Neurosteroid biosynthetic pathways changes in prefrontal cortex in Alzheimer's disease.

Expression of the genes for enzymes involved in neurosteroid biosynthesis was studied in human prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=49). Quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) revealed that mRNA levels of diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI), which is involved in the first step of steroidogenesis and in GABAergic transmission, were increased, as were mRNA levels for several neurosteroid biosynthetic enzymes. Aromatase, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD17B1) and aldo-keto reductase 1C2 (AKR1C2), were all increased in the late stages of AD.