GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC AND MASS SPECTROMETRIC STUDIES ON OESTROGENS IN BILE: PART I. PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Qualitative and quantitative studies on oestrogens by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were carried out on samples of pregnancy bile obtained in the 10th to the 33rd week of gestation by duodenal intubation, puncture of the gall-bladder during operation, or by T-tube drainage of the main bile duct. After hydrolysis of the conjugates the identity of the following oestrogens was established: Oestriol, oestrone, 2-methoxy-oestrone, oestradiol-17β, 11-dehydro-oestradiol-17α, 16-epioestriol, 17-epioestriol, 16α-hydroxyoestrone, 16β-hydroxyoestrone, 16-oxo-oestradiol17β, 15α-hydroxyoestrone and 15α-hydroxyoestriol. In addition oestradiol-17α was detected. The quantitative analyses revealed that all oestrogens seem to occur in higher concentrations in the bile than in plasma. Very high levels of 16α-hydroxyoestrone were found and in one bile sample the value exceeded that of oestriol. The concentration of 16β-hydroxyoestrone was about 100 times greater than that found in maternal plasma and 15α-hydroxyoestrone also occurred in much greater amounts in the bile than in plasma. The composition of oestriol conjugates was determined in two bile samples. Oestriol-3-sulphate,16-glucosiduronate comprised the largest fraction (77 and 62 %), followed by oestriol-16-glucosiduronate (21 and 36%) and minute amounts of oestriol-3-sulphate (1.7 and 2.5%). Generally, the pattern of oestrogens in bile during pregnancy differs very much from that seen in other biological fluids and seems to reflect the metabolic activities of the liver cells.