PLASMA-PROTEIN CHANGES INDUCED BY 2 ORALLY-ADMINISTERED ANDROGEN DERIVATIVES

Epostane is a synthetic 17 alpha-alkylated 5 beta-androstane derivativ e, active following oral administration and devoid of any apparent and rogenic, estrogenic or antiestrogenic potency. Circulating concentrati ons of 13 different plasma proteins were measured in eight women befor e and after 2 and 4 weeks of daily oral intake of 600 mg of epostane. The results were compared with those previously found during administr ation of the same daily dose of danazol, a synthetic 17 alpha-alkylate d androgen derivative with known androgenic/anabolic activity. Epostan e significantly suppressed serum levels of sex hormone-binding globuli n, pregnancy zone protein and thyroxin-binding globulin and increased the levels of transthyretin. Haptoglobins, plasminogen and transferrin showed minor and/or transient changes and the levels of high density lipoproteins, alpha(2)-macroglobulin, albumin, C1-esterase inactivator , C3 complement and transcortin remained unaffected. The pattern of ch anges in plasma proteins was almost identical to that induced by admin istration of danazol, although the effects of epostane were somewhat w eaker. Thus epostane is capable of inducing substantial changes in the pattern of steroid-sensitive plasma proteins in an androgen-like fash ion despite its apparent lack of androgenic activity. The capacity of a steroid to induce such changes thus seems to be tied to the chemical structure rather than to the intrinsic hormonal activity of the molec ule.