Assay Principle: 

The DetectX® DHEA-S ELISA Kit quantitatively measures DHEA-S in serum, plasma, urine, saliva, fecal extracts, and tissue culture media. This competitive ELISA has a run time of 2.5 hours. Please read the complete kit insert for more information before performing this assay. Use our provided DHEA-S standard to generate a standard curve for the assay.

Protocol Summary:

• Add standards or diluted samples into the included transparent microtiter plate, pre-coated with donkey anti-sheep IgG antibody.
• Introduce DHEA-S peroxidase conjugate and DHEA-S polyclonal sheep antibody to each well, ensuring proper mixing.
• Incubate the mixture covered at room temperature with shaking for 2 hours. The immunological reaction varies inversely with DHEA-S concentration in the sample.
• Post-incubation, remove the excess conjugate and add the TMB substrate, which reacts with the bound conjugate to produce a colorimetric signal.
• Use a plate reader to measure the signal at 450nm and calculate the DHEA-S concentration based on the standard curve.

Background:

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) is a significant C19 steroid primarily secreted by the adrenal cortex. It serves as a precursor to testosterone and estrogen biosynthesis. The transformation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to DHEA-S requires sulfation, catalyzed by sulfotransferase enzymes SULT1A1 and SULT1E1. These enzymes also produce estrone sulfate from estrone. Despite having a 17-ketone group instead of a hydroxyl group and thus low androgenic activity, the bioactivity of DHEA-S is notable due to its high serum concentrations.  Coupled with weak affinity for sex-hormone binding globulin, these concentrations are 100-1,000 times higher than testosterone or DHEA.

DHEA-S has several roles in human physiology, including the development of secondary sexual characteristics, aging, and overall physical well-being. It is also considered a biomarker for adrenal function and can be crucial in diagnosing and monitoring various endocrine disorders. Understanding DHEA-S levels is vital in research areas focusing on hormonal balance, reproductive health, and aging.

The DetectX® DHEA-S ELISA Kit is a useful tool in endocrinology and research laboratories given its accuracy and specificity in measuring DHEA-S levels in a range of biological samples, aiding in the assessment and study of endocrine functions and related health conditions.