Biosynthesis of Dehydroepiandrosterone in a Patient with a Virilizing Adenoma

Abstract

Pregnenolone-7α-H³ and cho lesterol-4-C¹⁴ were incubated with a homog enate prepared from a virilizing adrenal ade noma. Since dehydroepiandrosterone-H³-Cu¹⁴was formed, and since a metabolite of pregnenolone-7-H³ was detected which contained no C¹⁴, it appears quite likely that a portion of the dehydroepiandrosterone was formed from cholesterol by a pathway not involving pregnenolone. This conclusion is consistent with a previous in vivo study involving the same tumor and the same substrates administered intravenously.