The murine 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) gene family: A postulated role for 3β-HSD VI during early pregnancy

The enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase (3β-HSD) is essential for the biosynthesis of all active steroid hormones. The 3β-HSD enzyme consists in multiple isoforms, each the product of a distinct gene. In the mouse, six tissue-specific isoforms have been identified. These isoforms are expressed in a tissue- and temporal specific manner. Mouse 3β-HSD VI is the only isoform expressed in decidua and giant trophoblast cells during the first half of mouse pregnancy. The tissue- and temporal-specific expression of 3β-HSD VI during mouse pregnancy, as determined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, shows that 3β-HSD is expressed exclusively in the antimesometrial decidua on E6.5 and E7.5. By E9.5, expression of 3β-HSD is observed in giant trophoblast cells with a marked increase in expression by E10.5. No expression of 3β-HSD is seen in decidua after E7.5 and no expression of 3β-HSD is seen in the embryo at any of the times investigated. Giant trophoblast cells in culture from E9.5 and E10.5 synthesize progesterone with cells from E10.5 producing about 3.5-fold more progesterone during the first 24 h in culture. Western blot analysis of 3β-HSD VI protein demonstrates that the amount of 3β-HSD VI protein correlates with the amount of progesterone biosynthesis in giant trophoblast cells from E9.5 and E10.5. We propose that progesterone produced during the first half of mouse pregnancy in decidua and giant trophoblast cells acts as an immunosuppressant at the fetal maternal interface to prevent rejection of the fetus.