EB (100 nm) conversion to E2 in vitro
| Conditions tested for EB to E2 conversion | Total number of cases examined | Number of cases with E2 peak present | Peak E2 levels (pg/ml) | Conversion rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial CSF | 3 | 0 | na | 0 |
| Monkey plasma | 3 | 0 | na | 0 |
| Monkey CSF | 4 | 2 | 75, 90 | 0.28, 0.52 |
| Hypothalamic tissues | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.02 |
Because E2 increases induced by EB infusion could be due to hydrolysis and/or conversion of EB by an endogenous esterase, we conducted a series of validation experiments. We infused EB at 100 nm for 20 min (2 μl/min speed) through a microdialysis probe in 1) artificial CSF, 2) monkey plasma, or 3) monkey CSF obtained by spinal tap, while dialysates were continuously collected.