Publication Abstract

15alpha-hydroxytestosterone produced in vitro and in vivo in the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

M. B. Bryan, A. P. Scott, I. Czerny, Sang Seon Yun and Weiming Li

This is another paper in a series which has evolved from Sandy Scott’s collaboration with Michigan State University. Many years ago, Dr Kime showed that if the testis of the sea lamprey was incubated in vitro with radioactive testosterone it produced a hugely unusual product: 15 β-hydroxytestosterone. This 15 β-hydroxylation is extremely rare in vertebrates. Because it was difficult to get hold of this compound, no further progress was made with Kime’s findings. However, while browsing the PubMed database last year, I came across a Polish scientist who was playing around with 15 β-steroids (for pharmacological studies). We persuaded him to make 50 mg of 15 β -T. from this, I manufactured a conjugate which could be injected into rabbits to raise an antiserum to 15 β-T. With this antiserum, an ELISA has been set up and used to show that this steroids does actually circulate in the bloodstream of the lamprey. We have also confirmed Kime’s original in vitro observations. Now we have this assay, we hope to show that the production of the male pheromone (published in Science in April 2002) is possibly under the control of this hormone.

Reference:

M. B. Bryan, A. P. Scott, I. Czerny, Sang Seon Yun and Weiming Li. 2003. 15alpha-hydroxytestosterone produced in vitro and in vivo in the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. General and Comparative Endocrinology 132, 418-426