title: Cooperative erythropoietic assay of several steroid metabolites in polycythemic mice.
abstract: A blinded cooperative assay of several androstane and pregnane steroid metabolites has been carried out in order to determine whether 5beta-H derivatives are as active as testosterone in stimulating in vivo erythropoiesis. The steroids tested were: testosterone, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, 5beta-dihydrotestosterone, 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3alpha-dihydroxy-5beta-pregnane-11,20-dione and 3beta-hydroxy-5beta-pregnan-20-one. The incorporation of radioactive iron into newly formed red cells in exhypoxic polycythemic mice was used to compare the effects of the steroids. Testosterone and 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone both produced significant increases in 59Fe incorporation. 5beta-dihydrotestosterone, 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3alpha-hydroxy-5beta-pregnane-11,20-dione and 3beta-hydroxy-5beta-pregnan-20-one were all devoid of significant erythropoietic activity in polycythemic mice in almost all instances. Thus, under the conditions chosen, this study failed to demonstrate that 5beta-steroids increase radioactive iron incorporation in red cells of exhypoxic polycythemic mice.
mesh_terms: D000731:Androstanes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006914:Hydroxysteroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011277:Pregnanediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D011278:Pregnanes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000731:Androstanes; D006914:Hydroxysteroids; D011277:Pregnanediones; D011278:Pregnanes; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D004921:Erythropoietin; D013739:Testosterone; D007501:Iron