ANDROSTENEDIONE AND TESTOSTERONE BIOSYNTHESIS BY THE ANDRENAL CORTEX OF THE HORSE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0039-128X(84)90033-3

An homogenate from cortical tissue of mare adrenals was incubated in the presence of tritiated pregnenolone.The (3H) androstenedione and the (3H) testosterone synthesized during the incubation were extracted, purified, and co-crystallized to constant specific activity in the presence of unlabeled carriers.The rate of conversion of pregnenolone to androstenedione and testosterone was of the order of 5 and 0.15 per cent respectively.The high ratio of (3H) androstenedione to (3H) testosterone observed in this study suggests that androstenedione is the main androgen produced by mare adrenals.It is concluded that adrenals could contribute to the production of blood androgens in normal as well as hyperandrogenic mares.