Corticosteroid metabolism in vitro by human placenta, fetal membranes and decidua in early and late gestation.

Corticosteroid conversion by early (7 to 10 weeks) and late (36 to 42 weeks) human placenta, fetal membranes and decidua was studied. Tritiated cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone (DHC) and 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were incubated in vitro with homogenates of these tissues and extracts chromatographed on Sephadex LH20 columns. 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (11 beta-HSD; EC 1.1.1.146) was present in all these tissues from as early as the seventh week of pregnancy. In the fetal membranes the enzyme activity was present in the chorion, the amnion showing no activity. Only the decidua could convert cortisone and DHC to the biologically more active cortisol and corticosterone, respectively. DOC was not transformed by any of the tissues. No 11 beta-HSD activity was found in amniotic fluid, retroplacental serum, umbilical cord plasma or cord tissue.