Dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate in peripheral blood of premenopausal, pregnant and postmenopausal women and men

A radioimmunoassay specific for the direct measurement of dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate in 0.5 or 1 μl of human serum was developed using an antibody directed against dehydroisoandrosterone hemisuccinate coupled to thyroglobulin. Dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate levels were measured in pregnant women throughout gestation starting with the 6th week of pregnancy, and in young ovulatory women, postmenopausal women and in men. During pregnancy the concentrations of dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate in maternal serum decreased steadily with advancing gestation [1825 ± 68 ng/ml (mean and S.E.) at 6-8 weeks gestation vs 706 ± 141 ng/ml at 36-41 weeks gestation], and the most striking decrease was observed between 14 and 16 weeks of gestation. The mean concentrations of dehydroiso-androsterone sulfate were higher in men than in young nonpregnant women (2679 ±196 ng/ml vs 2020 ± 108 ng/ml respectively). In postmenopausal women, mean serum dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate concentrations (764 ± 28 ng/ml) were considerably lower than those in young premenopausal women P < 0.001).