Structures and concentrations of fifteen different steroid sulfates in human breast cyst fluids

By applying capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a simultaneous quantitation of all important steroid sulfates present in a number of breast cyst fluids, has been obtained. The fact that prevailing androgen sulfate structures in the cyst fluids are different from those in blood suggests at least intracystic metabolism of blood-born precursors. Particularly greater amounts of 5 alpha-reduced steroids are found in breast cysts. 5 alpha-Androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol is a major androgen sulfate of breast cyst fluids, its concentration being some 2000-fold that of blood. After prolonged topical application of progesterone on the breast, an accumulation of the sulfates of several pregnanediol isomers could be observed.