The support of steroid aromatization by mitochondrial metabolic activities of the human placenta.

The role of mitochondrial hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1.) and mitochondrial ATP synthesis in the utilization of glucose for the support of estrogen biosynthesis was examined in placental mitochondrial preparations supplemented with NADP+, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and 4-androstene-3,17-dione. With 14 mitochondrial preparations, rates of steroid aromatization supported by 100 mM glucose and 20 mM ATP had a mean of 65.7 +/- 7.1 (SD) % of rates achieved with saturating levels of glucose 6-phosphate. ADP, but not AMP, could substitute for ATP in this system. Aromatization supported by glucose and high concentrations of ADP was inhibited by AMP but not by 2,4-dinitrophenol or oligomycin. Glucose also supported mitochondrial aromatization when combined with a respiratory chain-linked metabolic substrate (glycerol 3-phosphate) and a limiting concentration of ADP (2 mM). This support was inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol, the p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone of carbonyl cyanide, oligomycin and atractyloside. Thus, glucose metabolism by mitochondrial hexokinase, utilizing ATP generated either by oxidative phosphorylation or mitochondrial adenylate kinase (EC 2.7.4.3), can be coupled with a soluble NADPH-generating system to provide effective support of mitochondrial estrogen synthesis.