Control of oestrogen production in human pregnancy: effect of trophic hormones on steroid biosynthesis by the foetal adrenal gland in vitro.

[14C]Acetate was incorporated into dehydroepiandrosterone, pregnenolone and their sulphates and into cholesterol during incubations of adrenal tissue from three human foetuses of 10-18 weeks of gestation. No incorporation of [14C]acetate into cortisol or other 4-en-3-oxo steroids could be demonstrated. Porcine ACTH stimulated the incorporation of [14C]acetate into both dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and cholesterol when added to incubations of adrenal tissue from foetuses of 18 weeks gestation. Such an effect was not observed with tissue from a 10-week-old foetus. Stimulation of steroid biosynthesis from [14C]acetate was also achieved by addition of human growth hormone chorionic somato-mammotrophin. These trophic hormones may therefore play some part in regulating the provision of precursors for oestrogen biosynthesis in pregnancy.