Bisphenol A (BPA) is a potential endocrine disruptor. It has been shown that it reduces serum testosterone level in rodents after exposure. However, the mechanism is unclear. The object of the present study is to investigate the effects of BPA on human and rat steroidogenic enzymes including P450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxyster...

Both genetic factors and diabetogenic environmental factors, such as a high-sucrose diet (HSD), are involved in the development of type 2 diabetes. In this study, the Nagoya-Shibata-Yasuda (NSY) mouse, an animal model of type 2 diabetes and C3H mice used as controls, were fed a HSD, a high-fat diet (HFD) or a regular diet (RD) from weaning. In C3H mice, HFD significantly increased body weight g...

Glucocorticoids play an important role in determining adipose tissue metabolism and distribution. Patients with Cushing's syndrome or receiving corticosteroid therapy develop a reversible visceral obesity. In obese patients, although circulating concentrations of cortisol are not consistently elevated, local conversion of inactive cortisone to active cortisol in adipose tissue, catalyzed by 11b...

BACKGROUND Rats fed high fat (HFD) or high sucrose (HSD) diets develop increased adiposity as well as impaired vasodilatory responsiveness stemming from oxidative stress. Moreover, HFD rats become hypertensive compared to either control (Chow) or HSD fed rats, suggesting elevated vascular tone. We hypothesized that rats with increased adiposity and oxidative stress demonstrate augmented pressur...

Spreading depression (SD) resembles a concerted, massive neuronal/glial depolarization propagating within the gray matter. Being associated with cerebropathology, such as cerebral ischemia or hemorrhage, epileptic seizures, and migraine, it is well studied in cortex and hippocampus. We have now analyzed the susceptibility of rat brain stem to hypoxia-induced spreading depression-like depolariza...

Allopregnanolone (ALLO) and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) are potent positive allosteric modulators of GABA action at GABA(A) receptors. ALLO and THDOC are synthesized in the brain from progesterone or deoxycorticosterone, respectively, by the sequential action of two enzymes: 5alpha-reductase (5alpha-R) type I and 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3alpha-HSD). This study evaluates 5...

Whether the diabetic heart benefits from ischemic preconditioning (IPC), similar to the non-diabetic heart, is a subject of controversy. We recently proposed new roles for iron and ferritin in IPC-protection in Type 1-like streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat heart. Here, we investigated iron homeostasis in Cohen diabetic sensitive rat (CDs) that develop hyperglycemia when fed on a high-sucrose/...

The bis -sulfamoylated derivative of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE2), 2-methoxyestradiol-3,17-O,O-bis-sulfamate (2MeOE2bisMATE), has shown potent antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activity in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo . 2-MeOE2bisMATE is bioavailable, in contrast to 2-MeOE2 that has poor bioavailability. In this study, we have examined the role of 17B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ...

11Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) enzymes control the glucocorticoid (GC) signaling, which is essential in regulating homeostasis. Our previous study revealed that Eclipta prostrata (EP) affected the activity and expression of 11β-HSD enzymes which might improve the efficacy and reduce the adverse drug effects of glucocorticoid in patients undergoing combinational therapy. However, ...

Estradiol (E2) is produced locally in adipose tissue and could play an important role in fat distribution and accumulation, especially in women. It is well recognized that aromatase is expressed in adipose tissue; however the identity of its estrogenic 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) partner is not identified. To gain a better knowledge about the enzyme responsible for the conv...