Metabolic fates of diethylstilboestrol sulphates in the rat

Abstract

The metabolic fates and modes of excretion of diethylstilboestrol mono[35S]sulphate and diethylstilboestrol di[35S]sulphate were studied in the rat. Both of the esters were desulphated to some extent in vivo. In addition, significant amounts of radioactivity appeared in the bile as diethylstilboestrol mono[35S]sulphate monoglucuronide. The percentage of the dose appearing in bile as the diconjugate was substantially greater in experiments with diethylstilboestrol mono[35S]sulphate than with diethylstilboestrol di[35S]sulphate. Whole-body radioautography and studies with isolated perfused liver confirmed the liver as the major metabolic organ for both esters. When the metabolite diethylstilboestrol mono[35S]sulphate monoglucuronide isolated from the bile was reinjected, it was excreted in the bile unchanged. Studies in vitro demonstrated that both esters were substrates for arylsulphatase C with Km values in the range 52-76 micrometer. The metabolic fates and modes of excretion of the esters are discussed in relation to the enzyme complement of rat liver.