17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
| 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency Classification and external resources | |
| OMIM | 264300 |
|---|---|
| DiseasesDB | 32638 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Phone:617-525-6884
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency is a rare disorder of sexual development which can produce impaired virilization (traditionally termed male pseudohermaphroditism) of genetically male infants and children and excessive virilization of female adults. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive condition and is one of the few disorders of sexual development that can affect the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of both XX and XY persons.
Etiology
17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency type 3 (17βHSD3) is a disorder in testosterone biosynthesis. As a consequence of this disorder, normal male sexual differentiation in impaired as well as virilization. In the Netherlands, 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency is estimated to occur 1:147.000 newborns.[1]
Clinical characteristics
17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency-3 is clinically characterized by either ambiguous external genitalia or complete female external genitalia at birth; as a consequence of impaired male sexual differentiation in 46,XY individuals. Further investigations on ambiguous genitalia will eventually lead to findings of intersexuality. Severely impaired virilization (often complete absence of male sexual differentiation) can lead to development of female external genitalia. These females (!) are often discovered when there is absence of menarche (first menstruation) and when they begin to virilize during puberty (slowly become more like a man; deepening of the voice, acne, male musculature etc). At careful examination, testis can often be found in the inguinal channel.
Biochemistry
17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency-3 is biochemically characterized by decreased levels of testosterone and increased levels of androstenedione as a result of the defect in conversion of androstenedione into testosterone. This leads to clinically important higher ratio of androstenedione to testosterone (A'dion/T) (see figure).
Genetics
17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency-3 is caused by gene mutations found in the 17BHSD3 gene. 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency-3 is an autosomal recessive disorder.
References
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
