To study the serum levels of 19-hydroxyandrostenedion (19-0H-A), known as an obligatory intermediate of estrogen biosynthesis and considered to be one of the hypertensinogens, a method using GC-MS with application of synthesized [7, 7-d2] androstenedione (A), [7, 7-d2] 19-OH-A and [9, 11-d2] estrone (E1) as internal standards was newly developed. Normal pregnant women and pregnant women complicated with hypertension near term were selected for the study. The levels of 19-OH-A and E1 increased significantly as gestation progressed [19-OH-A; 224.7 ± 72.1 (1st trimester), 655.5 ± 325.4 (2nd trimester). 1517.8 ± 543.6 (3rd trimester) pg/ml], and a positive correlation was found between the levels of the two steroids. No apparent change was observed in A levels during the course of pregnancy. The mean levels of 19-OH-A in pregnancy complicated with hypertension at 2nd and 3rd trimester were 761.7 ± 348.9 and 1473.0 ± 491.4pg/ml, which were compatible with those in normal pregnancy. The levels of 19-OH-A at delivery in maternal vein (MV) were 1735.1 ± 683.9pg/ml. Significantly higher levels of 19-OH-A were found in umbilical vein (UV) (1977.2 ± 564.9pg/ml) than those in umbilical artery (109.7 ± 49.1pg/ml). 19-OH-A concentration in term placental tissue was 16.3 ng/g.w.w. tissue.
This is the first report to demonstrate the serum 19-OH-A levels measured by GC-MS and also to demonstrate the levels in the cord blood. The results indicate that 19-OH-A may be the product of pregnancy and may be derived from the feto-placental compartment.
