagged MR and 11beta-HSD2 in HEK-293 cells lacking 11beta-HSD2 activity and analyzed their subcellular localization by fluorescence microscopy. When expressed alone in the absence of hormones, the MR was both cytoplasmic and nuclear. However, when coexpressed with 11beta-HSD2, the MR displayed a reticular distribution pattern, suggesting association with 11beta-HSD2 at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The endoplasmic reticulum membrane localization of the MR was observed upon coexpression only with 11beta-HSD2, but not with 11beta-HSD1 or other steroid-metabolizing enzymes. Aldosterone induced rapid nuclear translocation of the MR, whereas moderate cortisol concentrations (10-200 nm) did not activate the receptor, due to 11beta-HSD2-dependent oxidation to cortisone. Compromised 11beta-HSD2 activity (due to genetic mutations, the presence of inhibitors, or saturating cortisol concentrations) led to cortisol-induced nuclear accumulation of the MR. Surprisingly, the 11beta-HSD2 product cortisone blocked the aldosterone-induced MR activation by a strictly 11beta-HSD2-dependent mechanism. Our results provide evidence that 11beta-HSD2, besides inactivating 11beta-hydroxyglucocorticoids, functionally interacts with the MR and directly regulates the magnitude of aldosterone-induced MR activation.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2↗
PubMed2001

Improved lipid and lipoprotein profile, hepatic insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance in 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 null mice.

Excess tissue glucocorticoid action may underlie the dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance of the metabolic syndrome. 11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD-1) catalyzes conversion of circulating inert 11-dehydrocorticosterone into active corticosterone, thus amplifying local intracellular glucocorticoid action, particularly in liver. The importance of 11beta-HSD-1 in glucose homeostasis is suggested by the resistance of 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice to hyperglycemia upon stress or obesity, due to attenuated gluconeogenic responses. The present study further investigates the metabolic consequences of 11beta-HSD-1 deficiency, focusing on the lipid and lipoprotein profile. Ad lib fed 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice have markedly lower plasma triglyceride levels. This appears to be driven by increased hepatic expression of enzymes of fat catabolism (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I, acyl-CoA oxidase, and uncoupling protein-2) and their coordinating transcription factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha). 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice also have increased HDL cholesterol, with elevated liver mRNA and serum levels of apolipoprotein AI. Conversely, liver Aalpha-fibrinogen mRNA levels are decreased. Upon fasting, the normal elevation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha mRNA is lost in 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice, consistent with attenuated glucocorticoid induction. Despite this, crucial oxidative responses to fasting are maintained; carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I induction and glucose levels are similar to wild type. Refeeding shows exaggerated induction of genes encoding lipogenic enzymes and a more marked suppression of genes for fat catabolism in 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice, implying increased liver insulin sensitivity. Concordant with this, 24-h refed 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice have higher triglyceride but lower glucose levels. Further, 11beta-HSD-1(-/-) mice have improved glucose tolerance. These data suggest that 11beta-HSD-1 deficiency produces an improved lipid profile, hepatic insulin sensitization, and a potentially atheroprotective phenotype.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2002

Chenodeoxycholic acid and deoxycholic acid inhibit 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 and cause cortisol-induced transcriptional activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor.

Inappropriate activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) results in renal sodium retention and potassium loss in patients with liver cirrhosis. Recent evidence suggested that this MR activation is, at least in part, a result of bile acid-dependent reduction in 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta HSD2) activity, an enzyme preventing cortisol-dependent activation of MR by converting cortisol to cortisone. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying bile acid-mediated MR activation. Analysis of urinary bile acids from 12 patients with biliary obstruction revealed highly elevated concentrations of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), cholic acid (CA), and deoxycholic acid (DCA), with average concentrations of 50-80 microm. Although CDCA and DCA both mediated nuclear translocation of MR in the absence of 11 beta HSD2 and steroids in transiently expressing HEK-293 cells, the transcriptional activity of MR was not stimulated. In contrast, CDCA and DCA both inhibited 11 beta HSD2 with IC(50) values of 22 and 38 microm, respectively and caused cortisol-dependent nuclear translocation and increased transcriptional activity of MR. LCA, the bile acid that most efficiently inhibited 11 beta HSD2, was present at very low concentrations in cholestatic patients, whereas the weak inhibitor CA did not cause MR activation. In conclusion, these findings indicate that CDCA, and to a lesser extent DCA, by inhibiting 11 beta HSD2, mediate cortisol-dependent nuclear translocation and transcriptional activation of MR and are responsible at least for a part of the sodium retention and potassium excretion observed in patients with biliary obstruction.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2↗
PubMed2006

Structure-based inhibitor design for an enzyme that binds different steroids: a potent inhibitor for human type 5 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Human type 5 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase plays a crucial role in local androgen formation in prostate tissue. Several chemicals were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit this enzyme, and a series of estradiol derivatives bearing a lactone on the D-ring were found to inhibit its activity efficiently. The crystal structure of the type 5 enzyme in complex with NADP and such a novel inhibitor, EM1404, was determined to a resolution of 1.30 A. Significantly more hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions were defined between EM1404 and the enzyme than in the substrate ternary complex. The lactone ring of EM1404 accounts for important interactions with the enzyme, whereas the amide group at the opposite end of the inhibitor contributes to the stability of three protein loops involved in the construction of the substrate binding site. EM1404 has a strong competitive inhibition, with a Ki of 6.9+/-1.4 nM, demonstrating 40 times higher affinity than that of the best inhibitor previously reported. This is observed despite the fact that the inhibitor occupies only part of the binding cavity. Attempts to soak the inhibitor into crystals of the binary complex with NADP were unsuccessful, yielding a structure with a polyethylene glycol fragment occupying the substrate binding site. The relative crystal packing is discussed. Combined studies of small molecule inhibitor synthesis, x-ray crystallography, enzyme inhibition, and molecular modeling make it possible to analyze the plasticity of the substrate binding site of the enzyme, which is essential for developing more potent and specific inhibitors for hormone-dependent cancer therapy.

17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗