Hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 6 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the HSD17B6 gene.[5][6][7]
The protein encoded by this gene has both oxidoreductase and epimerase activities and is involved in androgen catabolism. The oxidoreductase activity can convert 3 alpha-adiol to dihydrotestosterone, while the epimerase activity can convert androsterone to epi-androsterone. Both reactions use NAD+ as the preferred cofactor. This gene is a member of the retinol dehydrogenase family. Transcript variants utilizing alternative polyadenylation signals exist.[7]