Urinary testosterone-17 beta-glucuronide as an indicator of androgen output in mice

The androgenic status of female mice was assessed by measuring the concentration of testosterone-17 beta-glucuronide in serial samples of unextracted urine. The subcutaneous administration of testosterone (50 micrograms in lauric acid ethyl ester) resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.01) of the mean +/- s.d. concentration of urinary testosterone-17 beta-glucuronide (25.9 +/- 6.5 to 71.7 +/- 12.9 ng/ml) within 2 h. The 2-h values after the administration of 50 micrograms androstenedione or 50 micrograms dehydroepiandrosterone were 22.8 +/- 4.4 to 81.8 +/- 7.8 ng/ml (P < 0.001) and 23.4 +/- 2.7 to 121.8 +/- 20.3 ng/ml (P < 0.001) respectively. The values decreased progressively over the next 24 h. After the induction of superovulation with PMSG and hCG, the values for testosterone-17 beta-glucuronide increased significantly (P < 0.01) during the periovulatory period (5--24 h after hCG injection). The mean +/- s.d. value in pregnancy was higher (61.8 +/- 11.6 ng/ml; P < 0.001) than that in non-pregnant animals (30.7 +/- 12.3 ng/ml) and remained relatively constant between Days 1 and 16.