TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in adrenal androgens and steroidogenic enzyme activities from ages 2, 4, to 6 years

T2 - a prospective cohort study

AU - Kim, Jae Hyun

AU - Lee, Young Ah

AU - Lim, Youn-Hee

AU - Lee, Kyunghoon

AU - Kim, Bung-Nyun

AU - Kim, Johanna Inhyang

AU - Hong, Yun-Chul

AU - Yang, Sei Won

AU - Song, Junghan

AU - Shin, Choong Ho

N1 - © Endocrine Society 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - CONTEXT: The levels of adrenal androgens are increased through the action of steroidogenic enzymes with morphological changes in the adrenal zona reticularis.OBJECTIVE: We investigated longitudinal changes in androgen levels and steroidogenic enzyme activities during early childhood.DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: From a prospective children's cohort, the Environment and Development of Children (EDC) cohort, 114 boys and 86 girls with available blood samples from ages 2, 4, and 6 years were included.OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Serum concentrations of adrenal androgens using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and steroidogenic enzyme activity calculated by the precursor/product ratio.RESULTS: During ages 2-4 years, 17,20-lyase and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfotransferase activities increased (P<0.01 for both in boys). During ages 4-6 years, 17,20-lyase activity persistently increased, but 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17β-HSD activities decreased (P<0.01 for all). Serum DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) levels persistently increased from 2, 4, to 6 years, and DHEA, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione levels increased during ages 4-6 years (P<0.01 for all). Serum DHEA-S levels during early childhood were associated with body mass index z-scores (P=0.001 in only boys).CONCLUSION: This study supports in vivo human evidence of increased 17,20-lyase and DHEA sulfotransferase activities and decreased 3β-HSD activity during early childhood.

AB - CONTEXT: The levels of adrenal androgens are increased through the action of steroidogenic enzymes with morphological changes in the adrenal zona reticularis.OBJECTIVE: We investigated longitudinal changes in androgen levels and steroidogenic enzyme activities during early childhood.DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: From a prospective children's cohort, the Environment and Development of Children (EDC) cohort, 114 boys and 86 girls with available blood samples from ages 2, 4, and 6 years were included.OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Serum concentrations of adrenal androgens using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and steroidogenic enzyme activity calculated by the precursor/product ratio.RESULTS: During ages 2-4 years, 17,20-lyase and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfotransferase activities increased (P<0.01 for both in boys). During ages 4-6 years, 17,20-lyase activity persistently increased, but 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17β-HSD activities decreased (P<0.01 for all). Serum DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) levels persistently increased from 2, 4, to 6 years, and DHEA, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione levels increased during ages 4-6 years (P<0.01 for all). Serum DHEA-S levels during early childhood were associated with body mass index z-scores (P=0.001 in only boys).CONCLUSION: This study supports in vivo human evidence of increased 17,20-lyase and DHEA sulfotransferase activities and decreased 3β-HSD activity during early childhood.

U2 - 10.1210/clinem/dgaa498

DO - 10.1210/clinem/dgaa498

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32750115

JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

SN - 0021-972X

ER -