Evidence for the presence of oestrone, oestradiol-17β and testosterone acetates in rabbit ovary

Abstract

The neutral and phenolic steroid hormones present in the mature follicles, stroma and in corpora lutea of the rabbit ovary were analysed by thin-layer chromatography (t.l.c.) and gas-liquid chromatography (g.l.c.). Amongst the phenolic steroids two spots differing in their mobilities from oestradiol-17β and oestrone were observed. Similarly a spot differing in its mobility from testosterone was noted in the neutral steroid fraction. These spots were identified as acetates of oestradiol-17β, oestrone and testosterone. This conclusion has been derived from the following observations: (i) the mobilities of the spots correspond on t.l.c. and g.l.c. to standard steroid acetates (ii) enzymatic hydrolysis with acetyl cholinesterase leads to the corresponding free steroids (iii) the mature rabbit follicle has the ability to incorporate [1-¹⁴C]-acetate and [7-³H]-progesterone into the acetate derivatives of oestrone, oestradiol-17β and testosterone. The labelled acetates were hydrolysed and the corresponding free steroids and their acetates were crystallized with non-radioactive compounds to constant specific activity and (iv) the infrared spectra of isolated testosterone and oestradiol acetates showed bands corresponding to esters.