Inhibition of testosterone biosynthesis by ethanol: relation to the pregnenolone-to-testosterone pathway.
The concentrations of metabolites in the pregnenolone in equilibrium testosterone pathway were determined in freeze-stopped testes in control rats and during ethanol intoxication (2 h after injection of 1.5 g ethanol/kg body wt). Ethanol lowered the mean testicular concentrations of testosterone (by 63-74%), androstenedione (49-81%), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (60-76%), progesterone (29-67%) and pregnenolone (12-25%). 4-Methylpyrazole had no effect on the ethanol-induced changes. The present results reveal no inhibition at the 17-hydroxyprogesterone----androstenedione----testosterone steps, but do not exclude inhibition before the step yielding pregnenolone and at the pregnenolone----progesterone----17-hydroxyprogesterone steps.
D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000378:metabolism; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077604:Fomepizole; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D011720:Pyrazoles; D000431:Ethanol; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D011284:Pregnenolone; D000077604:Fomepizole