Expression of steroidogenic enzymes and metabolism of steroids in COS-7 cells known as non-steroidogenic cells.

ABSTRACT: The COS-7 (CV-1 in Origin with SV40 genes) cells are known as non-steroidogenic cells because they are derived from kidney cells and the kidney is defined as a non-steroidogenic organ. Therefore, COS-7 cells are used for transfection experiments to analyze the actions of functional molecules including steroids. However, a preliminary study suggested that COS-7 cells metabolize [3H]testosterone to [3H]androstenedione. These results suggest that COS-7 cells are able to metabolize steroids. Therefore, the present study investigated the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and the metabolism of steroids in COS-7 cells. RT-PCR analyses demonstrated the expressions of several kinds of steroidogenic enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, 3?-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/?5-?4 isomerase, cytochrome P450 7?-hydroxylase, cytochrome P450 17?-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase, 17?-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 5?-reductase, cytochrome P450 21-hydroxylase, cytochrome P450 11?-hydroxylase, and cytochrome P450 aromatase in COS-7 cells. In addition, steroidogenic enzymes 3?-HSD, P4507?, 5?-reductase, P450c17, P450c21, P450c11?, and 17?-HSD actively metabolized various steroids in cultured COS-7 cells. Finally, we demonstrated that 17?-HSD activity toward androstenedione formation was greater than other steroidogenic enzyme activities. Our results provide new evidence that COS-7 cells express a series of steroidogenic enzyme mRNAs and actively metabolize a variety of steroids.

SUBMITTER: Nozaki M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5794755 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature