AGE DEPENDENCE OF TESTOSTERONE PRECURSORS IN PLASMA OF NORMAL ADULT MALES

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Abstract
Radioimmunoassays for the measurement of pregnenolone, 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenediol (5-androstene-3.beta.,17.beta.-diol) were developed. In addition the reliability criteria of these methods were established. Age dependence of testosterone precursors in plasma was studied in 80 normal males aged 19-93 yr. When a young to middle aged group (19-54 yr) was compared with an old age group (67-93 yr) a highly significant (P < 0.001) decrease was observed for all the precursors studied: DHEA -68.1%, pregnenolone -60.3%, androstenediol -53.8%, 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone -47.5% and androstenedione -39.2%. Nine old patients (60-81 yr) with prostatic carcinoma were studied before and 1 wk after therapeutic castration. Approximately 73% of the peripheral 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone, 55% of the androstenediol, 52% of the pregnenolone, 31% of the androstenedione and 27% of the DHEA are of testicular origin in old men with prostatic cancer. HCG[human chorionic gonadotropin]-stimulation tests were performed in 12 young (21-30 yr) and 12 old (69-83 yr) men. There was no significant increase in pregnenolone and in DHEA in both age groups. The relative increase of 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and androstenediol did not differ between young and old men. The absolute increase of androstenedione and androstenediol was twice as high in the young men.

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