The profile of steroid hormones in human fetal and adult ovaries.
17 alpha estradiol
Backdoor pathway
Corticosteroids
Fetal and adult ovarian steroidogenesis
Journal
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E
ISSN: 1477-7827
Titre abrégé: Reprod Biol Endocrinol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101153627
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
22 May 2024
22 May 2024
Historique:
received:
22
12
2023
accepted:
15
05
2024
medline:
23
5
2024
pubmed:
23
5
2024
entrez:
22
5
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Reproduction in women is at risk due to exposure to chemicals that can disrupt the endocrine system during different windows of sensitivity throughout life. Steroid hormone levels are fundamental for the normal development and function of the human reproductive system, including the ovary. This study aims to elucidate steroidogenesis at different life-stages in human ovaries. We have developed a sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS method for 21 important steroid hormones and measured them at different life stages: in media from cultures of human fetal ovaries collected from elective terminations of normally progressing pregnancy and in media from adult ovaries from Caesarean section patients, and follicular fluid from women undergoing infertility treatment. Statistically significant differences in steroid hormone levels and their ratios were calculated with parametric tests. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore clustering of the ovarian-derived steroidogenic profiles. Comparison of the 21 steroid hormones revealed clear differences between the various ovarian-derived steroid profiles. Interestingly, we found biosynthesis of both canonical and "backdoor" pathway steroid hormones and corticosteroids in first and second trimester fetal and adult ovarian tissue cultures. 17α-estradiol, a less potent naturally occurring isomer of 17β-estradiol, was detected only in follicular fluid. PCA of the ovarian-derived profiles revealed clusters from: adult ovarian tissue cultures with relatively high levels of androgens; first trimester and second trimester fetal ovarian tissue cultures with relatively low estrogen levels; follicular fluid with the lowest androgens, but highest corticosteroid, progestogen and estradiol levels. Furthermore, ratios of specific steroid hormones showed higher estradiol/ testosterone and estrone/androstenedione (indicating higher CYP19A1 activity, p < 0.01) and higher 17-hydroxyprogesterone/progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone /androstenedione (indicating higher CYP17A1 activity, p < 0.01) in fetal compared to adult ovarian tissue cultures. Human ovaries demonstrate de novo synthesis of non-canonical and "backdoor" pathway steroid hormones and corticosteroids. Elucidating the steroid profiles in human ovaries improves our understanding of physiological, life-stage dependent, steroidogenic capacity of ovaries and will inform mechanistic studies to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals that affect female reproduction.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Reproduction in women is at risk due to exposure to chemicals that can disrupt the endocrine system during different windows of sensitivity throughout life. Steroid hormone levels are fundamental for the normal development and function of the human reproductive system, including the ovary. This study aims to elucidate steroidogenesis at different life-stages in human ovaries.
METHODS
METHODS
We have developed a sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS method for 21 important steroid hormones and measured them at different life stages: in media from cultures of human fetal ovaries collected from elective terminations of normally progressing pregnancy and in media from adult ovaries from Caesarean section patients, and follicular fluid from women undergoing infertility treatment. Statistically significant differences in steroid hormone levels and their ratios were calculated with parametric tests. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore clustering of the ovarian-derived steroidogenic profiles.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Comparison of the 21 steroid hormones revealed clear differences between the various ovarian-derived steroid profiles. Interestingly, we found biosynthesis of both canonical and "backdoor" pathway steroid hormones and corticosteroids in first and second trimester fetal and adult ovarian tissue cultures. 17α-estradiol, a less potent naturally occurring isomer of 17β-estradiol, was detected only in follicular fluid. PCA of the ovarian-derived profiles revealed clusters from: adult ovarian tissue cultures with relatively high levels of androgens; first trimester and second trimester fetal ovarian tissue cultures with relatively low estrogen levels; follicular fluid with the lowest androgens, but highest corticosteroid, progestogen and estradiol levels. Furthermore, ratios of specific steroid hormones showed higher estradiol/ testosterone and estrone/androstenedione (indicating higher CYP19A1 activity, p < 0.01) and higher 17-hydroxyprogesterone/progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone /androstenedione (indicating higher CYP17A1 activity, p < 0.01) in fetal compared to adult ovarian tissue cultures.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Human ovaries demonstrate de novo synthesis of non-canonical and "backdoor" pathway steroid hormones and corticosteroids. Elucidating the steroid profiles in human ovaries improves our understanding of physiological, life-stage dependent, steroidogenic capacity of ovaries and will inform mechanistic studies to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals that affect female reproduction.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38778396
doi: 10.1186/s12958-024-01233-7
pii: 10.1186/s12958-024-01233-7
doi:
Substances chimiques
Gonadal Steroid Hormones
0
Estradiol
4TI98Z838E
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
60Subventions
Organisme : European research project FREIA
ID : 825100
Organisme : Swedish Research Council FORMAS
ID : 2020-01621 and 2018-02280
Organisme : Estonian Research Council
ID : PSG608
Organisme : Estonian Research Council
ID : PRG1076
Organisme : Estonian Research Council
ID : PSG608
Organisme : Horizon 2020 innovation grant (ERIN)
ID : EU952516
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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