THE EFFECT OF ACTH AND PATHOLOGICAL INCREASES IN ADRENAL CORTICAL FUNCTION ON URINARY ALPHAKETOLIC STEROID METABOLITES 1

Abstract

The following urinary alpha-ketolic steroid metabolites were identified by chromatographic studies and spectrometry in H2SO4 or infrared spectrometry or both following ACTH infusion to humans: pregnane-3 alpha, 11 beta, 17 alpha, 21-tetrol-20-one, pregnane-3 alpha, 17 alpha, 21-triol-11, 20-dione, 4-pregnene-11 beta, 17 alpha, 21-triol-3, 20-dione, the first 3 having been previously identified by others; plus pregnane-3 alpha, 11 beta, 21-triol-20-one, allopregnane-3 alpha, 11 beta, 21-triol-20-one, pregnane-3 alpha, 21-diol-ll, 20-dione and A4-pregnene-ll beta, 21-diol-3, 20-dione. Sufficient material was present in the collection of urine from a man with Cushing''s syndrome to permit identification of pregnane-3 alpha, 11 beta, 17 alpha, 21-tetrol-20-one, pregnane-3 alpha, 17 alpha, 21-triol-11, 20-dione, 44-pregnene-17 alpha, 21-diol-3, 11, 20-trione and pregnane-3 alpha, 17 alpha, 21-triol-20-one. Large amounts of pregnane-3 alpha, 17 alpha, 21-triol-20-one were found in the urine of a woman with a virilizing syndrome as the result of metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma.