Evidence for a new biologic pathway of androstenedione synthesis from 11-deoxycortisol.

17-Hydroxyprogesterone is a well-known precursor of androstenedione in adrenal biosynthesis. This study using sheep adrenal incubations demonstrates that 11-deoxycortisol, the precursor of cortisol synthesis, also can be a precursor of androstenedione. Indeed, our data show that androstenedione synthesis is negatively correlated to the synthesis of cortisol and cortisone. This fact allowed us to infer that this new pathway is closely related to the activity of the 11 beta-hydroxylase that is responsible for the synthesis of cortisol. Indeed, when the activity of this enzyme is impaired, 11-deoxycortisol follows the pathway that leads to androstenedione synthesis in the adrenals. This pathway could explain, at least in part, the marked increase of androstenedione observed in congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency.