Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate
or
DHEA sulfate
is a
metabolite of
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) produced by the addition of a sulfate group,
catalyzed
by the
sulfotransferase
enzymes
SULT1A1 and
SULT1E1, which also produce
estrone sulfate from
estrone. DHEA sulfate can also be back-converted to DHEA through the action of
steroid sulfatase.
In the
zona reticularis layer of the
adrenal cortex, DHEA-sulfate is generated by
SULT2A1. This layer of the adrenal cortex is thought to be the primary source of serum DHEA-sulfate. DHEA sulfate levels decline as a person ages as the reticularis layer diminishes in size.
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Polycystic ovary syndrome