ADRENAL ANDROGEN CONCENTRATIONS IN ENDOMETRIUM AND PLASMA DURING THE MENSTRUAL-CYCLE

Concentrations of 5-androstene-3.beta.,17.beta.-diol (androstenediol), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and DHA sulfate (DHAS) were measured in endometrium and plasma from normal premenopausal and perimenopausal women (average ages 37 and 48 yr, respectively) at different stages of the menstrual cycle. Plasma levels did not vary with the stage of the cycle for any of the 3 steroids. Mean plasma levels of androstenediol ranged between 2.03 and 2.92 nmol/l for premenopausal women and 1.38 and 1.58 nmol/l for perimenopausal women while mean concentrations of DHA were 20.80-36.41 nmol/l (premenopausal women) and 13.87-19.07 nmol/l (perimenopausal women). The values for DHAS were more variable and ranged between 3.20 and 4.56 and 2.94 and 4.25 .mu.mol/l for pre- and perimenopausal women, respectively. In premenopausal women endometrial tissue concentrations of androstenediol and DHA increase 3- to 4-fold in the secretory phase while no increase was observed in DHAS. There was a similar increase in androstenediol but not DHA or DHAS during the secretory phase for perimenopausal women. A significant positive correlation was found for tissue androstenediol and DHA in both groups of women but the relationship between DHAS and the other androgens was significant only for perimenopausal women. Apparently the increase in androstenediol and DHA concentrations could be due to an increase in a receptor or binding protein, possibly progesterone-dependent, present in secretory phase endometrium.