BIOSYNTHESIS OF TWO STEROID GLYCOLS FROM 17α-HYDROXYPROGESTERONE BY SURVIVING HUMAN OVARIAN SLICES

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Abstract
Surviving human ovarian slices were incubated with 17α-hydroxyprogesterone in a Krebs–Ringer phosphate medium (pH 7.4), at 37 °C under an oxygen atmosphere. The substrate was partially transformed to two steroid glycols, designated as X1and X2. Chromatographic mobility studies, derivatization, and spectra in 95% ethanol and in concentrated sulphuric acid suggested that X1might be identical with Δ4-pregnene-17α,20α-diol-3-one, and X2with Δ4-pregnene-17α,20β-diol-3-one. Synthetic Δ4-pregnene-17α,20β-diol-3-one was prepared from 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. It was found identical with X2by the above-mentioned criteria.In addition to normal human ovarian tissue, slices of human Stein–Leventhal type ovaries were also incubated with the precursor and the transformation rates to X1and X2calculated for both types of tissues.Experiments were performed using as substrate Δ5-pregnene-3β-ol-20-one and progesterone in order to study the reaction with biosynthetic 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. The transformation to X1and X2seemed to follow the same course as with synthetic 17α-hydroxyprogesterone.