title: The conversion of 16β hydroxyldehydroepiandrosterone in human serum.
abstract: The circulating levels of 16β hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (16β OH-DHEA) are at the limit of detection (less than 10 pg/mL), unlike the serum concentrations of 16α-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone (16α OH-DHEA, 10-300 pg/mL) in premenopausal, postmenopausal and male serum. A major reason could be the rapid conversion of 16β OH-DHEA to 5-androstene-3beta, 17beta-diol 16 one (3β, 17β-diol 16-oxo) in serum due to the stereospecific structure of 16β OH-DHEA. In ultrapure H2O, there is no apparent conversion observed while 16β OH-DHEA (10 ng/mL) spiked in stripped or unstripped serum is quickly converted to 3β, 17β-diol 16-oxo at room temperature. During this conversion, a further converted product was observed with a difference in molecular weight of 16 Da from that of 16β OH-DHEA and 3β, 17β-diol 16-oxo, which could be their hydroxylation product, i.e. triol-ketone. Under basic conditions, further conversion occurs. The present data can explain the practically undetectable concentration of serum 16β OH-DHEA while 3β, 17β-diol 16-oxo is at the level of less than 50 pg/mL. Serum concentrations of (0.0-9.9 pg/mL for 16β OH-DHEA, 8.9-50.7 pg/mL for 3β, 17β-diol 16-oxo and 10.0-285.0 pg/mL for 16α OH-DHEA are measured in sera of premenopausal, postmenopausal women and men over 50 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Endoceutics, G1V 4M7 Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Yuyong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Endoceutics, G1V 4M7 Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonthier
authors.affiliation: Endoceutics, G1V 4M7 Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: fernand.labrie@endoceutics.com.
authors.forename: Fernand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Labrie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007659:Ketones; C011277:16-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone
keywords: 16α Hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone; 16β Hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone; 5-Androstene-3β, 17β-diol 16 one; LC–MS/MS