Biosynthesis of Cholesterol Sulfate by Slices of Rabbit Testis

Abstract

It was found that sodium acetate- 1-14C was incorporated into cholesterol-¹⁴C sulfate by slices of rabbit testis. Cholesterol-¹⁴C sulfate was identified as such and as cholesterol¹⁴C formed from cholesterol-¹⁴C sulfate either by solvolysis or by enzymatic cleavage. These observations demonstrate that cholesterol sulfate is synthesized in the testis and raise the possibility that this substance might serve as a precursor of other steroid sulfates, although no evidence was found to indicate that such a possible sulfate pathway is quantitatively important in the testis. (Endocrinology82: 291, 1968)