Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1967 Dec;46(12):2095–2100. doi: 10.1172/JCI105696

Splanchnic Extraction and Interconversion of Testosterone and Androstenedione in Man*

Marco A Rivarola 1,2, Robert T Singleton 1,2, Claude J Migeon 1,2,‡
PMCID: PMC292959  PMID: 6074009

Abstract

A constant infusion of 3H-testosterone and 14C-androstenedione was administered to four human subjects, two males and two females, until the concentrations of radioactive testosterone and androstenedione in systemic plasma became constant. At that time the concentrations of radioactive testosterone and androstenedione in hepatic vein plasma were determined. Splanchnic extraction of testosterone and androstenedione and the contribution of the splanchnic system to the blood interconversion of testosterone and androstenedione were calculated.

Androstenedione is extracted by the splanchnic system more efficiently than testosterone since 82.3% of androstenedione and 44% of testosterone were removed from the plasma after one passage.

The fraction of testosterone entering the splanchnic system that is transferred to blood androstenedione was 0.011 and the maximum possible transfer due to recirculation was 0.026. This was 28% of the total blood transfer from testosterone to androstenedione. The fraction of androstenedione entering the splanchnic system that is transferred to blood testosterone after one passage was 0.005, whereas the maximum possible transfer in this system was 0.006. This represented only 16% of the total transfer from androstenedione to testosterone. Therefore, a large fraction of the interconversion of testosterone and androstenedione in vivo occurs outside the splanchnic system.

Full text

PDF
2095

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. COPPAGE W. S., Jr, ISLAND D. P., COONER A. E., LIDDLE G. W. The metabolism of aldosterone in normal subjects and in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. J Clin Invest. 1962 Aug;41:1672–1680. doi: 10.1172/JCI104624. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Horton R., Tait J. F. Androstenedione production and interconversion rates measured in peripheral blood and studies on the possible site of its conversion to testosterone. J Clin Invest. 1966 Mar;45(3):301–313. doi: 10.1172/JCI105344. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. MILLS I. H., SCHEDL H. P., CHEN P. S., Jr, BARTTER F. C. The effect of estrogen administration on the metabolism and protein binding of hydrocortisone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1960 Apr;20:515–528. doi: 10.1210/jcem-20-4-515. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Migeon C. J., Lescure O. L., Zinkham W. H., Sidbury J. B. IN VITRO INTERCONVERSION OF 16-C-ESTRONE AND 16-C-ESTRADIOL-17beta BY ERYTHROCYTES FROM NORMAL SUBJECTS AND FROM SUBJECTS WITH A DEFICIENCY OF RED CELL GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY. J Clin Invest. 1962 Nov;41(11):2025–2035. doi: 10.1172/JCI104661. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. PETERSON R. E. Adrenocortical steroid metabolism and adrenal cortical function in liver disease. J Clin Invest. 1960 Feb;39:320–331. doi: 10.1172/JCI104043. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. PETERSON R. E., NOKES G., CHEN P. S., Jr, BLACK R. L. Estrogens and adrenocortical function in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1960 Apr;20:495–514. doi: 10.1210/jcem-20-4-495. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. PORTIUS H. J., REPKE K. [Hydroxysteroid dehyrogenases, delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase and delta 4-steroid hydrogenase in erythrocytes]. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol. 1960;239:299–310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rivarola M. A., Migeon C. J. Determination of testosterone and androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione concentration in human plasma. Steroids. 1966 Feb;7(2):103–117. doi: 10.1016/0039-128x(66)90019-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rivarola M. A., Saez J. M., Meyer W. J., Jenkins M. E., Migeon C. J. Metabolic clearance rate and blood production rate of testosterone and androst-4-ene-3,17-dione under basal conditions, ACTH and HCG stimulation. Comparison with urinary production rate of testosterone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1966 Nov;26(11):1208–1218. doi: 10.1210/jcem-26-11-1208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. SAMUELS L. T., WEST C. D. The intermediary metabolism of the non-benzenoid steroid hormones. Vitam Horm. 1952;10:251–295. doi: 10.1016/s0083-6729(08)60849-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. SANDBERG A. A., SLAUNWHITE W. R., Jr Transcortin: a corticosteroid-binding protein of plasma. II. Levels in various conditions and the effects of estrogens. J Clin Invest. 1959 Aug;38(8):1290–1297. doi: 10.1172/JCI103904. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Southren A. L., Gordon G. G., Tochimoto S., Pinzon G., Lane D. R., Stypulkowski W. Mean plasma concentration, metabolic clearance and basal plasma production rates of testosterone in normal young men and women using a constant infusion procedure: effect of time of day and plasma concentration on the metabolic clearance rate of testosterone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1967 May;27(5):686–694. doi: 10.1210/jcem-27-5-686. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Southren A. L., Tochimoto S., Carmody N. C., Isurugi K. Plasma production rates of testosterone in normal adult men and women and in patients with the syndrome of feminizing testes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1965 Nov;25(11):1441–1450. doi: 10.1210/jcem-25-11-1441. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. TAIT J. F. REVIEW: THE USE OF ISOTOPIC STEROIDS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF PRODUCTION RATES IN VIVO. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1963 Dec;23:1285–1297. doi: 10.1210/jcem-23-12-1285. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. THOMAS P. Z., DORFMAN R. I. METABOLISM IN VITRO OF ANDROST-4-ENE-3, 17-DIONE-4-14C BY RABBIT SKELETAL MUSCLE STRIPS. ISOLATION OF TETOSTERONE-14C, 5-ALPHA-ANDROSTANE-3,17-DIONE-14C, AND 3-BETA-HYDROXY-5-ALPHA-ANDROSTAN-17-ONE-14C. J Biol Chem. 1964 Mar;239:762–765. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. WALLACE E. Z., CARTER A. C. Studies on the mechanism of the plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid elevation induced in man by estrogens. J Clin Invest. 1960 Apr;39:601–605. doi: 10.1172/JCI104073. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. WOTIZ H. H., MESCON H., DOPPEL H., LEMON H. M. The in vitro metabolism of testosterone by human skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1956 Feb;26(2):113–120. doi: 10.1038/jid.1956.15. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. YATES F. E., URQUHART J. Control of plasma concentrations of adrenocortical hormones. Physiol Rev. 1962 Jul;42:359–433. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1962.42.3.359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES