Abstract

We described a new, specific and easy to use radioimmunoassay (RIA) of estrone sulfate (E1S) in males. After synthesis of an E1S-6-(O-carboxymethyl) oxime hapten then coupling to BSA, we obtained a specific anti-E1S antiserum. Although the cross-reactivity of DHEAS with our anti-E1S antiserum was low (CR=0.002%), we confirmed the absolute necessity of separating plasma DHEAS from plasma E1S, before E1S RIA, because in plasma, DHEAS is present at levels 3-6000-fold higher than E1S, which generally is ignored. Thus, we elicited an easy separation of DHEAS from E1S, by a fast chromatography on in-house minicolumns. This new RIA, was applied to the determination of E1S plasma normal values in males. In 27 young men (<35 years), mean+/-S.D. were 1.97nmol/l+/-1.07nmol/l and in 63 untreated healthy aged men (>55 years), 1.80nmol/l+/-1.21nmol/l. No significant difference was seen between young and older subjects. The ranges of E1S plasma levels in these subjects were rather large and the ratios between the highest and the lowest E1S plasma levels were seven in the young group and 23.4 in the older group. No decrease of E1S plasma levels was observed with ages. Contrary to large interindividual E1S plasma level variations, the intraindividual variations have been found to be no significant. Correlations between E1S and unconjugated estrogens, E2 and E1 were 0.22 (P=0.016) and 0.51 (0.001), respectively.