Serum levels of 16-dehydropregnenolone sulfate during the early neonatal period.
We have established a method for quantifying serum 16-dehydropregnenolone (3beta-hydroxy-5,16-pregnadien-20-one) sulfate (16-DHP S) by GC-MS. The levels of 16-DHP S at birth were compared in infants grouped as extremely immature (gestational age: 22-27 weeks), pre-term (gestational age: 28-36 weeks) and full-term (gestational age: 37-41 weeks). The average of the serum concentration of 16-DHP S in full-term infants was 0.172+/-0.104 micromol/l (n=10, mean+/-S.D.) which was significantly higher than the levels of the extremely immature (0.106+/-0.054 micromol/l, n=14, p<0.05) and pre-term infants (0.088+/-0.066 micromol/l, n=33, p<0.01). However, 16-DHP S in sera from normal adults (age 22-73 years, n=40) was not detected. We investigated chronological changes in serum levels of 16-DHP S during the early neonatal period. In extremely immature and pre-term infants, these levels were significantly higher at 2-7 d than those of 16-DHP S at day 0 (p<0.001). The levels at 8-18 d were still significantly higher than those at day 0 (p<0.05), but in full-term infants, these levels did not change at days 0 and 2-7. These results indicate that 16-DHP S is a steroid specific to fetuses and neonates and the involution of the fetal adrenal gland does not affect its serum levels in the early neonatal period.
Tagawa
N
N
Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Motoyamakita-machi, Higashinada-ku, Japan.
Nakata
Y
Y
Kusuda
S
S
Kobayashi
Y
Y
Watanabe
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008875:Middle Aged; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013431:Sulfates / Q000097:blood
D013431:Sulfates; C003592:16-dehydropregnenolone; D011284:Pregnenolone