title: Evaluation of human hepatocyte incubation as a new tool for metabolism study of androstenedione and norandrostenedione in a doping control perspective.
abstract: Human hepatocyte incubations were used to study the metabolism of precursors of testosterone and nortestosterone and to evaluate qualitatively the correlation between in vitro and published in vivo urinary metabolic profiles. Both phase I and phase II biotransformations were observed in vitro: oxidoreduction at C-3 and C-17, reduction at C-4,5, hydroxylation at C-6 beta and C-16, glucuronidation and sulfation. All major metabolites detected in urine following oral administration of androstenedione and norandrostenedione were present in human hepatocyte incubations. The good correlation between in vitro and in vivo metabolic profiles indicates that hepatocyte incubations can be a useful tool to identify and characterize metabolites that could be potential urinary markers for detection of steroid abuse by athletes.
authors.affiliation: Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research, P O Box 1005, Pointe-Claire-Dorval, H9R 4P8, Québec, Canada. jeanfrancois_levesque@merck.com
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lévesque
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaudreault
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Houle
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chauret
mesh_terms: D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004300:Doping in Sports; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000735:Androstenedione