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Less common metabolites of steroid hormones in human physiology and pathophysiology Not long ago, they have been less common steroid metabolites regarded as mere degradation products of steroid metabolism. Since the last decades, it has been discovered that these substances, which are occurring in the human organism at Nano molar concentrations, are involved in the regulation of physiological processes, such as the immune response, thermoregulation, development of cancer and activity against the major steroids. As the introduction, the presented thesis provides an overview of published data dealing with the less common metabolites of steroids. Experimental part is based on partial studies whose objectives were chosen in such a way to help reveal some of the missing intermediate steps in the mechanism of steroid hormones action. Because these steroids occur in only Nano molar concentrations, the highly sensitive and specific methods such as radio-immuno assay (RIA), gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) had to be used. In the case of metabolites 16α-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and 7-oxo- dehydroepiandrosterone, we developed and statistically evaluated two novel RIA methods. These rapid and sensitive methods suitable for...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common inherited endocrinopathy. This disorder is associated with many complications caused either by illness itself or inadequate treatment. The late consequence of this disorder is a reduced final height. Absences of cortisol, androgen excess, with or without salt wasting, virilization of external genitalia in new-born girls are main findings. Androgen excess causes virilization in girls, accelerated bone maturation and early epiphyseal fusion in both sexes. CAH patients are dependent on lifelong treatment with oral glucocorticoids. Growth retardation and obesity are common side effects resulting from glucocorticoid use. The aim of this thesis was to analyse the success of obtaining a final height that is within a genetic potential regarding to treatment compliance. The other objective was the analysis of auxological profile of CAH patients. This study was mainly focused on the analysis of body height, linear proportionality, the weight parameters, body composition, body fat distribution, skeletal robusticity and body structure. In this study we performed anthropometric examination of 30 CAH patients. 25 of them had completed growth (age: 16,4 to 44,5 years), 12 woman and 11 men and 2 men with karyotype 46XX....