Metabolism Of Androstenedione By Placental Microsomes In Pregnancy Hypertension

The metabolism of [19- 3 H 3 ]androstenedione by human placental microsomes was studied in vitro by radiometric analysis which distinguishes between 19-hydroxylation and elimination of the C-19 carbon. The ratio of the metabolic products tritiated water tritiated formic acid is significantly greater for microsomes from patients with pregnancy hypertension when compared with normotensive pregnant women. This indicates that aromatization (2-hydroxylation) is deficient in pregnancy hypertension.