The enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) catalyzes the interconversion between inactive 11-ketoglucocorticoids and their active 11beta-hydroxy derivatives, such as cortisol and corticosterone. We have investigated the expression of 11beta-HSD1 in freshly isolated human peripheral mononuclear leukocytes (MNL). The presence of 11beta-HSD1 mRNA was demonstrated in total RNA by RT-PCR using specific primers designed on the 4th and 5th exons of the human 11beta-HSD1 gene. Fragments of the expected size were consistently detected on agarose gels, and sequencing showed complete identity with the corresponding sequence deposited in GenBank. The occurrence of 11beta-HSD1 protein was established by Western immunoblot analysis with a specific polyclonal antibody. Enzyme oxo-reductase activity was investigated by incubating 12 samples of MNL isolated from from 8 subjects with [3H]cortisone and formation of cortisol was established only in 4 subjects (yield range: 0.15-1.3%) after acetylation and TLC, blank subtraction and correction for losses. 18beta-Glycyrrhetinic acid, an inhibitor of 11 beta-HSD1, reduced cortisol production below detection limit. Dehydrogenase activity could not be demonstrated. It is suggested that, although enzyme activity of 11beta-HSD1 in circulating MNL is low, it is apparently ready for enhancement after MNL migration to sites of inflammation.
J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York.