Steroid sulfatase and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase activities in mouse tissues.

The metabolism of estrone sulfate and dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate to the free, unconjugated steroids, estrone and dehydroisoandrosterone, was demonstrated in more than thirty different tissues from male and female BALB/c mice. The activity of steroid sulfatase, when expressed per mg tissue, was greatest in both the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands. The pituitary gland, however, had the lowest capacity for hydrolysis of steroid sulfates while the liver had the greatest capacity. 17 beta-Hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase activity also was demonstrated in all mouse tissues by the formation of estradiol-17 beta when using estrone sulfate as the substrate. The highest apparent activity for 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase was found in lung tissue, and the greatest capacity to form estradiol-17 beta from estrone sulfate was found in liver, lungs, kidneys and testes. This study demonstrates that the majority of mouse tissues have steroid sulfatase and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase activities.