[Biosynthesis of C19- and C21-steroids in tissue slices of paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma (author's transl)].

The biogenesis of C19- and C21-steroids has been studied in tissue slices of a paraganglioma, of a pheochromocytoma and of human adrenal cortex using radioactive steroids. Slices of paraganglioma as well as of pheochromocytoma metabolise 17-hydroxyprogesterone to cortisone, cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol and testosterone. The rate of formation of these steroids, however, by the two tumours is 8--15 times less than that in normal adrenal cortex tissue. After incubation of dehydroepiandrosterone with tissue slices of paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma, 7alpha-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone, 11beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione and 4-androstene-3,17-dione were found as metabolites; testosterone was converted by both tissues to 4-androstene-3,17-dione. 17-Hydroxypregnenolone was converted to a small extent (1.7%) to dehydroepiandrosterone by slices of paranganglioma. These results show that enzymes of steroid biosynthesis (hydroxylases, oxidoreductases, delta4(-5)-isomerases, C17(-20)-desmolases) are present in both paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma.