PubMed HealthSearch

PubMed · 6332300

An improved method for evaluating testosterone biosynthetic defects.

Abstract

A double-label, double-substrate incubation technique has been developed and used to study the conversion of progesterone to testosterone in testes extracts from incompletely virilized males. The procedure involves separation of the microsomes from a testicular homogenate, incubating the microsomes with 1 microM [7-3H] progesterone, 1 microM 17-hydroxy[4-14C]progesterone, and 0.25 mM NADPH in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer at 37 degrees C. Steroid precursors and products are separated by column chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 with a solvent system of isoctane:ethyl acetate:methanol (4:1:1 by volume). These procedures can be completed in 2 days, and thus the method represents an improvement in time, reproducibility, and simplicity when compared to techniques based on thin layer or paper chromatography. The method has been used to distinguish the biochemical abnormality in three cases with XY sex chromatin, posterior labial fusion, clitoromegaly, and hypospadias. The abnormalities identified were: Case 1, no defect in testosterone synthesis (probable androgen insensitivity); Case 2, 17-ketosteroid reductase deficiency; and Case 3, steroid-17, 20-lyase deficiency.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

F I Chasalow, S L Blethen, H B Marr, F S French. 1984. An improved method for evaluating testosterone biosynthetic defects.. https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198408000-00018

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

Redox cycling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon o-quinones: reversal of superoxide dismutase inhibition by ascorbate.

When redox cycling of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon o-quinones is catalyzed by the 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, autooxidation of the hydroquinone is a free radical chain reaction in which superoxide anion is the propagating species. Superoxide dismutase inhibits the redox cycling of these quinones, and ascorbate reverses this inhibition. Studies of the mechanism, using 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, show that ascorbate competes with superoxide dismutase for the superoxide anion; the ascorbyl radical formed then oxidizes the hydroquinone. In this mechanism, ascorbyl radical participates in chain propagation. The reversal of superoxide dismutase inhibition by ascorbate is observed when other two-electron reductases catalyze the cycling, and it occurs in the absence of metal ions. Although ascorbate is generally thought to be an antioxidant, it behaves as a prooxidant in the experiments reported here.

17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases

Active site directed mutagenesis of 3 beta/17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase establishes differential effects on short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase reactions.

Mutagenetic replacements of conserved residues within the active site of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily were studied using prokaryotic 3 beta/17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta/17 beta-HSD) from Comamonas testosteroni as a model system. The results provide novel data to establish Ser 138 as a member of a catalytically important "triad" of residues also involving Tyr151 and Lys155. A Ser-->Ala exchange at position 138 results in an almost complete (> 99.9%) loss of enzymatic activity, which is not observed with a Ser-->Thr replacement. This indicates that an essential factor for catalysis is the ability of side chain 138 to form hydrogen bond interactions. Mutations in the NAD(H) binding region, in strands beta A, beta D, and adjacent turns, reveal two additional residues, Thr12 and Asn87, which are important for correct binding of the coenzyme and with a differential effect on the reactions catalyzed. Thus, mutation of Thr12 to Ala results in a complete loss of the 3 beta-dehydrogenase activity, whereas the 3-oxoreductase activity remains unchanged. On the other hand, a T12S substitution yields a protein with unaltered catalytic constants for both reactions, revealing that a specific hydrogen bond is critical for the dehydrogenase activity. Our interpretation of the available crystal structure of 3 alpha/20 beta-HSD from Streptomyces hydrogenans suggests a hydrogen bond in that enzyme between the Thr12 side chain and the backbone NH of Asn87 rather than the coenzyme, indicating that this hydrogen bond to the beta D strand might determine a crucial difference between the reductive and the oxidative reaction types. Similarly, mutation of Asn87 to Ala results in an 80% reduction of kcat/Km in the dehydrogenase direction but also unchanged 3-oxoreductase properties. It appears that the binding of NAD+ to the protein is influenced by local structural changes involving strand beta D and turn beta A to alpha B.

17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases