Serum Steroid Levels During the Menstrual Cycle in a Bilaterally Adrenalectomized Woman

Abstract

ABSTRACT In order to assess the ovarian contribution to peripheral steroid levels during the menstrual cycle, the serum levels of various steroids were measured daily during a complete menstrual cycle in a bilaterally adrenalectomized woman. The following steroids were measured: progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), pregnenolone (5Δ-P), 17-hydroxypregnenolone (17-5Δ-P), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), it's sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone (T), 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstenedione (A), estrone (E1), estradiol-17β (E2), and cortisol. Plasma cortisol and 17-5Δ-P were undetectable throughout most of the study period. However, the remaining steroids studied were measurable. The patterns and levels of the steroids observed in the adrenalectomized subject suggest the following when compared to patterns and levels of the same steroids during menstrual cycles of intact women. The progestins, P and 17-OHP, are secreted by the ovary not only during the luteal phase but also throughout the follicul...