Suppression of the high endogenous levels of plasma FSH in infertile men are associated with improved Sertoli cell function as reflected by elevated levels of plasma inhibin B.

Autor:	Foresta C; Centre for Male Gamete Cryopreservation, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Via Ospedale 105, 35128 Padova, Italy. carlo.foresta@unipd.it, Bettella A, Spolaore D, Merico M, Rossato M, Ferlin A
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Human reproduction (Oxford, England) [Hum Reprod] 2004 Jun; Vol. 19 (6), pp. 1431-7. Date of Electronic Publication: 2004 Apr 29.
DOI:	10.1093/humrep/deh255
Abstrakt:	Background: In vitro continuous stimulation of Sertoli cells with FSH leads to a desensitization of these cells to FSH action. To evaluate the presence of a desensitization of FSH receptor on Sertoli cells in vivo, we performed a controlled clinical study in 97 men affected by severe oligozoospermia. Methods: On the basis of FSH and inhibin B plasma concentrations, these subjects were divided into three groups: group A, 33 subjects with high FSH and low inhibin B plasma levels; group B, 32 subjects with high FSH plasma levels and inhibin B concentrations at the lower limit of the normal range; and group C, 32 subjects with normal FSH and inhibin B plasma levels. Patients with high FSH plasma levels (groups A and B) were prospectively randomized into two subgroups, called A1, A2, B1 and B2. Patients of groups A1 and B1 were treated with a GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate, to induce a hypogonadotrophic state and then were treated with recombinant human FSH (r-hFSH; 100 IU/day) and hCG (2000 IU/twice a week) for 2 months. Subjects of groups A2, B2 and C were treated only with r-hFSH for the same period. Results: In patients of group A1, inhibin B remained unmodified during the whole period of study, whereas in subjects of group B1, we observed a significant reduction of this hormone during the hypogonadotrophic period and then an increase of inhibin B plasma levels that were higher that those observed before therapy. In patients of groups A2 and B2, FSH treatment did not induce a significant increase in inhibin B concentrations. In patients of group C, FSH induced a significant increase in inhibin B plasma levels. Conclusions: In infertile men, suppression of the high endogenous levels of plasma FSH associated with much lower exogenous FSH levels is able to evoke higher inhibin B production, which may indicate improved Sertoli cell function and the possibility that this could have a positive effect on spermatogenesis.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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