title: Determination of 17alpha-hydroxypregnenolone sulfate and its application in diagnostics.
abstract: New combined radioimmunoassay for determination of 17-hydroxypregnenolone sulfate (17-PregS) involving the hydrolysis of analyte by methanolysis was developed. 17-PregS, in addition to being secreted by the adrenals, is also formed by peripheral sulfoconjugation of 17-hydroxypregnenolone (17-Preg) or directly by hydroxylation of pregnenolone sulfate with 17alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20lyase. The measurement of 17-PregS can be used as a tool for detection of enzymatic deficiency particularly in pregnancy and for detection of congenital adrenal hyperplasia or gonadal dysfunction. The serum levels of 17-PregS, 17-Preg, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, pregnenolone and pregnenolone sulfate were measured in different age groups of human and in pregnant women respecting the age of gestation. The levels of 17-PregS are approximately three times higher than the levels of free 17-Preg in all subject groups. The levels of 17-PregS during pregnancy reached the local minimum in the 3rd month of gestation. The ratio of 17-PregS to free 17-Preg showed increasing profile during pregnancy with a maximum in the 8th month of gestation. These findings indicate that, the conversion of pregnenolone sulfate to 17-PregS is the major metabolic pathway for biosynthesis of 17-PregS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Národní 8, 11694 Prague 1, Czech Republic. hhavlikova@endo.cz
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vceláková
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Oldrich
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lapcík
authors.forename: Antonín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parízek
mesh_terms: D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: C032535:17-hydroxypregnenolone sulfate; D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone