The effects of estrogen on adrenal androgens in oophorectomized women

The serum levels of adrenal androgens (aa) are lower in oophorectomized (OO) than in ovulating (OV) women. This study was carried out in an effort to further investigate these findings and to study the effects of administration of estrogen on the levels of aa in OO women. Ten OO and seven OV women participated in this study in which aa were measured basally and after stimulation with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), both before and 4 weeks after conjugated estrogens (CE). Seven women received 0.625 mg of CE, and five received 2.5 mg of CE. Compared to OV women, OO women had significantly lower levels of androstenedione (Adione), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone (T), delta 5-androstenediol (Adiol), and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) (p less than 0.01). In response to ACTH, OO women had smaller responses to Adione (p less than 0.05), DHEA (p less than 0.005), DHEA-S (p less than 0.01), 17-OH progesterone (17 Prog) (p less than 0.01), and 17-OH pregnenolone (17 Preg) (p less than 0.1). Furthermore, after ACTH, the ratio of 17 Prog/Adione was significantly higher in OO women (p less than 0.01), thus suggesting reduced 17,20-demolase (17,20D?) activity. Similarly, OO women had higher ratios of 127 Preg/17 Prog (p less than 0.1), DHEA/Adione (p less than 0.01), and Adiol/T (p less than 0.01), thereby suggesting reduced 3 beta ol dehydrogenase-isomerase (3 beta ol) activity. In response to CE, there was a dose-related increase in aa and cortisol. After 2.5 mg of CE, aa were significantly higher and similar to those levels in OV women. despite the known increases in sex hormone binding globulin-finding capacity and transcortin after estrogen, unbound T increased slightly, as did urinary free cortisol in women treated with 2.5 mg of CE. After treatment with estrogen, there was a dose-related change in the ACTH-stimulated steroid ratios that indicated and increase in 17,20D and 2 beta ol activities. In women who were gien 2.5 mg of CE, these enzyme activities were similar to those in OV women.