Variation in placental type 2 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity is not related to birth weight or placental weight.

It has been suggested that the association between the development of hypertension and a combination of low birth weight and high placental weight can be explained by variations in expression of NAD+-dependent 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11-HSD2 or 11-HSD K) in the placenta. Enzymatic activity and mRNA levels of 11-HSD2 were measured in 111 human placentas taken from normal births. There were no correlations between either 11-HSD2 activity or mRNA levels and either fetal or placental weight. These studies suggest that variations in placental 11-HSD activity do not influence fetal or placental weight in humans.