A selective radioimmunoassay of androstenedione in plasma and saliva.

A specific radioimmunoassay for 4-androstene-3,17-dione (androstenedione) based on rabbit antisera to 6 beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione-6-hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin conjugate was developed. Cross reaction by testosterone was eliminated by addition of experimentally established amounts of testosterone antiserum, which cross reacted by only 0.004 with androstenedione. The method has been used for simultaneous determination of androstenedione in both plasma and saliva of normal women under basal conditions and following dynamic tests. The plasma levels in normal women averaged 3.6 +/- 0.9 nmol/l and correlated (r = 0.93) with those found in saliva (0.353 +/- 0.089 nmol/l).