Hepatic bile salt sulfotransferases in the rat: sulfation of 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate during development

Bile salt sulfotransferase (BSS) activity for the fetal bile acid, 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate, was first detected in the fetus at 18-19 days of gestation and was twofold greater than for glycolithocholate. The near-term (20-21 days of gestation) and newborn pup BSS activity was only 5-10% of that in maternal liver. The 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate sulfotransferase activity rose by the second day of life to levels observed in the mature male, and to activities greater than the mature female by the time of weaning at 3 weeks of age. Sex differences in 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate sulfotransferase activity developed during adolescence (28-35 days of age), resulting in fivefold greater activity in the mature female compared with the male. Two isoenzyme activities (BSS I and BSS II) were identified in both sexes during development by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion-exchange chromatography of liver cytosol. In the fetal and newborn liver, only one isoenzyme activity was distinctly identified for both monohydroxy bile acids, corresponding to BSS I in older rats. After the first week of life, both BSS I and BSS II exhibited activity like glycolithocholate, but only one peak of activity was identified for 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate, corresponding to BSS I. The 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoate sulfotransferase activity in the mature male was only 20% of the mature female because of a decline in BSS I activity in the male during adolescence. BSS I and II were further purified by taurocholate-Sepharose 4B chromatography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)