Chromatographic separation of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids

Deficiency of 5 alpha-steroid formation in guinea pig ovaries compared with immature rat and hamster ovaries

Activities of 4-ene-5 alpha-reductase and the metabolism of progesterone were estimated in ovaries of guinea pigs, rats and golden hamsters. In the ovaries of 20-90-day old guinea pigs, the major C21-17-hydroxysteroids and C19-steroids formed from progesterone were 4-ene-3-ketosteroids, such as 17-hydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione and 4-androstene-3,17-dione, and 5 alpha-C21-17-hydroxysteroids and 5 alpha-C19-steroids were not produced. In contrast, the major steroids formed by the ovaries of immature rats and immature hamsters were 5 alpha-steroids, such as 3 alpha, 17-dihydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one and androsterone, and no 4-ene-3-ketosteroids were found. The 5 alpha-reductase activity (nmol/g tissue/h) in the ovaries of immature hamsters was approx 150 times higher than those in the ovaries of guinea pigs of different ages. In contrast to rats and hamsters, the ovaries of immature guinea pigs do not form a significant amount of 5 alpha-androgens.

Divergent effects of prolactin on 4-ene-5 alpha-reductase activity and production of C19-steroids from progesterone in immature rat ovary

Female rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were used. Two pituitaries from 9-week old rats were grafted in both kidneys of 21-day old rat to induce hyperprolactinemia. All rats with or without pituitary isografts were hypophysectomized on day 26. Starting from day 29, the rats in groups of 8-11 were injected daily with 5 micrograms NIH-LH-S19 or saline for 3 days. Ovarian homogenates from these rats on day 32 were incubated with [14C]4-androstene-3,17-dione or [3H]progesterone and steroid metabolism was estimated. In the hypophysectomized rat ovary, the 5 alpha-reductase activity was stimulated significantly by LH. Although pituitary isograft alone had no stimulative effect on 5 alpha-reductase activity of the hypophysectomized rat ovary, concomitant treatment with LH and pituitary isograft (prolactin) had an additive effect. Formation of the sum of C19-steroids from progesterone in the hypophysectomized rat ovary was stimulated markedly by LH but reduced slightly by prolactin. The LH-induced production of C19-steroids from progesterone was inhibited markedly by prolactin. These results indicate that prolactin treatment inhibits basal and LH-induced production of C19-steroids from progesterone but stimulates LH-induced 4-ene-5 alpha-reductase activity in immature rat ovary.

5 beta- and 5 alpha-reductases for 4-ene-3-ketosteroids in golden hamster ovaries at different stages of development

Ovarian homogenates from 10-, 23- 128- and 60-day-old golden hamsters were incubated with [14C]-4-androstene-3,17-dione or [7-3H]-progesterone in the presence of NADPH and enzyme activities and metabolism of progesterone were estimated. A rapid increase in uterine weight was found around 28 days of age. The activity of 5 alpha-reductase was very high in the ovaries of 23-day-old hamsters (647 +/- 117 (SD) nmol/g tissue/h), high in those of 28-day-old hamsters (135 +/- 4) and low in those of 10- and 60-day-old animals (20 +/- 16, 39 +/- 11). However, the activity of 5 beta-reductase was high in all ovaries of golden hamsters at different stages of development (84-132 nmol/g tissue/h). The major C-21-17-hydroxysteroids and C19-steroids formed from progesterone by the ovaries of 23-day-old hamsters were 5 alpha-steroids such as 3 alpha, 17-dihydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one and androsterone, whereas those by the ovaries of 28- and 60-day-old hamsters were 4-ene-3-ketosteroids and 5 beta- and 5 alpha-steroids such as 17-hydroxy-4-pregnene-3,20-dione. 3 alpha, 17-dihydroxy-5 alpha- and 5 beta-pregnan-20-one, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, testosterone and androsterone. The formation of oestradiol-17 beta and oestrone from progesterone was found only in the ovaries of 38- and 60-day-old hamsters. These results show that similarly high levels of 5 beta-reductase are present in all ovaries from suckling, immature and adult golden hamsters and that high levels of 5 alpha-reductase are formed only in ovaries from immature hamsters, especially those with small uterus. The active 5 alpha-reduction of 4-ene-3-ketosteroids may be responsible for the decrease in the formation of oestrogens in immature hamster ovaries.

The analysis of urinary hormonal steroids

A survey in given of current trends in the assay of urinary hormonal steroids. Both group assay methodology and assays for single urinary steroids are reviewed as are semi-automated and automated procedures and high-resolution and high-capacity techniques, as applied to the profile analysis of urinary steroid hormones.

Simple method for the simultaneous determination of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin by stepwise elution from a short column of weak cation-exchange resin

A simple method for the simultaneous determination of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin using a short column of Amberlite CG-50 is described. Noradrenaline and dopamine were eluted from the column with phosphate buffers containing 1.5 and 4.0% boric acid, respectively, and then serotonin was eluted with 1.0 N HCl. Catecholamines were determined by a modification of the ethylenediamine condensation method using potassium ferricyanide as oxidant and isobutanol for extraction of the fluorophores. Serotonin was measured by the acidic o-phthalaldehyde method. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in discrete regions of rat brain.