Increase in plasma steroid glucuronide levels in men from infancy to adulthood

We studied the relationships between circulating steroid glucuronide concentrations and the changes in adrenal as well as testicular C-19 steroid secretion during pubertal development in men. Plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate, androst-5-ene-3 beta,17 beta-diol, androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol and its glucuronide, and androsterone and its glucuronide were measured in 56 boys (aged 3-16 yr) and in normal men. There was a progressive and parallel increase in plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations from age 7 to 15 yr, while plasma androstenedione and androst-5-ene-3 beta,17 beta-diol concentrations increased only at 11-12 yr. From age 13 yr to adulthood, a dramatic rise of testosterone was observed while there was no marked change in dihydrotestosterone or androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol. Between 3 and 11 yr of age, androsterone glucuronide increased from 0.68 +/- 0.24 (+/- SEM) to 2.25 +/- 0.59 ng/mL (P less than or equal to 0.01) and androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide from 0.17 +/- 0.02 to 0.41 +/- 0.09 ng/mL (P less than or equal to 0.01). A further rise of both 5 alpha-reduced steroid glucuronides occurred when testosterone levels increased during puberty. Our data indicate that 5 alpha-reduced steroid glucuronides are good markers of peripheral transformation of adrenal and testicular C-19 steroids. In addition, since 5 alpha-reduced steroid glucuronides are detected before puberty, there must be a peripheral conversion of adrenal C-19 steroids into testosterone during prepubertal development.