Immunomodulatory 7-hydroxylated metabolites of dehydroepiandrosterone are present in human semen

Seminal fluid represents a milieu enabling spermatozoa to break the ovum membrane and suppress its immune response and, at the same time, to protect male germ cells against infects. Among constituents of the seminal fluid various steroids, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate, we...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 2000-12, Vol.75 (4), p.273-276
Main Authors: Hampl, Richard, Hill, Martin, Šterzl, Ivan, Stárka, Luboslav
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
7-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone
Adjuvants, Immunologic - metabolism
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone - analogs & derivatives
Dehydroepiandrosterone - immunology
Dehydroepiandrosterone - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Humans
Male
Mammalian male genital system
Middle Aged
Morphology. Physiology
Radioimmunoassay
Semen - immunology
Semen - metabolism
Seminal fluid
Vertebrates: reproduction
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Seminal fluid represents a milieu enabling spermatozoa to break the ovum membrane and suppress its immune response and, at the same time, to protect male germ cells against infects. Among constituents of the seminal fluid various steroids, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate, were detected. With respect to immunomodulatory and antioxidative properties of the latter steroids and its 7-hydroxylated metabolites, believed to be at least in some instances the locally active species, their presence in seminal fluid is of particular interest. Here for the first time unconjugated 3β,7α-dihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one (7α-OH-DHEA) and its 7β-hydroxyisomer have been detected and quantified in semen. Eight semen samples were extracted with diethyl ether and following evaporation and solvent partition both isomers were detected by gas chromatography–mass fragmentometry using the ions m/ z 358 and 343 for quantification. Another portion was separated by HPLC and in the fractions corresponding to 7-OH-DHEA isomers the steroids were measured by recently developed specific radioimmunoassays (RIA). Mean concentrations of 7-OH-DHEA as measured by RIA amounted 5.75±1.29 and 5.39±0.75 nmol/l (mean±SEM) for 7α- and 7β-OH-DHEA, respectively.
ISSN:0960-0760
1879-1220
DOI:10.1016/S0960-0760(00)00175-8