THE METABOLISM OF TESTOSTERONE, ANDROSTENEDIONE AND OESTRONE BY TESTES FROM A CASE OF TESTICULAR FEMINIZATION

Abstract

SUMMARY [4-14C]Testosterone, [4-14C]androstenedione and [4-14C]oestrone were incubated with testicular tissue obtained from an 18-yr.-old patient with the complete form of the testicular feminization syndrome. Considerable biosynthesis of testosterone from androstenedione occurred, but metabolism of testosterone by the tissue was minimal. The small phenolic fraction from these incubations did not contain any recognizable oestrogens. Metabolism of oestrone was almost complete, less than 4% being recovered as unchanged oestrone. Of eight areas of radioactivity found during chromatography, five were shown to be associated with oestrone, 2-methoxyoestrone, oestradiol-17β, 2-hydroxyoestradiol-17β, and 2-methoxy-oestradiol-17β. Chromatographic evidence suggested that an oxo-oestrone and a compound more polar than oestriol were present. No oestriol was found. The results confirm those of other workers to the effect that testosterone is the major metabolite of androstenedione in feminizing testes. Incubation of the testes with oestrone showed them also to possess the enzyme systems necessary for hydroxylation at position 2 and the subsequent methylation of this group. Urinary steroid measurements before and after removal of the testes showed these organs to be actively secreting. Attempts to demonstrate oestrogenic activity in the urine additional to that accounted for by chemical estimation were unsuccessful.