Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 73, 1210-1215, Copyright © 1991 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) in normal women and women with high DS concentrations

RV Haning Jr, IH Carlson, CA Flood, RJ Hackett and C Longcope
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

In order to determine the contribution of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) to estrone (E1) production in normal women and the effect of chronic elevation of the serum DS concentration on DS metabolism, four normal women and four women with high endogenous serum DS were infused with [3H]DS and [14C]E1 or [14C]testosterone for 6 h. Blood samples were analyzed for radioactivity as DS, dehydroepiandrosterone (D), androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone. Urine was collected for analysis of creatinine, 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), and radioactivity as estrone (E1). The serum DS of 12.4 +/- 1.44 mumol/L (mean +/- SE) in the group with high DS was higher than that of 3.96 +/- 1.0 mumol/L (1.46 +/- 0.37 micrograms/mL) in the normals (P less than 0.005). Those with high DS also had increased 17-KS (13.2 +/- 2.0 vs. 5.68 +/- 0.68 mg/day, P less than 0.025) and a higher blood production rate of DS (PBDS) (126 +/- 21 (n = 3) vs. 54.3 +/- 13.8 mmol/day, P less than 0.05) but a lower MCRDS (10.94 +/- 0.61 (n = 3) vs. 13.8 +/- 0.27 L/day, P less than 0.01) than that in normals. In the four normal women the fraction of infused DS converted to estrone ( [rho]BMDS E1) was 0.00078 +/- 0.00018, the amount of E1 produced from serum DS was 41.3 +/- 15 nmol/day, the basal plasma E1 was 102 +/- 18 pmol/L, the MCRE1 was 1340 +/- 181 L/day, the value for blood production of E1 (PBE1) was 129 +/- 12 nmol/day, and the portion of E1 derived from DS was 30.4 +/- 9.4%. Correlation analysis of the data from these eight subjects showed that 17-KS, PBDS, and the serum DS were all correlated with body surface area, body weight, and ponderal index and that 17-KS excretion, PBDS, and serum DS were all correlated with one another. The most important predictors of 17-KS excretion were serum DS (P less than 0.001) and the ponderal index (P less than 0.05).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. A. Komesaroff Unravelling the Enigma of Dehydroepiandrosterone: Moving Forward Step by Step Endocrinology, March 1, 2008; 149(3): 886 - 888. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Wang, Y.-D. Wang, W.-J. Wang, Y. Zhu, and D.-J. Li Dehydroepiandrosterone improves murine osteoblast growth and bone tissue morphometry via mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway independent of either androgen receptor or estrogen receptor J. Mol. Endocrinol., April 1, 2007; 38(4): 467 - 479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. I. Williams, T. Dawood, S. Ling, A. Dai, R. Lew, K. Myles, J. W. Funder, K. Sudhir, and P. A. Komesaroff Dehydroepiandrosterone Increases Endothelial Cell Proliferation in Vitro and Improves Endothelial Function in Vivo by Mechanisms Independent of Androgen and Estrogen Receptors J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2004; 89(9): 4708 - 4715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. I. Williams, S. Ling, T. Dawood, K. Hashimura, A. Dai, H. Li, J.-P. Liu, J. W. Funder, K. Sudhir, and P. A. Komesaroff Dehydroepiandrosterone Inhibits Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation Independent of ARs and ERs J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2002; 87(1): 176 - 181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Legrain, C. Massien, N. Lahlou, M. Roger, B. Debuire, B. Diquet, G. Chatellier, M. Azizi, V. Faucounau, H. Porchet, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone Replacement Administration: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Studies in Healthy Elderly Subjects J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2000; 85(9): 3208 - 3217. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. DOUCHI, S. YAMAMOTO, T. OKI, K. MARUTA, R. KUWAHATA, and Y. NAGATA Serum Androgen Levels and Muscle Mass in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Obstet. Gynecol., September 1, 1999; 94(3): 337 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Arlt, H.-G. Justl, F. Callies, M. Reincke, D. Hübler, M. Oettel, M. Ernst, H. M. Schulte, and B. Allolio Oral Dehydroepiandrosterone for Adrenal Androgen Replacement: Pharmacokinetics and Peripheral Conversion to Androgens and Estrogens in Young Healthy Females after Dexamethasone Suppression J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 1998; 83(6): 1928 - 1934. [Abstract] [Full Text]