Abstract
In order to correlate in vitro enzyme activity with clinical data, several enzymes involved in adrenal steroidogenesis were determined in human adrenal tissue, obtained from patients undergoing adrenalectomy. A) Adrenal hyperplasia due to pituitary dependent Cushing. B) Adrenal adenoma in a patient with 11β-hydroxylase deficiency. C) Normal tissue of the same patient. D) Feminizing adrenal carcinoma. E) Cortisol producing adrenal adenoma.
Bovine adrenal tissue and human adrenal tissue obtained at autopsy were used as reference materials. 3β-OH-steroiddehydrogenase (3β) , 11β-hydroxylase (11β), 21-hydroxylase (21), aromatase (Ar) and C17-20 lyase (Ly) were measured, using HPLC-techniques for substrate and product determination. This allowed direct and accurate quantitation of the activity of these steroidogenic enzymes. The results showed a good correlation between in vivo and in vitro data.
Among the most interesting findings were: 1) Very low 3β activity in D. 2) Virtually absent 11β activity in B, C and D. 3) Increased 21 and Ar activity in D.
4) Undetectable Ar activity in A, B, C and E. 5) High Ly activity in A.
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Degenhart, H., Drop, S., Hoogerbrugge, J. et al. In vitro studies of enzymatic activities in human adrenal tumours. Pediatr Res 15, 1557 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00130
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198112000-00130
