cortisone

cortisone (CAS No.: 53-06-5) is a naturally occurring glucocorticoid and an oxidized metabolite of cortisol that functions as a biologically inactive precursor requiring enzymatic activation to exert physiological effects. It is interconverted with the active glucocorticoid hydrocortisone through the action of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoforms, with 11β-HSD1 mediating its reduction to receptor-active cortisol and 11β-HSD2 catalyzing the reverse process, thereby regulating local glucocorticoid signaling. Although cortisone itself exhibits minimal direct affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor under physiological conditions, it serves as a key reservoir in glucocorticoid metabolism and can modulate receptor engagement indirectly through conversion to cortisol, influencing pathways involved in inflammation, immune response, and metabolic homeostasis. At elevated concentrations, cortisone may partially interfere with glucocorticoid receptor binding dynamics, contributing to its observed immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. In vitro and in vivo studies typically evaluate cortisone within concentration ranges spanning the nanomolar to micromolar scale, depending on the activity of endogenous or engineered metabolic enzymes in the system. It is widely applied in cell-based assays and animal models to investigate glucocorticoid metabolism, enzyme regulation, and steroid hormone signaling, as well as in drug discovery efforts targeting 11β-HSD enzymes or glucocorticoid-mediated pathways, with experimental dosing and exposure conditions tailored to specific research objectives.