16α-Hydroxyandrostenedione explained

16α-Hydroxyandrostenedione (16α-OH-A4), also known as 16α-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione, is an endogenous and naturally occurring steroid and metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of estriol during pregnancy.^{[1] [2] [3]} It is produced from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is converted into 16α-hydroxy-DHEA sulfate, then desulfated and aromatized into 16α-hydroxyestrone, and finally converted into estriol by 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

See also

• 15α-Hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone
• Androstenedione
• 11β-Hydroxyandrostenedione

Notes and References

1. Book: Rodney Rhoades. David R. Bell. Medical Physiology: Principles for Clinical Medicine. 2009. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 978-0-7817-6852-8. 713–714.
2. Book: Charles Graham. Reproductive Biology of the Great Apes: Comparative and Biomedical Perspectives. 2 December 2012. Elsevier. 978-0-323-14971-6. 56–.
3. Book: Vitamins and Hormones. 7 September 2005. Academic Press. 978-0-08-045978-3. 282–.