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Diurnal and ultradian variations of plasma concentrations of eleven adrenal steroid hormones in human males

Tageszeitliche und episodische Veränderungen der Plasmakonzentrationen von elf Nebennierenrindenhormonen bei Männern

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Summary

The diurnal variations of the plasma concentrations of eleven steroid hormones and of corticotropin (ACTH) were studied in ten young healthy males. The plasma steroids progesterone, pregnenolone, deoxycorticosterone, 17-OH-progesterone, 17-OH-pregnenolone, deoxycortisol, 18-OH-deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, aldosterone, cortisol and 18-OH-corticosterone, as well as plasma ACTH, were measured at 30-min intervals in the morning and in the evening and at 2-h intervals during the rest of the day.

Steroids were extracted from 1 ml plasma, fractionated by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and finally quantified by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Plasma concentrations of ACTH were radioimmunoassayed after extraction from 2 ml plasma.

More or less pronounced circadian and episodic variations were apparent for plasma levels of all steroids studied, as well as of ACTH. According to related profiles of diurnal variations of plasma concentrations, three different categories of steroids were tentatively crystallized. Category 1 includes 17-OH-pregnenolone, deoxycortisol, corticosterone, 18-OH-deoxycorticosterone, deoxycorticosterone, cortisol and 18-OH-corticosterone, exhibiting a rhythm partly synchronous with that of the pituitary secretory activity of ACTH. Category 2, including progesterone, pregnenolone and 17-OH-progesterone, exhibited a time course of plasma concentrations assuming a regulation predominantly dictated by the testicular secretory activity. Lastly, aldosterone exerted a variation of plasma concentrations which was obviously regulated by the renin-angiotensin system under the present conditions.

Zusammenfassung

Die tageszeitlichen Veränderungen der Plasmakonzentration von elf Steroidhormonen sowie von Corticotropin (ACTH) wurden bei zehn jungen, gesunden Männern untersucht. Plasmakonzentrationen der Steroide Progesteron, Pregnenolon, Deoxycorticosteron, 17-OH-Progesteron, 17-OH-Pregnenolon, Deoxycortisol, 18-OH-Deoxycorticosteron, Corticosteron, Aldosteron, Cortisol und 18-OH-Corticosteron wurden in 30-minütigen Abständen in den Morgen- und Abendstunden sowie in zweistündigen Abständen während der restlichen Tageszeiten gemessen.

Die Steroide wurden aus 1 ml Plasma extrahiert, hochdruckflüssigkeitschromatographisch fraktioniert und schließlich radioimmunologisch quantifiziert. ACTH wurde ebenfalls radioimmunologisch nach Extraktion aus 2 ml Plasma bestimmt.

Mehr oder weniger ausgeprägte tageszeitliche sowie episodische Variationen der Plasmakonzentration aller untersuchten Steroide sowie von ACTH konnten beobachtet werden. Anhand der Kongruenz von tageszeitlichen Profilen der einzelnen Plasmakonzentrationen wurden die Steroide in drei Kategorien unterteilt. Danach wurden zu Kategorie 1 die Steroide 17-OH-Pregnenolon, Deoxycortisol, Corticosteron, 18-OH-Deoxycorticosteron, Deoxycorticosteron, Cortisol und 18-OH-Corticosteron zusammengefasst. Diese Steroide wiesen einen Rhythmus auf, der weitgehend synchron zu der hypophysären ACTH-Sekretionsaktivität verlief. Kategorie 2, bestehend aus Progesteron, Pregnenolon und 17-OH-Progesteron, wies einen tageszeitlichen Konzentrationsverlauf auf, der auf eine Regulation schließen läßt, die weitgehend von der testikulären Sekretionsaktivität bestimmt wird. Die Plasmakonzentrationen des Aldosterons schließlich wiesen einen Verlauf auf, der unter den vorliegenden Versuchsbedingungen überwiegend durch das Renin-Angiotensin-System reguliert wird.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Klinische Chemie und Klinische Biochemie, Klinikum Steglitz, Freie Universität, Berlin

    A. Kage, A. Fenner, B. Weber &  M. Schöneshöfer

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  1. A. Kage
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  2. A. Fenner
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  3. B. Weber
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  4. M. Schöneshöfer
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The paper was presented in part to the Joint Congress of the Scandinavian and German Societies of Clinical Chemistry, Hamburg 8. — 11.10.1980

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Kage, A., Fenner, A., Weber, B. et al. Diurnal and ultradian variations of plasma concentrations of eleven adrenal steroid hormones in human males. Klin Wochenschr 60, 659–666 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01716798

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01716798

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