Total sulphoconjugated and unconjugated dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and total oestrone were measured in plasma of intact sheep fetuses, fetuses hypophysectomized at 104–112 days and fetuses bilaterally adrenalectomized at 98–101 days. At 120–127 days, the mean concentrations of total DHA and oestrone in intact fetuses (n = 13) were 29·7 ± 4·2 (s.e.m.) nmol/l and 14·3 ± 2·8 nmol/l respectively. At term, the values for total DHA and oestrone in hypophysectomized fetuses (n = 13) of 18·0 ± 1·9 nmol/l and 9·1 ±2·0 nmol/l were significantly (P <0·05) lower than the intact group whereas in the adrenalectomized fetuses (n = 8) total DHA (80·8±13·0 nmol/l) was higher (P < 0·05) and total oestrone values were similar to the intact animals. Intrafetal infusion of cortisol at term (1 mg/h for 84 h) raised levels of total oestrone in intact (n = 6; 12·3 ± 2·9 vs 31·6± 8·5 nmol/l) and adrenalectomized (n = 4; 14·2 ± 2·6 vs 190·6 ± 53·0 nmol/l) fetuses and of total DHA in hypophysectomized fetuses (n = 7; 16·0±1·9 vs 31·6 ± 8·5 nmol/l) while infusion of ACTH(1–24) (5 μg/h) was without significant effect in any group. It is concluded that the ovine fetal adrenal in late pregnancy makes no significant contribution either to the high circulating concentrations of DHA sulphate or to the substrates for placental oestrogen synthesis.
J. Endocr. (1985) 104, 279–283
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