Species differences of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 function in human and rat term placenta determined via LC-MS/MS

摘要

Introduction: Glucocorticoid-induced fetal programming has been associated with negative metabolic and cardiovascular sequelae in the adult. The placental enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta-HSD2) shields the fetus from maternal glucocorticoid excess by catalyzing the conversion of these hormones into biologically inactive derivatives. In vivo experiments addressing placental barrier function are mostly conducted in rodents. Therefore we set out to characterize species-specific differences of rat and human placental 11 beta-HSD2 steroid turnover, introducing Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass-Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as a tool for rat tissue analysis. Materials and