17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1, 2, 3, and 4 Expression and Enzyme Activity in Human Anterior Pituitary Adenomas

Abstract

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17βHSD) isoforms reversibly catalyze the final step in the formation of estradiol (E2) from estrone (E1) and the formation of testosterone from androstenedione. We have investigated 17βHSD type 1, 2, 3, and 4 gene expression and 17βHSD estrogenic activity in human anterior pituitary adenomas. 17βHSD messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression was studied by RT-PCR in 42 pituitary tumors and 3 normal pituitaries, 17βHSD activity was studied in 11 tumors and 17βHSD type 1 was immunolocalized in vitro in 6 tumors. 17βHSD type 1 gene expression was detected in 34 of 42 adenomas in all tumor subtypes; 17βHSD type 2 mRNA was detected in 18 of 42 adenomas, but not in prolactinomas; 17βHSD type 3 mRNA was detected in 12 of 42 adenomas, but not in corticotropinomas; 17βHSD type 4 was expressed in 20 of 42 adenomas by all adenoma subtypes. Reversible 17βHSD activity was found in 9 of 11 adenomas, and 17βHSD type 1 immunopositivity was cytoplasmically distributed in all 6 adenomas in vitro. All 4 17βHSD isoforms are variably expressed in human anterior pituitary adenomas, which also show 17βHSD enzyme activity, suggesting that 17βHSD may play an important role in regulating the local cellular levels of estradiol.