Human liver contains three isoforms (DD1, DD2 and DD4) of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase with 20alpha- or 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity; the dehydrogenases belong to the aldo-oxo reductase (AKR) superfamily. cDNA species encoding DD1 and DD4 have been identified. However, four cDNA species with more than 99% sequence identity have been cloned and are compatible with a partial amino ac...

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.1.20) catalyzes the NADP+-dependent oxidation of a variety of trans-dihydrodiol proximate carcinogens, a reaction that may suppress their carcinogenicity. Using benzenedihydrodiol [(+)-trans-1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene] as a substrate, this enzyme can be detected spectrophotometrically in rat H-4IIe hepatoma cells with a specific activity similar to that o...

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (API-ESI-MS) was investigated for the analysis of corticosterone metabolites; their characterization was obtained by combining the separation on Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 column (eluted with a methanol-water-acetic acid gradient) with identification using positive ion mode AP...

A high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionization-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-API-ESI-MS) method was developed for the analysis of steroids in a study of steroid-converting enzymes. Separations ware done on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column (eluted with a linear methanol-water-acetic acid gradient) and identification of the steroids involved was done by ...

Dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.1.20) catalyzes the NADP*-depcndent oxidation of a variety of frans-dihydrodiol proximate carcino gens, a reaction that may suppress their carcinogenicity. Using benzenedihydrodiol |(+)-rrans-l,2-dihydroxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene| as a substrate, this enzyme can be detected spcctrophotometrically in rat H-4IIe hepatoma cells with a specific activity similar to that ...

Rare merosesquiterpenoids, craterellins A-C (1-3), were isolated from cultures of basidiomycete Craterellus odoratus together with the previously known massarinolin C (4). Structures of 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1-3 possess a rare, epoxymethylenecyclohexanetriol-bicyclofarnesane sesquiterpene hybrid skeleton. Compounds 1-4 were evaluated for...

3 -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 -HSD) is known to be involved in steroid production and/or metabolism and to be expressed in many tissues including adrenal cortex. Expression of this enzyme has also been elucidated in human cardiovascular system but its details remain largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, we examined the status of 3 -HSD in postmortem human aorta utilizing RT-PCR and im...