OBJECTIVE-To test the hypothesis that DHEAS production from DHEA occurs in hepatic cells, and that this production is augmented by the presence of sex steroids or insulin (INS).
DESIGN-In-vitro prospective experimentSETTING-Academic medical center. RESULTS-DHEAS was first detected in the HepG2 cell culture media at 12h incubation. The cumulative production rate of DHEAS increased linearly until 72h incubation. When compared to the effect of treatment with DHEA only, treatment with DHEA plus T, DHT, or E2 delayed the cumulative DHEAS production; alternatively, the addition of INS did not alter DHEAS production.
INTERVENTIONS-HepatomaCONCLUSION-These data suggest that while hepatic cells have the ability of converting DHEA to DHEAS, neither sex steroids nor INS result in the increased hepatic production of DHEAS.