| Serum-SalivaCorrelation | 0.77 |
| Sensitivity | 5pg/mL |
| SampleTestVolume | 50μL |
| RecommendedCollectionVolume | 125μL* |
| SpecialConsiderations | No |
| CollectionProtocol | DownloadPDF |
Androstenedione(4-androstenedione;4-dione;4-androstene-3,17-dione)isasteroid hormone producedinthe adrenalglands andthe gonads.(1,2,3)ItissynthesizedfromDHEAor17OH-progesterone,anditservesprincipallyastheimmediateprecursorcompoundthatisconvertedintotestosteroneorestrone,bothofwhichmaythenbefurtherconvertedintoestrADIol.(4) ThesamesequenceofconversionofDHEAandandrostenedioneintoothersteroidsalsotakesplaceinmanyperipheraltissuesthroughoutthebody,allowingandrogensandestrogenstobedeliveredtotheappropriatetissueswithoutleakageofsignificantamountsintothecirculation.(5,6)Levelsofandrostenedionebegintoincreaseinchildrenataboutage6-8,anditservesasthemainsourceofandrogenspriortogonadarche. (7) Highlevelsofandrostenedionemayconferandrogenicrisk,especiallyinfemales,andestrogenicrisks,especiallyinmales.Childrenandadolescentsareparticularlyvulnerabletotheeffectsofandrostenedioneconversiontoactivesexsteroids.
Theseeffectsmaydisruptnormalsexualdevelopment,specificallyvirilizationingirlsassociatedwithsevereacne,excessivebodyhair,disruptionofthemenstrualcycle,andinfertility.Theconversionofandrostenedionetoestrogenscancausefeminizationofboys.(8,9) Elevatedlevelshavebeenassociatedwithdisruptivebehaviordisordersinchildren.(7) MeasurementofserumandrostenedioneisusedasaMarkerofandrogenbiosynthesis. Highcirculatingandrostenedionelevelsareindicatedinvirilizingcongenitaladrenalhyperplasia,polycysticovariansyndrome,andothercausesofhirsutisminwomen. Elevatedandrostenedionelevelsmayalsooccurasaresultofadrenalorovariantumors.(10,11) Androstenedioneexhibitsadiurnalrhythmsimilartothatofcortisol,withhighestlevelsinthemorningandanadirinthelateevening.(12,13)
Inblood,androstenedioneisnotstronglyboundtosexhormonebindingglobulin(SHBG)oralbumin. Approximately95%ofcirculatingandrostenedioneisavailabletotissues.(14) Unboundandrostenedioneenterssalivafrombloodviaintracellularmechanisms,andthecorrelationbetweenserumandsalivavaluesishighlysignificant.(15)
- Yates,J.,Deshpande,N.(1974). Kineticstudiesontheenzymescatalyzingtheconversionof17α-hydroxy-progesteroneanddehydroepiandrosteronetoandrostenedioneinthehumanadrenalglandinvitro.JEndocrinol,6(1),27-35.
- Carson,R.S.,Findlay,J.K.,Clarke,I.J.,Burger,H.G.(1981). Estradiol,testosterone,andandrostenedioneinovinefollicularfluidduringgrowthandatresiaofovarianfollicles. BiolReprod,24(1),105-113.
- Weinstein,R.L.,Kelch,R.P.,Jenner,M.R.,etal.(1974).Secretionofunconjugatedandrogensandestrogensbythenormalandabnormalhumantestisbeforeandafterhumanchorionicgonadotropin. JClinInvest,53(1),1-6.
- Dorfman,R.I.,Shipley,R.A.(1956).Androgens.NewYork:JohnWileyandSons.
- Labrie,F.,Bélanger,A.,Cusan,L.,Candas,B.(1997). Physiologicalchangesindehydroepiandrosteronearenotreflectedbyserumlevelsofactiveandrogensandestrogensbutoftheirmetabolites:Intracrinology. JClinEndocrinolMetab,82(8),2403-9.
- Labrie,F.,Luu-The,V.Bélanger,A.,etal.(2005). Isdehydroepiandrosteroneahormone?JEndocrinol,187(2),169-96.
- Dorn,L.D.,Kolko,D.J.,Susman,E.J.,etal.(2009). Salivarygonadalandadrenalhormonedifferencesinboysandgirlswithandwithoutdisruptivebehaviordisorders:Contextualvariants. BiolPsychol,81(1),31-39.
- King,D.S.,Sharp,R.L.,Vukovich,M.D.,etal.(1999). Effectoforalandrostenedioneonserumtestosteroneandadaptationstoresistancetraininginyoungmen:Arandomizedcontrolledtrial.JAMA,281(21),2020-8.
- Leder,B.Z.,Longcope,C.,Catlin,D.H.,etal.(2000). OralandrostenedioneadmiNISTrationandserumtestosteroneconcentrationsinyoungmen. JAMA,283(6),779-82.
- Leder,B.Z.,Leblanc,K.M.,Longcope,C.,etal.(2002). Effectsoforalandrostenedioneadministrationonserumtestosteroneandestradiollevelsinpostmenopausalwomen. JClinEndocrinolMetab,87(12),5449-54.
- Kicman,A.T.,Bassindale,T.,Cowan,D.A.,etal.(2003). Effectofandrostenedioneingestiononplasmatestosteroneinyoungwomen;Adietarysupplementwithpotentialhealthrisks.ClinChem,49(1),167-9.
- Goldman,J.,Wajchenberg,B.L.,Liberman,B.etal.(1985). Contrastanalysisfortheevaluationofthecircadianrhythmsofplasmacortisol,androstenedione,andtestosteroneinnormalmenandthepossIBLeinfluenceofmeals. JClinEndocrinolMetab,60(1),164-67.
- Ostrowska,Z.Zwirska-Korczala,K.,Pardela,M.,etal.(1998). Circadianvariationsofandrostenedione,dehydroepiandrosteronesulfateandfreetestosteroneinobesewomenwithmenstrualdisturbances.EndocrRegul,32(4),169-76.
- Longcope, C.,Baler, S.(1993). Androgenandestrogendynamics:Relationshipswithage,weight,andmenopausestatus.JClinEndocrinolMetab,76(3),601–4.
- Vining,R.F.,McGinley,R.A.(1987).Themeasurementofhormonesinsaliva:Possibilitiesandpitfalls. JSteroidBiochem,27(1-3),81-94.
