A prohormone is a committed precursor of a hormone consisting of peptide hormones synthesized together that has a minimal hormonal effect by itself because of its expression-suppressing structure, often created by protein folding and binding additional peptide chains to certain ends, that makes hormone receptor binding sites located on its peptide hormone chain segments inaccessible.[1][2] Prohormones can travel the blood stream as a hormone in an inactivated form, ready to be activated later in the cell by post-translational modification.[1][3]
The body naturally produces prohormones as a way to regulate hormone expression, making them an optimal storage and transportation unit for inactive hormones. Once prohormones are needed to be expressed, prohormone convertase, a protein, cleaves the prohormones and separates them into one or more active hormones.[4] Often in nature, this cleaving process happens immediately, and a prohormone is quickly converted to a set of one or more peptide hormones.[5]
Examples of natural, human prohormones include proinsulin and pro-opiomelanocortin, but the most widespread prohormones in use are synthetic and labeled as anabolic steroid precursors, used as ergogenic or anabolic agents for muscle growth.[6] A commonly consumed example of said precursors are androstenedione and androstenediol, both of which are currently banned substances in the United States.[6][7] However, several illegal steroids, such as 1-testosterone, are still being produced legally under different chemical names, and the majority have not undergone clinical studies.[6][8]
^ abFriedman, Theodore C.; Cool, David R. (2004-01-01), "Prohormones", in Martini, Luciano (ed.), Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases, New York: Elsevier, pp. 91–98, doi:10.1016/b0-12-475570-4/01074-x, ISBN 978-0-12-475570-3, retrieved 2021-12-04
^Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Miller, Benjamin Frank; Claire Brackman Keane (1997). Miller-Keane Encyclopedia & dictionary of medicine, nursing & allied health (6th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders. ISBN 0-7216-6278-1. OCLC 36465055.
^Dhanvantari, Savita; Cawley, Niamh X.; Loh, Y. Peng (2004-01-01), "Prohormone Convertases", in Martini, Luciano (ed.), Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases, New York: Elsevier, pp. 84–90, ISBN 978-0-12-475570-3, retrieved 2021-12-09
^Alarcon, Cristina; Wicksteed, Barton; Rhodes, Christopher J. (2003-01-01), "Insulin Processing", in Henry, Helen L.; Norman, Anthony W. (eds.), Encyclopedia of Hormones, New York: Academic Press, pp. 359–368, doi:10.1016/b0-12-341103-3/00175-3, ISBN 978-0-12-341103-7, retrieved 2021-12-09
^ abcPowers, Michael E. (2002). "The Safety and Efficacy of Anabolic Steroid Precursors: What is the Scientific Evidence?". Journal of Athletic Training. 37 (3): 300–305. ISSN 1062-6050. PMC 164360. PMID 16558675.
^Pitts, Joseph R. (2014-12-18). "Text - H.R.4771 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
^Parr, Maria K.; Opfermann, Georg; Geyer, Hans; Westphal, Folker; Sönnichsen, Frank D.; Zapp, Josef; Kwiatkowska, Dorota; Schänzer, Wilhelm (2011-02-01). "Seized designer supplement named "1-Androsterone": identification as 3β-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-17-one and its urinary elimination". Steroids. 76 (6): 540–547. doi:10.1016/j.steroids.2011.02.001. ISSN 1878-5867. PMID 21310167. S2CID 4942690.
A prohormone is a committed precursor of a hormone consisting of peptide hormones synthesized together that has a minimal hormonal effect by itself because...
An androgen prohormone, or proandrogen, is a prohormone (or prodrug) of an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS). They can be prohormones of testosterone...
Proprotein convertase 1, also known as prohormone convertase, prohormone convertase 3, or neuroendocrine convertase 1 and often abbreviated as PC1/3 is...
Kexin (EC 3.4.21.61) is a prohormone-processing protease, specifically a yeast serine peptidase, found in the budding yeast (S. cerevisiae). It catalyzes...
as therapeutic targets for some of these diseases. The phenomenon of prohormone conversion was discovered by Donald F. Steiner while examining the biosynthesis...
N-terminal signal sequence and sometimes glycosylation, resulting in prohormones. The prohormones are then packaged into membrane-bound secretory vesicles, which...
This is a list of androgens/anabolic steroids (AAS) or testosterone derivatives. Androgen esters are mostly not included in this list. The major classes...
like estrone, in the body. In addition to functioning as an endogenous prohormone, androstenedione also has weak androgenic activity in its own right. Androstenedione...
Proprotein convertase 2 (PC2) also known as prohormone convertase 2 or neuroendocrine convertase 2 (NEC2) is a serine protease and proprotein convertase...
group that was never introduced for medical use. It is thought to be a prohormone of dienolone. The drug became a controlled substance in the US on January...
the cuticle – without mitosis in the epidermis – under control of the prohormone ecdysone, and internal fertilization. The group was initially contested...
is carried via the blood to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone calcifediol. Circulating calcifediol may then be converted into calcitriol...
BNP is secreted attached to a 76–amino acid N-terminal fragment in the prohormone called NT-proBNP (BNPT), which is biologically inactive. Once released...
A notable exception to this are AAS that are androgen precursors or prohormones, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenediol, androstenedione...
argipressin, is a hormone synthesized from the AVP gene as a peptide prohormone in neurons in the hypothalamus, and is converted to AVP. It then travels...
Enzymes responsible for processing of POMC peptides include prohormone convertase 1 (PC1), prohormone convertase 2 (PC2), carboxypeptidase E (CPE), peptidyl...
released into the bloodstream already fully active. Other hormones, called prohormones, must be activated in certain cells through a series of steps that are...
possible sources, including secretion from glands and conversion of prohormones into the steroid of interest. At steady state, the amount of hormone...
an amateur bodybuilder, initially gained notoriety as "the Father of Prohormones." Arnold grew up in Guilford, Connecticut. At age 11 he started working...
An androgen prohormone, or proandrogen, is a prohormone (or prodrug) of an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS). They can be prohormones of testosterone...
possible sources, including secretion from glands and conversion of prohormones into the steroid of interest. At steady state, the amount of hormone...
possible sources, including secretion from glands and conversion of prohormones into the steroid of interest. At steady state, the amount of hormone...
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