Effects of cortisol and oestradiol on hepatic 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and glucocorticoid receptor proteins in late-gestation sheep fetus

In the late-gestation sheep, increased fetal plasma cortisol concentration and placental oestradiol (E(2)) output contribute to fetal organ maturation, in addition to the onset of parturition. Both cortisol and E(2) are believed to regulate the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1), which interconverts bioactive 11-hydroxy glucocorticoids and their inactive 11-keto metabolites. 11beta-HSD1, abundantly expressed in …