Corticosteroid side-chain isomerase in the circulatory system.

Corticosteroid side-chain (CSC) isomerase catalyzes ketol-aldol interconversion of the corticosteroid side chain. The enzyme was present in the blood of mouse, rat, guinea pig, chicken, pig, horse, sheep, cow, and human. The patterns of substrate specificity, measuring 3H-1H exchange of 21-tritiated forms of 11-deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, and cortisol, were species specific. Based on enzyme activity and immunostaining of mouse blood fractions, red blood cells had the most isomerase activity, plasma had less, and white blood cells had low but highly variable levels of enzyme. Purified mouse liver CSC isomerase was found to be adsorbed by red blood cells. The results suggest that circulating CSC isomerase is derived in part from tissue sources and is in part an intrinsic blood enzyme.