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3ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Autoantibodies Are Rare in Premature Ovarian Failure¹

Institute of Medical Technology and University Hospital, University of Tampere (P.P., H.H., K.J.E.K.), Tampere 33101, Finland; Institute of General and Molecular Pathology (K.R., R.U.), University of Tartu, Tartu 51014, Estonia; and Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (I.C.) and Medicine (A.P.W.), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2RX, United Kingdom

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Koit Reimand, Department of Immunology, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 51014, Estonia. E-mail: reimand{at}ut.ee

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a disorder of heterogeneous etiology, and autoimmunity has been suspected as one cause of POF. The steroidogenic enzyme, 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ßHSD), has been characterized as a potential autoantigen in POF as well as in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 diabetes). Here we studied the presence of steroid cell antibodies (SCA), autoantibodies to 3ßHSD and to two other known autoantigens in ovarian failure, steroidogenic enzymes 17-hydroxylase (P450c17), and side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) in POF patients and patient groups with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndromes type 1 and 2 (APS1 and -2), isolated Addison’s disease, type 1 diabetes, and healthy controls. The SCA were found in 2 of 48 POF, 11 of 15 APS1, and 1 of 9 APS2, and autoantibodies to in vitro translated 3ßHSD protein were detected in 1 POF serum associated with Addison’s disease and 3 APS1 sera. All 3ßHSD precipitating sera were also positive for SCA. However, no SCA or 3ßHSD autoantibodies were found in 38 Addison’s disease, 28 type 1 diabetes, and 71 healthy control sera. In analysis of autoantibodies to P450c17 and P450scc, antibodies to these enzymes were not found in POF sera, but were found in 10 and 12 APS1 patient sera, respectively, and 1 APS2 patient serum contained anti-P450c17 antibodies. Our results show that autoantibodies to 3ßHSD in POF patients are rare and are also found in patients with APS1.

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