Pregnanolones, pregnenolone and progesterone in the human fetal tissues of early and midtrimester pregnancy

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Abstract

Endogenous tissue levels of progesterone (determined by radioimmunoassay), pregnenolone and 3α/β-hydroxy-5α/β-pregnan-20-ones (determined by gaschromatography and electron capture detection) were measured in different human fetal tissues of the 11th to the 24th week of pregnancy. Progesterone was the predominant unconjugated steroid in all samples. 3β-sulfoxy-5-pregnen-20-one was isolated in considerable amounts from most fetal organs. The saturated metabolites were present at different concentrations, demonstrating a differentiated distribution of ring-A-reductases and of sulfotransferases. The qualitative and quantitative distribution of the epimeric steroids may reflect hormonal action not only of progesterone but also of the so called metabolites.

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    5α/β-Reduced pregnane steroids are also present in high concentrations in various fetal tissues. For instance, the levels of unconjugated pregnanolone isomers in fetal tissues displayed as mean (maximum) are as follows (pmol/g): Allopregnanolone: brain 35 (60), placenta 53 (41), skin 69 (116), lung 82 (151), liver 9 (19), kidney 75 (321), intestine 85 (145), myometrium 30 (89); Isopregnanolone: brain 211 (494), placenta 186 (308), skin 50 (126), lung 362 (1009), liver 107 (528), kidney 368 (1321), intestine 148 (434), myometrium 63 (220); Pregnanolone: brain 50 (170), placenta 25 (53), skin 0 (0), lung 3 (6), liver 412 (824), kidney 129 (214), intestine 314 (594), myometrium 31 (92) [16–18]. Fetal liver converts the progesterone to its 5α/β-reduced metabolites while placenta converts the progesterone to the 5α-reduced ones only.

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