Abstract
The changes of androgen output in the spermatic vein blood of anesthetized dogs were analyzed by gas chromatography following FSH and LH (HCG) administration. A definite increase of testosterone and DHEA was seen following LH administration. No significant increase of androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione was demonstrated, contrary to our expectation.
3H-testosterone as well as H3-DHEA was also isolated from the spermatic vein blood following the infusion of 7-3H-pregnenolone through the spermatic artery in the LH treated dog.The 14C incorporation into DHEA, pregnenolone, testosterone and 17α-OH-pregnenolone from the spermatic vein blood was significantly higher when compared to those into progesterone and 17α-OH-progesterone following the infusion of 4-14C-cholesterol through the spermatic artery in the LH treated dog.
These findings support the view that DHEA is a important intermediate in the biosynthesis of testicular testosterone in vivo, at least in the presence of abundant LH.
