Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH, https://omim.org/entry/201910) results from a deficiency in one or another of the enzymes of cortisol biosynthesis. In about 95% of cases, 21-hydroxylation is impaired in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex so that 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) is not converted to 11-deoxycortisol. Because of defective cortisol synthesis, ACTH levels increase, resulting in overproduction and accumulation of cortisol precursors, particularly 17-OHP, proximal to the block. This causes excessive production of androgens, resulting in virilization.
Slominski et al. (1996) presented evidence that the CYP21A2, CYP11A1 (118485), CYP17 (609300), and ACTHR (202200) genes are expressed in skin (see 202200). The authors suggested that expression of these genes may play a role in skin physiology and pathology and that cutaneous proopiomelanocortin activity may be autoregulated by a feedback mechanism involving glucocorticoids synthesized locally.