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Blood and tissue steroid levels and their interrelationship in men with pathological conditions of the reproductive organs.

Blood and tissue steroid levels and their interrelationship in men with pathological conditions of the reproductive organs.

Authors :
de la Torre B
Hedman M
Norén S
Sjöberg B
Source :
International journal of andrology [Int J Androl] 1986 Aug; Vol. 9 (4), pp. 241-9.
Publication Year :
1986

Abstract

We have investigated the interrelationship of the levels of 10 steroids in peripheral venous, spermatic arterial and spermatic venous blood, and in tissue specimens from the epididymis, vas deferens and testis from 8 patients who underwent orchidectomy for pathological conditions of the reproductive organs. The steroids analyzed by radioimmunoassay were: pregnenolone (5-P), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH-P), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the sulpho-conjugated forms (-S) of 5-P, DHEA, T and DHT. The quantitatively major steroids in peripheral venous blood were, in order of magnitude, DHEA-S, 5-P-S, DHT-S, T-S and T. No difference was observed between the levels of any of the steroids measured in peripheral venous and spermatic arterial blood. With the exception of DHEA-S and DHT-S, the levels of all steroids in spermatic venous blood were substantially higher than in peripheral venous blood (P less than 0.001). No correlation was found between steroid levels in spermatic venous and peripheral venous blood. Steroid concentrations in tissue from the epididymis, vas deferens and testis were markedly higher than in peripheral venous blood (P less than 0.01 to P less than 0.001), except for the levels of DHEA-S which were about equal in the various blood and tissue specimens. Tissue to blood ratios varied from approximately 2.0 to 500 according to the steroid in question. The peripheral blood levels of 5-P-S, DHEA-S and DHT-S were substantially higher than respective unconjugated steroid levels (P less than 0.001); the ratios (sulpho-conjugated to unconjugated) were approximately 17, 215 and 30, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0105-6263
Volume :
9
Issue :
4
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
International journal of andrology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
2948922
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.1986.tb00887.x