7β-Hydroxyepiandrosterone explained

7β-Hydroxyepiandrosterone (7β-OH-EPIA), also known as 5α-androstan-3β,7β-diol-17-one, is an endogenous androgen, estrogen, and neurosteroid that is produced from dehydroepiandrosterone and epiandrosterone.^{[1] [2] [3]} It has neuroprotective effects and, along with 7α-hydroxyepiandrosterone, may mediate the neuroprotective effects of DHEA. 7β-OH-EPIA may act as a highly potent antagonist of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) (affinity of <1 nM).^[4]

Notes and References

1. Dudas B, Hanin I, Rose M, Wülfert E . Protection against inflammatory neurodegeneration and glial cell death by 7beta-hydroxy epiandrosterone, a novel neurosteroid . Neurobiol. Dis. . 15 . 2 . 262–8 . 2004 . 15006696 . 10.1016/j.nbd.2003.11.001 . 24078411 .
2. Sandra N, Ester P, Marie-Agnès P, Robert M, Olivier H . The DHEA metabolite 7β-hydroxy-epiandrosterone exerts anti-estrogenic effects on breast cancer cell lines . Steroids . 77 . 5 . 542–51 . 2012 . 22342541 . 10.1016/j.steroids.2012.01.019 . 140140008 .
3. Miller KK, Al-Rayyan N, Ivanova MM, Mattingly KA, Ripp SL, Klinge CM, Prough RA . DHEA metabolites activate estrogen receptors alpha and beta . Steroids . 78 . 1 . 15–25 . 2013 . 23123738 . 3529809 . 10.1016/j.steroids.2012.10.002 .
4. Prossnitz ER, Arterburn JB . International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCVII. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor and Its Pharmacologic Modulators . Pharmacol. Rev. . 67 . 3 . 505–40 . July 2015 . 26023144 . 4485017 . 10.1124/pr.114.009712 .