Identification of 19-hydroxy-progesterone in human placenta

We have tentatively demonstrated the presence of a 19-hydroxylated C21 steroid, 19-hydroxy-progesterone, in normal human placenta. A 19-hydroxylated steroid such as 19-hydroxy-progesterone, if produced by the placenta, could serve as a precursor for such hypertensinogenic 19-nor-steroids as 19-nor-deoxycorticosterone and 19-nor-progesterone. Freshly delivered, homogenized placental tissue was extracted and subjected to thin layer chromatography. A steroid corresponding to standard 19-hydroxy-progesterone was subsequently purified in HPLC, where authentic 19-hydroxy-progesterone and the sample had the same retention time. The identity of the sample was further confirmed by repeat HPLC after acetylation and mass spectrometry. Our experiment indicates that 19-hydroxy-progesterone is present in term placental tissue, where it appears to be synthesized.