Correlation of age and sex with urine dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level in healthy Thai volunteers

Abstract

Objective Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAs), a prohormone secreted by the adrenal gland, plays a role in the synthesis of sex hormones, namely, androgen and estrogen. It has been found that the amount of DHEAs is correlated with age, although most studies have focused on the correlation of serum DHEAs levels with age and sex. Thus, this noninvasive, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the correlation of urine DHEAs levels with age and sex in healthy Thai volunteers aged 20–80 years. Methods DHEAs levels were measured in 178 healthy volunteers using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and then normalized by creatinine. Multiple regression was performed to determine the correlation of urine DHEAs levels normalized by creatinine with age and sex. Results The normalized DHEAs levels are correlated with age group for both sexes. Moreover, an increasing trend in DHEAs levels was found in the age group 20–29 years, and the DHEAs level peaked at the age group 30–39 years before declining with advancing age. Based on the multiple regression analyses, the significance of the interaction term ( P ​< ​0.05) indicates that both age and sex significantly contribute to the prediction of ln (DHEAs/Creatinine). Our fitted model implies the following: as age increases by 1 year, DHEAs/Creatinine is expected to decrease by 3.63% in females and by 2.18% in males. Conclusion This study reports more data on clinical reference value of urine DHEAs levels in healthy volunteers. Our result demonstrates urine DHEAs levels are associated with age and sex and decline by 2–3% a year.

Near-Infrared Dye-Aptamer Assay for Small Molecule Detection in Complex Specimens

“…We achieved the same LOD (1 μM) and linear range (1–8 μM) in urine as in buffer (Figure B,C). Importantly, this LOD is well below the threshold of clinical significance, as DHEAS is typically present at 1–10 μM in the urine of healthy individuals, and can reach 5–10-fold higher concentrations in patients with adrenal cancer. − In addition, the NIR Cy5-aptamer assay was just as sensitive as our previously reported enzyme-based fluorescence assays using the same aptamer. , We noted that overall signal gains were lower in urine due to higher background J-aggregate absorbance, and hypothesized that endogenous urinary DHEAS , in the sample may have displaced Cy5 from the aptamer, resulting in excess J-aggregate formation.…”

“…19−23 In addition, the NIR Cy5-aptamer assay was just as sensitive as our previously reported enzyme-based fluorescence assays using the same aptamer. 33,34 We noted that overall signal gains were lower in urine due to higher background J-aggregate absorbance, and hypothesized that endogenous urinary DHEAS 22,23 in the sample may have displaced Cy5 from the aptamer, resulting in excess J-aggregate formation.…”

“…We initially developed this assay using an aptamer that binds to the steroid hormone dehydroisoandrosterone-3-sulfate (DHEAS), a urinary biomarker that is elevated by 5–10-fold in patients with adrenal cancer relative to healthy individuals. − Our assay achieved sensitive and specific target detection, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1 μM DHEAS in 50% urine. We next demonstrated the generality of our assay by detecting the antimalarial drug quinine in urine (≥150 μM during treatment) , at concentrations as low as 0.2 μM in 2.5% urine, which is potentially useful for compliance and treatment monitoring.…”