Sex-hormone-binding globulin in human follicular fluid and serum at the time of oocyte recovery.
Androgen binding activity, indistinguishable from sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in serum, has been identified in human follicular fluid by binding analyses (saturation and Scatchard analyses and binding specificity), immunoradiometric assay and Con-A Sepharose chromatography. Follicular fluid was obtained at the time of oocyte recovery from either individual follicles (range 2-7) from seven patients, or as a pool obtained from follicles of several patients who had received a Clomid-human menopausal gonadotrophin treatment to stimulate follicular growth as part of an in vitro fertilization program. Concentrations of SHBG in follicular fluid varied between individual follicles (750 +/- 202 fmol mg-1 protein; mean +/- s.d.; n = 14) and ranged above and below concentrations of SHBG in serum (948 +/- 171 fmol mg-1 protein; n = 5) taken 4 h before oocyte recovery and harvest of follicular fluid. There were strong correlations (r = 0.7-0.9) between the steroid and SHBG contents in individual follicular fluids of two patients. However, the concentration of SHBG in follicular fluid was generally 100-fold lower than that of oestradiol or progesterone, suggesting that SHBG may play some role other than determining the concentration of unbound steroid in the follicle.
Campo
S M
SM
Medical Research Centre, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Rogers
P A
PA
Findlay
J K
JK
D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*
D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol