DHEA ELISA

Features

European Union: for in vitro diagnostic use

Rest of the world: for research use only!

The total assay time is less than 1.5 hours

Quantitative determination of DHEA concentration in human serum or plasma

Assay format is 96 wells

Calibrators are ready to use

For routine analysis

Research topic

Steroid hormones

Summary

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a C19 steroid secreted by the adrenal cortex and in smaller quantities by the gonads. DHEA is a precursor in testosterone and various estrogens biosynthesis. The physiologic role of DHEA is not-well defined, because of a lot of ascertained in vivo and in vitro effects, for example the prevention and regression of colon tumor, spontaneous and inducted, in rodents. Some studies showed a decrease in the DHEA production in women with risk for the breast cancer. In animal models DHEA showed a role in the therapeutic action against diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular pathologies, and unclear roles in immunology, in lipid metabolism (also cholesterol) and in the nervous system. Seric levels of DHEA are relatively high in fetal and neonatal age, decrease during childhood and increase again during puberty until 30 years. No DHEA variations have been observed during pregnancy or menstrual cycle. Seric levels of DHEA are 100-1000 times lower than the levels of DHEA sulphate (DHEA- S). The measurement of seric levels of DHEA is a marker for adrenal androgen synthesis. Abnormal low levels of DHEA can be observed in the hypoadrenalism, while elevated levels can be observed in various pathologies such as the surrenalic adenomas, 21- hydroxylase and 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency and in some cases of female hirsutism.