Foetal steroid binding protein in British and Japanese women

In order to examine the newly-discovered sex-steroid binding protein, foetal steroid binding protein (FSBP) in different populations, its binding characteristics and its level were studied by two-tier column ligand binding assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. In 10 Japanese premenopausal women, analysis of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) binding in the Cibacron Blue 3GA-Sepharose 6B portion of the column showed a rising plateau pattern with a mean maximum binding of 31.1 +/- 7.41%, whereas of 9 similar British women, 8 displayed unsaturable, non-cooperative binding of 11.6 +/- 8.22% (P less than 0.01). After partial purification of FSBP in these samples, the protein exhibited saturable binding kinetics, median binding 25 (interquartiles 23-34) and 19 (13-25) nmol DHT/l in Japanese and British women, respectively (P less than 0.05). By analyzing FSBP by ELISA in 56 Japanese (45 premenopausal) and 59 British (25 premenopausal) women, higher levels were obtained in the whole Japanese group (P = 0.0016) and in the premenopausal Japanese women (P = 0.018) than in their British counterparts. In both nationalities, FSBP levels were higher in premenopausal women, and there was a significant negative correlation of FSBP with age in both populations, particularly in postmenopausal women. FSBP levels did not correlate with weight, parity, sex hormone binding globulin or albumin levels. The influence of FSBP on free steroid levels remains unclear, but some relationship with ovarian function seems a possibility.