DYNAMIC APPEARANCE OF [4-C-14] DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE AND [7ALPHA-H-3] DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE METABOLITES IN URINE OF NORMAL AND OBESE FEMALE SUBJECTS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 67  (2) , 184-191
Abstract
[4-14C]-Dehydroepiandrosterone and [7.alpha.-3H]-dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were injected simultaneously to normal and obese female subjects. The percentage recovery of 14C and 3H radioactivies in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androsterone sulfate, etiocholanolone sulfate, androsterone glucuronoside and etiocholanolone glucuronoside was determined in the day-to-day urine collections for 72 h. Results showed a normal total 3H recovery and a poor 14C recovery in urinary conjugates of obese patients. The rate of appearance of 3H activity was not identical in the individual metabolites of normal subjects, and it was not normal in obesity. Overweight subjects exhibited an accelaration in [7.alpha.-3H]-dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate metabolism to androsterone glucuronoside. The observation regarding the rate of appearance of urinary conjugates hearing 14C isotopes correlate with a previous finding in which a glandular overproduction of free dehydroepiandrosterone was found and an uptake of this steroid by the adipose tissue was suggested. The poor recovery of 14C radioactivity in urine of obese female subjects was not an aspecific consequence of illness.