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HETEROGENEITY IN ADRENAL STEROIDOGENESIS IN NORMAL MEN AND WOMEN
Author(s) -
CHILD D. F.,
BU'LOCK D. E.,
HILLIER V. F.,
ANDERSON D. C.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1979.tb03090.x
Subject(s) - pregnenolone , endocrinology , medicine , androstenediol , dehydroepiandrosterone , androstenedione , testosterone (patch) , dexamethasone , dihydrotestosterone , stimulation , androgen , hydrocortisone , population , steroid , chemistry , biology , hormone , environmental health
SUMMARY Adrenal steroidogenesis has been studied in vivo in normal men and women. Serum levels of nine steroids on the biosynthetic pathway (the Δ 5 3‐β‐hydroxy‐steroids, pregnenolone (Pe), 17α‐hydroxypregnenolone (17Pe), dehydroepian‐drosterone (DHEA), androstenediol (Adiol), and their Δ 4 3‐keto counterparts, progesterone (Po), 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone (17Po), androstenedione (Adione), and testosterone (T)) as well as cortisol were measured during adrenal suppression and stimulation. This study demonstrates a marked heterogeneity in adrenal steroid responses between different subjects in the normal population. Thus, in three subjects ACTH stimulation from a dexamethasone‐sup‐pressed state resulted in a far greater increment of 17Po than in the other nineteen normal subjects. These three individuals (designated Type 2 res‐ponders) may have a partial deficiency of 21‐hydroxylase activity. In the remaining nineteen subjects (designated as Type 1 responders) the women had a greater increment of Adiol (P<0.05) and a lower increment of Po (P<0.01) than the men, suggesting that adrenal 3‐β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase activity may be slightly lower in women than men.