Comparative Placental Steroid Synthesis. I. Conversion of (7-3H)-Dehydroepiandrosterone to (3H)-Androst- 4-ene-3,17-dione

Abstract

Placental tissues from 9 mammalian species were studied for their capacity to metabolize dehydroepiandrosterone in vitro. Placental slices from cats, dogs, cows, pigs, rats and humans converted (7-H3)-dehydroepian-drosterone to (H3)-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione. Armadillo and, on the basis of tentative identification, guinea pig and human placentas reduced dehydroepiandrosterone to androst-5-ene-3[beta],17[beta]-diol. Incubation with rabbit placentas did not yield either androst-4-ene-3,17-dione or androst-5-ene-3[beta],17[beta]-diol. These results establish a capacity for steroid (i.e., dehydroepiandrosterone) metabolism in placentas of mammalian species other than of man and rat.