Expression of steroidogenic proteins in bovine placenta during the first half of gestation

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Verduzco ◽  
Gilles Fecteau ◽  
Réjean Lefebvre ◽  
Lawrence C. Smith ◽  
Bruce D. Murphy

The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence and localisation of the principal steroidogenic proteins in bovine placenta from Day 50 to Day 120 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry revealed that, at all stages investigated, bovine steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P45011A1 and hydroxy-δ-5-steroid dehydrogenase, 3β- and steroid δ-isomerase 1 proteins were found principally at the fetomaternal interdigitations: the chorionic villus and maternal septum. Moreover, caruncular epithelial cells and uninucleate trophoblast cells were the principal cells detected that were positive for the three markers. Western blot analysis showed that only caruncular tissue expressed all three steroidogenic markers; in contrast, cotyledons only expressed StAR and cytochrome P45011A1. Immunoblot results showed a complementary pattern of StAR and cytochrome P45011A1 expression between caruncles and cotyledons at different stages. These observations suggest that, in early pregnancy, the maternal compartment contributes significantly to bovine placental steroidogenesis, particularly for the synthesis of progesterone. Furthermore, the variation in StAR and cytochrome P45011A1 expression between caruncular and cotyledonary tissues across gestation suggests that placental steroidogenesis requires cell-to-cell communication between maternal and fetal cells.

2004 ◽  
Vol 380 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruo SUGAWARA ◽  
Seiichiro FUJIMOTO

The first step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones is conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone. StAR (steroidogenic acute regulatory) protein plays a crucial role in the intra-mitochondrial movement of cholesterol. STS (steroid sulphatase), which is present ubiquitously in mammalian tissues, including the placenta, adrenal gland, testis and ovary, desulphates a number of 3β-hydroxysteroid sulphates, including cholesterol sulphate. The present study was designed to examine the effect of STS on StAR protein synthesis and steroidogenesis in cells. Steroidogenic activities of COS-1 cells that had been co-transfected with a vector for the cholesterol P450scc (cytochrome P450 side-chain-cleavage enzyme) system, named F2, a StAR expression vector (pStAR), and an STS expression vector (pSTS) were assayed. Whole-cell extracts were subjected to SDS/PAGE and then to Western blot analysis. pSTS co-expressed in COS-1 cells with F2 and pStAR increased pregnenolone synthesis 2-fold compared with that of co-expression with F2 and pStAR. Western blot analysis using COS-1 cells that had been co-transfected with pSTS, F2 and pStAR revealed that StAR protein levels increased, whereas STS and P450scc protein levels did not change. The amount of StAR protein translation products increased when pSTS was added to an in vitro transcription–translation reaction mixture. Pulse–chase experiments demonstrated that the 37 kDa StAR pre-protein disappeared significantly (P<0.01) more slowly in COS-1 cells that had been transfected with pSTS than in COS-1 cells that had not been transfected with pSTS. The increase in StAR protein level is not a result of an increase in StAR gene expression, but is a result of both an increase in translation and a longer half-life of the 37 kDa pre-StAR protein. In conclusion, STS increases StAR protein expression level and stimulates steroid production.


Praxis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-34
Author(s):  
Oestmann ◽  
Mullis ◽  
Stanga

Wir berichten über eine heute 34-jährige Frau, die im Alter von 6 Monaten wegen rezidivierendem Erbrechen hospitalisiert werden musste. Als Ursache fand sich eine Nebenniereninsuffizienz mit Verminderung sämtlicher Hormone der Steroidhormonbiosynthese. Die weiteren Abklärungen ergaben bei dem phänotypisch weiblichen Säugling eine lipoide kongenitale adrenale Hyperplasie mit 46,XY DSD. 24 Jahre später konnte in der DNS-Sequenzanalyse ein homozygoter, in der Schweiz vorkommender Basenaustausch des steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-Gens gefunden werden, welcher zu einem Aminosäurenaustausch Leucin 260 Prolin (L260P) führt.


Diabetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 2040-P
Author(s):  
MEGHAN F. HOGAN ◽  
NATHALIE ESSER ◽  
ANDREW T. TEMPLIN ◽  
JOSEPH J. CASTILLO ◽  
SAKENEH ZRAIKA ◽  
...  

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