Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 30, 2026
Author Spotlight: Semi-Automated Isolation of the Stromal Vascular Fraction from Murine White Adipose Tissue Using a Tissue Dissociator
Published on: May 19, 2023
Steroid sulfatase activity in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue: a comparison between pre- and postmenopausal
Hanna Paatela1, Feng Wang2, Veera Vihma2
1Folkhälsan Research CenterBiomedicum Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central HospitalHeart and Lung Center, Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central HospitalObstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki, FinlandHelsinki University Central HospitalHUSLAB, Helsinki, FinlandNational Institute for Health and WelfareGenomics and Biomarkers Unit, Helsinki, Finland Folkhälsan Research CenterBiomedicum Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central HospitalHeart and Lung Center, Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central HospitalObstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki, FinlandHelsinki University Central HospitalHUSLAB, Helsinki, FinlandNational Institute for Health and WelfareGenomics and Biomarkers Unit, Helsinki, Finland hanna.paatela@helsinki.fi.
Objective:
Adipose tissue is an important extragonadal site for steroid hormone biosynthesis. After menopause, estrogens are synthesized exclusively in peripheral tissues from circulating steroid precursors, of which the most abundant is dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Our aim was to study activity of steroid sulfatase, an enzyme hydrolyzing DHEAS, and expression of steroid-converting enzyme genes in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue derived from pre- and postmenopausal women.
Design:
Serum and paired abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue samples were obtained from 18 premenopausal and seven postmenopausal women undergoing elective surgery for non-malignant reasons in Helsinki University Central Hospital.
Methods:
To assess steroid sulfatase activity, radiolabeled DHEAS was incubated in the presence of adipose tissue homogenate and the liberated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was measured. Gene mRNA expressions were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. Serum DHEAS, DHEA, and estrogen concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Results:
Steroid sulfatase activity was higher in postmenopausal compared to premenopausal women in subcutaneous (median 379 vs 257 pmol/kg tissue per hour; P=0.006) and visceral (545 vs 360 pmol/kg per hour; P=0.004) adipose tissue. Visceral fat showed higher sulfatase activity than subcutaneous fat in premenopausal (P=0.035) and all (P=0.010) women. The mRNA expression levels of two estradiol-producing enzymes, aromatase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 12, were higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Conclusions:
Steroid sulfatase activity in adipose tissue was higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women suggesting that DHEAS, derived from the circulation, could be more efficiently utilized in postmenopausal adipose tissue for the formation of biologically active sex hormones.
More Related Videos
04:46Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice
Published on: February 3, 2023
06:18An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
