Familial clustering in the polycystic ovarian syndrome.

To assess the degree of familial clustering and the mode of inheritance of the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCO), the prevalence of PCO-related symptoms among first- and second-degree relatives of 132 PCO patients and 71 controls was studied using questionnaire data. 19.7% of male first-degree relatives of PCO patients were reported to have early baldness or excessive hairiness, as opposed to 6.5% of relatives of controls. For female first-degree relatives, the percentages for PCO-related symptoms were 31.4 and 3.2, respectively, in the two groups. In a subgroup of 52 families of PCO patients where one of the parents was reported to have symptoms, 35% of brothers and 58% of sisters had symptoms. Although autosomal dominant inheritance could be excluded as an explanation for PCO in the whole data set, the findings were consistent with this mode of inheritance for a sizeable fraction of families. X-linked dominant inheritance of PCO could be discarded.

5 alpha-reductase activity in stroma and epithelium of rat prostate and epididymis. A contribution to elucidation of the mechanism for development of hyperplastic growth of prostatic tissue.

The 5 alpha-reductase activity was assayed in homogenates of stroma and epithelium in the rat ventral prostate and epididymis. Samples consisting of a 0.3 mg/ml tissue protein in TES buffer, pH 7.0 were incubated at 37 degrees C for 30 min in the presence of 50 nM [1,2-3H]testosterone and a NADPH-generating system started with 5 x 10(-4) M NADP. The yield of 5 alpha-reduced metabolites, as established by using thin-layer chromatography, gave an estimate of enzyme activity. Whereas the specific activity of 5 alpha-reductase was highest in prostatic stroma and epididymal epithelium, most of the total enzyme activity was associated with the epithelium in both the prostate and epididymis. The effect of dihydrotestosterone on specific activity of 5 alpha-reductase was studied by administering the hormone to 7-day castrated rats. In prostate, the specific activity of both stromal and epithelium forms of the enzyme reached a maximum after 4 days of treatment. In epididymis only the epithelial form of 5 alpha-reductase underwent a major change in specific activity, the latter peaking after 8-12 days of treatment. Furthermore, while the total activity of 5 alpha-reductase in the prostatic tissue fractions could be induced by as much as 4-fold the normal control values, the epididymal enzyme could not be induced above the normal level either in the stroma or the epithelium. This may explain the relative resistance of epididymis to abnormal growth stimulation under the influence of hormones.

Steroid metabolism by normal and neoplastic parotid tissue.

The metabolism of steroid hormones in normal and neoplastic tissue has been studied in the human parotid gland. In vitro incubation of homogenate preparations with either testosterone, oestradiol or DHT resulted in the formation of the corresponding 17-keto metabolite as the major product. Little or no metabolism could be seen when androstenedione, oestrone or 5 alpha-androstan-3,17-dione were used as substrates, demonstrating that the 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSDH) in this tissue favours an oxidative reaction pathway, 17 beta-HSDH activity in normal and tumour tissue was compared using both testosterone and oestradiol as substrates. The activity varied between individuals but was, in all cases, significantly elevated in tumour tissue when this was compared with normal. In conclusion, (1) the human parotid gland contains steroid metabolizing enzymes which favour an oxidative reaction pathway, and (2) the 17 beta-HSDH activity is significantly elevated in neoplastic tissue.

Androgen metabolism by rat epididymis. 8 Age dependent changes in androgen metabolizing enzymes in rat accessory sex organs.

The effect of age on in vivo tritiated testosterone (3H-T) metabolism and on epididymal 5 alpha-reductase and 3 alpha/beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity has been studied on male Wistar rats. Following i.m. injection of 3H-T to 3 and 25 month old functionally hepatectomized rats, the accumulation of 5 alpha-androstan-17 beta-ol-3-one (DHT) by both the caput and cauda epididymidis, prostate, and seminal vesicles was significantly higher in the younger animals than in the old. The total conversion of 3H-T by both epididymal segments was unaltered with advancing age whereas a significant decrease was observed in both prostate and seminal vesicles. The ratio between 17 beta-hydroxy and 17-keto metabolites in the prostate and epididymis of both hepatectomized and intact animals decreased significantly with age. The ratio values for the seminal vesicles showed no significant age variation. The formation of total 5 alpha-reduced metabolites by epididymal homogenates showed a linear decrease with advancing age. The activity of 5 alpha-reductase fell from 16.1 to 10.3 ng/mg protein/30 min. 3 alpha/beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity was unaffected by age. The reduced levels of active testosterone metabolites reported with old age are a result of a decrease in 5 alpha-reductase activity, the ultimate cause of which is most probably an age associated defect in the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular feedback system.

Evidence for androgen-dependent phosphodiesterase activity in rat seminal vesicle and epididymis.

This paper deals with findings implying the existence of an androgen-dependent phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in accessory sexual glands (seminal vesicle and epididymis) of the rat. It is suggested that the PDE activity is not a prerequisite for, but merely a modulator of the overall androgenic response.

Uptake and metabolism of androgens by bovine spermatozoa.

Spermatozoa from bovine ejaculates and cauda epiditymidis were incubated with either tritiated 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstane-3-one (DHT) or 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (3 alpha-diol). Examination of the medium incubations demonstrated metabolic conversion of both DHT and 3 alpha-diol when these steriods were incubated with ejaculated sperm. In addition to this interconversion, the following metabolities were identified: 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, (3 beta-diol), androsterone and 5 alpha-androstane-3, 17-dione (5 alpha-A-dione). Incubations with cauda spermatozoa showed similar metabolic patterns. Androgen binding was exhibited by both sperm types. Examination of the washed cauda sperm pellet, following incubations with 3 alpha-diol showed that the incubated steroid was the most abundantly bound. DHT and 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 alpha-ol (delta 16-3 alpha-ol1 were also detected. The major part of the radioactivity bound in the sperm pellet was identified as DHT when this steroid was used as the substrate; the remaining radioactivity consisted of 3 alpha-diol and delta 16-3 alpha-ol. Investigations of ejaculated sperm pellets gave similar results apart from the additional identification of 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 one (delta 16-3-one) and 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-ol (delta 16-3 beta-ol (delta 16-3 beta-ol).