BIOSYNTHESIS OF TWO STEROID GLYCOLS FROM 17α-HYDROXYPROGESTERONE BY SURVIVING HUMAN OVARIAN SLICES

Abstract

Surviving human ovarian slices were incubated with 17α-hydroxyprogesterone in a Krebs–Ringer phosphate medium (pH 7.4), at 37 °C under an oxygen atmosphere. The substrate was partially transformed to two steroid glycols, designated as X₁and X₂. Chromatographic mobility studies, derivatization, and spectra in 95% ethanol and in concentrated sulphuric acid suggested that X₁might be identical with Δ⁴-pregnene-17α,20α-diol-3-one, and X₂with Δ⁴-pregnene-17α,20β-diol-3-one. Synthetic Δ⁴-pregnene-17α,20β-diol-3-one was prepared from 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. It was found identical with X₂by the above-mentioned criteria.In addition to normal human ovarian tissue, slices of human Stein–Leventhal type ovaries were also incubated with the precursor and the transformation rates to X₁and X₂calculated for both types of tissues.Experiments were performed using as substrate Δ⁵-pregnene-3β-ol-20-one and progesterone in order to study the reaction with biosynthetic 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. The transformation to X₁and X₂seemed to follow the same course as with synthetic 17α-hydroxyprogesterone.