HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pieper, D. R. Articles by Lobocki, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pieper, D. R. Articles by Lobocki, C. A.

---

Original Article

Characterization of Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone Secretion in Golden Hamsters

David R. Pieper^*,1 and Catherine A. Lobocki

^* St. John Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48236; and
Providence Hospital, Southfield, Michigan 48037

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an adrenal androgen whose function is poorly understood. Although DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) are secreted in relatively high quantities by the human adrenal, the laboratory rat secretes very little, thus hindering experimental studies of the hormone. In this paper, we measured the changes in serum DHEA and DHEAS under various physiological conditions in golden hamsters. Evening serum DHEAS fell from 6.30 ± 0.78 µg/dl (mean ± SE) before surgery to 3.03 ± 0.23 µg/dl 12 days after bilateral adrenalectomy. Hamsters had higher levels of DHEA and DHEAS in the evening than in the morning, but removal of the gonads did not consistently decrease serum DHEA or DHEAS in males or females. Evening levels of DHEA and DHEAS reached a peak around 7 weeks of age and then gradually decreased to about one-third of these levels by one year of age. These results suggest that DHEA and DHEAS are secreted at least in part from the hamster adrenal, that they do not originate from the gonads, and that there is a daily rhythm with peak levels at a time of day just preceding the active phase. In addition, the levels of these hormones decrease with aging.