Nutrition‐related alterations in liver microsomal testosterone hydroxylases

Abstract

The oxidation products of testosterone formed by liver microsomes from normal‐fed and protein‐energy malnourished male rats have been analysed by HPLC. Microsomes from normal‐fed rats oxidized testosterone at a rate of 4.52 nmol/min/ mg protein. The major products formed were: 6β‐, 7α‐ and 16α‐hydroxytestos‐terone; these three metabolites represented 65% of the total testosterone meta bolism. Microsomes from protein‐energy malnourished rats oxidized testosterone at a reduced rate of 2.03 nmol/min/mg protein. The major product formed was 7α‐hydroxytestosterone, which accounted for 43% of total testosterone oxidation. Microsomes from protein‐energy malnourished rats showed a CO‐reduced cyto‐chrome P‐450 spectra with a maxima at 452 nm, and a 38% decrease in the total content of cytochrome P‐450. Some testosterone hydroxylases were drastically affected by protein‐energy malnutrition but others, such as 7α‐hydroxylase, remained unchanged. The present results suggest that nutritional status