Quantitative estimation of 17α‐hydroxypregn‐4‐ene‐3,20‐dione (17αOH‐progesterone) in adrenal venous blood and adrenal glands

• Published in: The Journal of physiology 1968-09, Vol.198 (1), p.91-102
• Main Authors: Holzbauer, Margarethe, Newport, Helen M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0022-3751; 1469-7793
• DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008595

1. A method is described for the accurate estimation of small quantities of 17α‐hydroxypregn‐4‐ene‐3,20‐dione (17αOH‐progesterone) in blood and adrenal glands. 2. The dog adrenal was found to secrete 17αOH‐progesterone under conditions of operative stress at a rate of 5‐10 μg/g tissue/hr. This is similar to the secretion rate of aldosterone. 3. The secretion of 17αOH‐progesterone was decreased after hypophysectomy and increased in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). 4. The adrenal gland of the dog, the monkey and the guinea‐pig was found to contain between 0·6 and 6 μg of 17αOH‐progesterone/g tissue. The concentration was usually somewhat smaller than that of pregnenolone or progesterone and between 1 and 20% of the concentrations of the glucocorticoids. 5. A comparison of adrenal steroid contents and secretion rates under conditions of stress indicates a rate of synthesis in the order of 30‐40 n‐moles of 17αOH‐progesterone/g adrenal tissue/min.