Increase in Plasma Steroid Glucuronide Levels in Men from Infancy to Adulthood

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Abstract
We studied the relationships between circulating steroid glucuronide concentrations and the changes in adrenal as well as testicular C-19 steroid secretion during pubertal development in men. Plasma levels of dehydrbepiandrosterone and its sulfate, androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol, androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstane-3α,17β-diol and its glu-curonide, and androsterone and its glucuronide were measured in 56 boys (aged 3–16 yr) and in normal men. There was a progressive and parallel increase in plasma dehydroepiandros-terone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations from age 7 to 15 yr, while plasma androstenedione and androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol concentrations increased only at 11–12 yr. From age 13 yr to adulthood, a dramatic rise of testosterone was observed while there was no marked change in dihydrotestosterone or androstane-3α,17β-diol. Between 3 and 11 yr of age, androster-one glucuronide increased from 0.68 ± 0.24 (±sem) to 2.25 ± 0.59 ng/mL (P ≤ 0.01) and androstane-3α,17β-diol glucuronide from 0.17 ± 0.02 to 0.41 ± 0.09 ngP ≤ 0.01). A further rise of both 5α-reduced steroid glucuronides occurred when testosterone levels increased during puberty. Our data indicate that 5α-reduced steroid glucuronides are good markers of peripheral transformation of adrenal and testicular C-19 steroids. In addition, since 5α-reduced steroid glucuronides are detected before puberty, there must be a peripheral conversion of adrenal C-19 steroids into testosterone during prepubertal development.