Activities of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 in different regions of the intestinal tract of pigs

11 beta -Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11 beta -HSD 2) converts active co rtisol to inactive cortisone and thus modifies the availability of glucocor ticoids for the target tissue. An additional function is the protection of the aldosterone receptor in mineralocorticoid-sensitive tissues such as the kidney and the gut. The occurrence of I IP-HSD 2 activity was investigated in several species. Data for the pig, however, so far are missing. The act ivity was determined by a radio-enzyme-assay based on the conversion of tri tiated cortisol to cortisone under standardized incubation conditions in su pernatants of homogenates prepared from tissues of four castrates. Tissues comprised several locations along the intestinal tract and in addition kidn ey, lung, muscle, heart, spleen and pancreas. Highest values of the enzyme activity were found in kidney and very low activities in lung tissue but no activity in muscle, spleen, heart and pancreas, In the gut, there was a co ntinuous increase in enzyme activity from the duodenum (0.60 pmol x min(-1) x mgprotein(-1)) towards the colon with maximum values in tile colon trans versum (23.32 pmol x min(-1) x mg protein(-1)). In the colon the activity w as 10-fold higher than in jejunum and 3-fold higher compared to ileum. The activities did not differ significantly between the colon transversum and c olon descendens.