Expression and activity of aldoketoreductases 1C in omental adipose tissue are positive correlates of adiposity in women

We examined the expression and activity of steroid aldoketoreductase (AKR) 1C enzymes in abdominal subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue in women. AKR1C1 (20-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase), AKR1C2 (3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3), and AKR1C3 (17- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5) are involved mainly in the conversion of progesterone to 20-hydroxyprogesterone and in the inactivation of dihydrotestosterone to 5-androstane3,17-diol. Abdominal subcutaneous (Sc) and omental (Om) adipose tissue biopsies were obtained during abdominal hysterectomies in 7 women with low visceral adipose tissue area and 7 age- and total body fat mass-matched women with visceral obesity. Body composition and body fat distribution were assessed before surgery by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. Women with elevated visceral adipose tissue areas were characterized by significantly higher Om adipose tissue 20-HSD and 3-HSD-3 mRNA abundance compared to women with low visceral adipose tissue accumulations (1.4 and 1.6 fold differences respectively, p<0.05). Om and Sc adipose tissue 3-HSD activities were significantly higher in women with high vs. low visceral adipose tissue areas (p<0.05 for both comparisons). Total and visceral adiposity measures were positively associated with Om 20-HSD mRNA level (r=0.75, p<0.003 for fat mass and r=0.57, p<0.04 for visceral adipose tissue area) and Om 3-HSD-3 mRNA level (r=0.68, p<0.01 for fat mass and r=0.74, p