Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate: A Secretory Product of the Boar Testis

The Role of Cytochrome P450 17α-Hydroxylase and 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase in the Integration of Gonadal and Adrenal Steroidogenesis via the Δ5 and Δ4 Pathways of Steroidogenesis in Mammals

“…Sulfation of DHEA, together with a relative deficiency of 173-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (necessary for testosterone synthesis) in the adrenal gland [27], minimizes the potential physiological impact of a prominent zona reticularis. In the absence of a substantial reticularis, circulating adrenal C19 steroids are low, of the order of 1 ng/ml or less in plasma of pigs, sheep, and cows [28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. Therefore, although the expression of P450c 17 is central to the regulation of steroid synthesis in either gland, it is also clear that mechanisms must operate to maintain a functional distinction between the adrenal cortex and gonad, without overly compromising steroidogenesis in either.…”

Steroid sulfotransferases

“…Testis tissue of humans (155), boars (156), and rats possess HST activity. Testis HST localizes to seminiferous tubules in the rat (157) and is demonstrable in porcine Leydig cells (158).…”

Development of some male characteristics supported by oestrone but not dehydroepiandrosterone in the boar

“…The 5-ene unsaturated C19 steroids dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and 5-androstene-3ß,17ß-diol (5-androstenediol), and their respective sulphate conjugates are present in high concentrations in porcine testicular tissue (Ruokonen & Vihko, 1974;Booth, 1975). Furthermore, large quantities of these steroids, particularly the sulphate conjugates, are secreted by the boar testis (Baulieu, Fabre-Jung & Huis in't Veld, 1967;Raeside & Howells, 1971 ;Setchell, Laurie, Flint & Heap, 1983). There is evidence indicating that DHA and 5-androstenediol may be important precursors of testosterone in the pig testis (Ruokonen, 1978) as has been suggested for the testes of dogs (Yamaji, Motohashi, Tanioka & Ibayashi, 1968;Oh & Tamaoki, 1973) and men (Vihko & Ruokonen, 1975).…”