Figure 2.

Upregulation of renal 11β-HSD2 mRNA expression and activity by DHEA in Sprague-Dawley rats and C57BL/6J mice. Rats (A and B) and mice (C and D) were treated for 13 and 12 d, respectively, with vehicle (CTRL) or 0.2% DHEA, followed by removal of kidneys and determination of 11β-HSD2 mRNA levels, which were normalized to S18 rRNA. 11β-HSD2–dependent conversion of cortisol to cortisone, expressed as picomoles of converted cortisol per milligram of total protein per minute, was measured in kidney homogenates from rats (B) and mice (D). Data are means ± SD (n = 4 for rats, n = 8 for mice). **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.