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In Vitro Androgen Metabolism by Fat-deficient Cockerel Testes and Uropygial Gland^{1 ,2}

Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30601

Testes or uropygial glands from cockerels fed a diet deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA) and the same diet supplemented with 5% corn oil were incubated with progesterone-¹⁴C in order to study in vitro testosterone biosynthesis. The identification of the metabolized steroids was by thin-layer chromatography and by recrystallization to a constant specific activity by adding reference steroids to ¹⁴C-metabolites. The extent of the EFA deficiency was evaluated by determinations of fatty acids in testes tissues using gas-liquid chromatography. The testes of EFA-deficient cockerels metabolized ¹⁴C-progesterone to 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and testosterone, indicating the presence of the respective enzymes. However, the rate of formation of these steroids by testes from EFA-deficient birds was significantly depressed, when compared to the activity of the enzymes in the testes of birds fed the corn oil-supplemented ration. The presence of these same enzymes in the uropygial gland of cockerels was also demonstrated. However, no difference in rate of metabolism was observed when these glands were obtained from birds fed an EFA-deficient diet and a diet with corn oil supplementation.

² Supported in part by U. S. Public Health Service Research Grant no. AM 06338 and Research Career Award no. 5K3AM 18,411-07 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases.

Manuscript received 15 December 1969.