A COMPARISON OF THE METABOLISM IN VITRO OF [7α-3H] DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULPHATE AND [4-14C] PREGNENOLONE BY TISSUE FROM A HILUS CELL TUMOUR OF THE OVARY

Abstract

SUMMARY Tissue from a hilus cell tumour of an ovary removed from a 58-yr.-old virilized woman was incubated simultaneously with [7α-3H]dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHA sulphate) and [4-14C]pregnenolone. The tissue was chopped and incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate glucose medium without the addition of cofactors. Both steroids were efficiently metabolized by the tissue; 78·5 and 1·2% of the pregnenolone was converted to androstenedione and testosterone respectively, whereas 34·6% of the incubated DHA sulphate was isolated in the carrier DHA, 41·4% in the androstenedione and 0·5% in the testosterone.