Studies on the Secretion and Metabolism of Androgens Using Double Radioactive Tracer Technique

Abstract

Double radioactive tracer technique was employed for the estimation of the rates of secretion and of metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and DHA sulfate in normal subjects and patients with adrenal diseases. Tracer dose of 4-¹⁴C-DHA and 7-³H-DHA sulfate were injected simultaneously into man. The urinary metabolites of DHA and DHA sulfate in the 72 hours urine after injection of radioactive tracers were isolated using various chromatographies, followed by the measurement of the specific activities of the urinary metabolites. The rate of secretion of DHA and DHA sulfate were 12.3±4.3, and 2.3±0.9 mg per day in three normal males respectively, and 9.1±6.5 and 3.7±2.5 mg per day in four normal females respectively. The rate of production of DHA and DHA sulfate were 13.6 ±4.0 and 5.0±1.6 mg per day in normal males respectively, and 11.1±5.4 and 8.7±3.9 mg per day in normal female respectively. These values were markedly increased in the patients with adrenogenital syndrome and a patient with Gushing's syndrome due to bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, especially in a four year old boy with virilizing adrenal cancer, ten to a hundredfold values were observed. While in patients with Gushing' syndrome due to adrenal adenoma, these values were within normal range.