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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2007-0087v1 85/10/2457    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chen, G. Articles by Lundström, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chen, G. Articles by Lundström, K.

Gene expression of 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in relation to androstenone, testosterone, and estrone sulphate in gonadally intact male and castrated pigs¹

G. Chen^*,2, E. Bourneuf, S. Marklund, G. Zamaratskaia^*, A. Madej and K. Lundström^*

^* Department of Food Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7051, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; and Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, PO Box 597, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; and and Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7011, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

² Corresponding author: Gang.Chen{at}lmv.slu.se

Androstenone is one of the main compounds responsible for boar taint, and 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ßHSD) might be involved in its metabolism. In this study, the gene expression of 3ßHSD and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ßHSD) were determined by real-time PCR analysis and related to the concentrations of androstenone, testosterone, and estrone sulphate (E1S). The experiments were performed on gonadally intact male pigs classified based on high or low fat androstenone concentrations, as predetermined by HPLC, as well as on immunocastrated and surgically castrated male pigs. The male pigs with high androstenone concentrations in fat had low 3ßHSD gene expression in liver and testis. Moreover, the 17ßHSD gene expression in liver, but not in testis, varied negatively with fat androstenone concentrations. Immunocastrated and surgically castrated male pigs had nondetectable concentrations of fat androstenone and plasma testosterone and E1S, and the castration procedure induced a significant increase of 3ßHSD and 17ßHSD gene expression. The mRNA expression was generally much greater from the 3ßHSD than from the 17ßHSD gene. Furthermore, fat androstenone was negatively correlated with liver 3ßHSD gene expression (Pearson correlation, r = –0.69; P < 0.05), and the 17ßHSD gene expression in liver was negatively correlated with plasma E1S (r = –0.95; P < 0.001), indicating an important role of liver 17ßHSD in the estrogen metabolism of gonadally intact male pigs. Another strong correlation was found between 3ßHSD and 17ßHSD gene expression in liver of the gonadally intact male pigs (r = 0.86; P < 0.01), possibly reflecting similar regulation mechanisms of these genes.

Key Words: androstenone • estrone sulphate • 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase • 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase • pig • testosterone