Cooperative erythropoietic assay of several steroid metabolites in polycythemic mice

A blinded cooperative assay of several androstane and pregnane steroid metabolites has been carried out in order to determine whether 5β-H derivatives are as active as testosterone in stimulating in vivo erythropoiesis. The steroids tested were: testosterone, 5-dihvdrotestosterone, 5β-dihydrotestosterone, 5β-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3-dihydroxy-5β-pregnàne-11,20-dione and 3β-hydroxy-5β-pregnan-20-one. The incorporation of radioactive iron into newly formed red cells in exhypoxic polycythemic mice was used to compare the effects of the steroids. Testosterone and 5-dihydrotestosterone both produced significant increases in ⁵⁹Fe incorporation. 5β-dihydrotestosterone, 5β-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3-hydroxy-5β-pregnane-11,20-dione and 3β-hydroxy-5β-pregnan-20-one were all devoid of significant erythropoietic activity in polycythemic mice in almost all instances. Thus, under the conditions chosen, this study failed to demonstrate that 5β-steroids increase radioactive iron incorporation in red cells of exhypoxic polycythemic mice.