Steroid hormones in human semen with particular respect to dehydroepiandrosterone and its immunomodulatory metabolites.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: In addition to many components, seminal fluid contains also hormonal steroids. So far, the studies were focused mostly to androgens, their precursors, estrogens and also cortisol, in most instances in relation to sperm abnormalities. Our group detected for the first time in the ejaculate 7-hydroxylated metabolites of dehydroepiandrosterone, believed to function as immunomodulatory and immunoprotective agents. Occurrence of steroids in seminal fluid and their possible role is reviewed in the first part of the article. METHODS: In a group of 34 men (age 21-46 years) with various problems of fertility the presence of 7-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone isomers and dehydroepiandrosterone in seminal fluid was found. The concentrations of steroids in seminal fluid and plasma were determined by recently developed radioimmunoassay. In brief, the ejaculate was extracted twice with diethyl ether and the water phase was separated by freezing in solid carbon dioxide and evaporating the solvent to dryness. The dry residue was dissolved in methanolwaterlight petroleum ether (1.31.00.3 ml) and mixed. After separation the water-methanolic phase was evaporated, the dry residue was re-dissolved in phosphate buffer and aliquots were used for RIA. The results were corrected for losses by counting the residual radioactivity of [(3)H] testosterone added initially to the sample of seminal fluid. RESULTS: The concentrations of 7-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone varied from 1.08 to as much as 15.7 nmol/l, while those of dehydroepiandrosterone were about five times higher. The concentrations of both 7-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone isomers were close to or even higher than recently reported levels of these substances in blood serum. CONCLUSION: The presence of steroids derived from dehydroepiandrosterone by 7-hydroxylation with recently reported immunomodulatory activity was for the first time demonstrated in seminal fluid of normal men.