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11-Oxyandrogens, such as 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), 11-ketodihydrotestosterone
(11-KDHT), 11β-hydroxytestosterone (11-OHT), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA4), and
11-KA4, are newly specified human androgens. These 11-oxyandrogens are present in the cord
blood and placenta, as well as in the blood of men and women of various ages, and are
produced primarily in the adrenal gland. Accumulating evidence suggests that these
steroids contribute to androgen excess in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency or
polycystic ovary syndrome. More importantly, unlike classic androgens, 11-oxyandrogens
produced in maternal tumors can pass through the placenta without being converted into
estrogens, and cause severe virilization of female fetuses. Thus, overproduction of
11-oxyandrogens represents a new mechanism of 46,XX disorders of sex development. On the
other hand, the physiological roles of 11-oxyandrogens remain to be clarified. This
mini-review introduces the current understanding of 11-oxyandrogens, from the perspective
of pediatric endocrinology.