Poster Presentation The International Congress of Neuroendocrinology 2014

Differences between plasmatic concentrations of 7-hydroxylated metabolites of DHEA in healthy men and oligospermic or asthenospermic men (#225)

Jana Kubatova 1 , Lucie Sosvorova 1 , Richard Hampl 1 , Marie Bicikova 1 , Jiri Heracek 2 3 , Luboslav Starka 1
  1. Department of Steroids and Proteofactors, Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic
  2. Department of Urology, Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
  3. Department of Urology, Faculty Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic

Introduction: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an important endogenous steroid hormone with a broad range of biological effects. DHEA is synthetized in the adrenals, gonads, and various neural cells including brain. It is further metabolized to its 7-oxygenated derivatives, which are together with their precursor considered neuroactive steroids. They play a role in the regulation of emotional responses, memory functions and neuronal excitability. The reaction between 7-oxygenated derivatives is catalyzed by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) which is also responsible for the interconversion between cortisone and cortisol.

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of cortisol, cortisone, DHEA, 7α-OH-DHEA, 7β-OH-DHEA and 7-oxo-DHEA in human plasma, and compare it´s concentrations in healthy men and men with diagnosis of oligospermia or asthenospermia.

Material and methods: We used extraction step (diethyl ether) and derivatization step (2-hydrazino-pyridine) before injecting to the LC-MS/MS. Different chromatographic conditions and parameters of MS/MS detector for each analyte were tested.

Results and discussion: After optimalization of all parameters we can measure all above mentioned steroids from 500µl of plasma. Levels of 7-oxo-DHEA were significantly lower (p<0.05) in men with oligospermia or asthenospermia (n=16) in comparison with healthy men (n=20) and similar trend was observed in 7β-OH-DHEA levels. Cortisone competes for the binding site on the enzyme with 7-oxo-DHEA and it seems that in oligospermic and asthenospermic men cortisone occupies the most of the binding sites on the 11βHSD. Conclusion: The developed method enables rapid and accurate determination of above mentioned steroids in serum. Men with oligospermia or asthenospermia have lower concentrations of 7-oxo-DHEA which has neuroprotective and antiglucorticoid effects.

Acknowledgement: Project was supported by IGA MZCR NT/13369, NT/12349 and NT/11513 of Czech Ministry of Health.