THE IN VITRO BIOSYNTHESIS OF ANDROGENIC STEROIDS BY HUMAN NORMAL AND »STEIN-LEVENTHAL TYPE« OVARIAN SLICES

Abstract

The in vitro biosynthesis of androgenic steroids by surviving human normal and "Stein-Leventhal type" ovarian slices was studied. The tissue slices were incubated in a Krebs-Ringer-phosphate-glucose medium (PH 7.4) with pregnenolone, progesterone, 17[alpha]-hydroxyprogesterone and androstenedione added as substrates. The incubations were supplied with HCG as cofactor (1000 IU/vessel) and the reactions left to proceed for 6 or 24 hours. After incubation, the medium was extracted with chloroform and transformation products isolated by paper chromatography. Individual substances were characterized by chromatographic mobility studies, preparation of derivatives and spectrophotometric techniques. The following results were obtained: qualitatively no differences could be noted between the metabolic activity of ovarian slices of either origin. Quantitatively, "Stein-Leventhal type" slices showed an accelerated rate of production in all intermediary reactions, especially in the production of androstenedione and testosterone. In addition to the direct intermediaries, four C20 reduced transformation products of progesterone and 17[alpha]-hydroxyprogesterone were isolated from experiments involving both normal and micropolycystic ovarian slices.