J. J. Balatti, A. Claret, J. Rosner
May 1, 1967
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0
Influential Citations
8
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Quality indicators
Journal
Fertility and sterility
Abstract
Human testes, removed in treating patients for prostatic carcinoma, were used. Tissues were homogenized and incubated in vitro with labeled progesterone and 2 different antiovulatories, lynestrenol (17alpha-ethin yl-17beta-hydroxy-estr-4-one) and MK 665 (17alpha-chloroethinyl-19-nor-4 ,9(10)-androstadiene-17beta-ol-3-one). Further biochemical procedures are described. Results show that the compounds added in vitro to the homogenates inhibited the conversion of progesterone to 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 20alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnene-3-one, and androgens. It is thought that these 2 compounds exert a direct effect on the activity of 2 human testicular enzymes related to the biosynthesis of androgens and on the 20alpha-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase. With the concentrations employed, no androgen biosynthesis was observed with the larger doses and only partial inhibition with the smaller doses. The action could be on the enzyme systems themselves or on the synthesis of the enzymes. Results are valid for in vitro conditions only.