Testosterone in the molar vesicle fluid and theca-lutein cyst fluid

Testosterone was estimated by radioimmunoassay in molar vesicle fluid in 41 patients and theca-lutein cyst fluid in three patients with hydatidiform moles. The testosterone concentration in the molar vesicle fluid ranged from 0.4 ng/ml to 28.1 ng/ml with a mean+/-SEM of 6.0+/-1.0 ng/ml while in the theca-lutein cyst fluid, it ranged from 4.7 ng/ml to 23.5 ng/ml. Oestradiol-17beta and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) were also estimated in the molar vesicle fluid. The oestradiol-17beta concentration ranged from 0.1 ng/ml to 26.2 ng/ml with a mean+/-SEM of 10.7+/-1.1 ng/ml. HCG concentration ranged from 18 000 to 150 000 mIU/ml with a mean+/-SEM of 49 800+/-5 000 mIU/ml. A positive correlation was found between testosterone and oestradiol-17beta (r = +0.37; P less than 0.01) but not between testosterone and HCG (r = 0.32; 0.1 greater than P greater than 0.05). Our findings suggest that molar trophoblast is the major source of testosterone.