Identification of nonecdysteroid steroids in hemolymph of both male and female Astacus leptodactylus (Crustacea) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The O-pentafluorobenzyloxime (OPFB)-heptafluorobutyrylester (HFB) derivatives of hemolymph steroid extracts from both male and female Astacus leptodactylus were subjected to negative ion chemical ionization and capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (NCI/GC-MS). Five nonecdysteroid steroids, namely pregnenolone, 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone, testosterone, cholesterol, and 6 beta-hydroxyprogesterone were identified. With selected ion monitoring (SIM), indications were found for the presence of four more steroids: androstenedione, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, 11-ketotestosterone, and 11 beta-hydroxytestosterone. The presence of 6 beta-hydroxyprogesterone could only be demonstrated in the female hemolymph. With the technique used, dehydroepiandrosterone, progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, and estrogens could not be detected in male or female hemolymph extracts.