Biosynthesis of Steroid Sulfates by Human Ovarian Tissue.

Sulfate esters of steroid hormones had been considered to represent end products of steroid metabolism designed for excretion. Sulfation of steroids in vitro had been demonstrated with mammalian liver preparations, and it had been generally assumed that the liver was the major site of production of these compounds in man. Revision of this view became necessary with the demonstration that the steroid conjugate, androstenolone sulfate,’ can be synthesized in vitro by human adrenocortical tissue (l-3) and that this sulfate ester is, in fact, one of the major steroids secreted by human adrenals (4). The studies reported in the present paper demonstrate the ability of another human steroid-producing tissue, the ovary, to synthesize steroid sulfates. The conversion in vitro of androstenolone and As-androst.ene-3@, 17b-diol to sulfate esters by minces and homogenates of normal human ovaries is reported. These findings suggest t.hat steroid sulfate synthesis may be a more general property of steroid-forming endocrine tissue than previously recognized.