|
General Comment |
Huang Y, et al reported a novel human hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase like 1 gene (HSDL1)
is highly expressed in reproductive tissues.
The authors report the cloning and characterization of a novel human hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase like gene (HSDL1) located on human chromosome 16q24.2. The
HSDL1 cDNA is 3407 base pair in length, encoding a 309 amino acid polypeptide
related to human 17beta-HSD3. Northern blot reveals that the HSDL1 is highly
expressed in testis and ovary. In situ hybridization indicates that the expression of
HSDL1 is predominantly increased in the prostate cancer tissue compared with the
normal prostate tissue, which suggests that the gene expression is important to the
arising of prostate cancer.
The realted enzyme is involved in the conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone, 17
alpha-hydroxypregnenolone to 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and
dehydroepiandrosterone to androstenedione. It utilizes NAD+ as the cofactor. Two
different human 3 beta-HSD genes have been identified and localized to chromosome
1p13.1. The type I gene is expressed primarily in the human placenta, skin and adipose
tissue. The type II gene encodes the 3 beta-HSDexpressed in the gonads and adrenal
cortex. The DNA sequences of the exons of the two genes are very similar such that the
encoded proteins differ in only 23 amino acid residues.
|