Pregnenolone (3b-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one) is the key metabolite in steroid hormone biosynthesis, and is the source of the various steroid hormones. Among these numerous metabolites of pregnenolone, 16-dehydropregnenolone (3b-hydroxy-5, 16-pregnadien-20-one, 16-DHP) has a very unique structure with a double bond present between the C-16 and 17 positions of the steroid skeleton. Although the enzyme(s) which catalyze the formation of the double bond at C-16 have not been identified in human, Kwan et al.
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