The hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis in boys during the first six months of life: a comparison of cryptorchidism and hypospadias cases with controls
| Autor: | Rob F. A. Weber, Alex Burdorf, Frank H. Pierik, Frank H. de Jong, James A. Deddens, Sabine M.P.F. de Muinck Keizer-Schrama |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Public Health, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Urology |
| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
Male
medicine.medical_specialty Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System endocrine system medicine.drug_class Urology Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism Follicle-stimulating hormone Sex hormone-binding globulin Internal medicine Surveys and Questionnaires Cryptorchidism medicine Humans Testosterone Hypospadias biology Leydig cell Infant Newborn Infant medicine.disease Androgen Endocrinology medicine.anatomical_structure Reproductive Medicine Case-Control Studies biology.protein Gonadotropin Luteinizing hormone |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Andrology, 32(5), 453-461. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
| ISSN: | 0105-6263 |
| Popis: | It is inconclusive whether the feedback mechanisms of the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis (HTP) axis are already established in the first 6 months of life, partly due to the dramatic changes in HPT-axis hormone levels over this period. Moreover, it is unclear whether these hormone levels are aberrant in boys with cryptorchidism or hypospadias, and therefore predictive for future fertility. We studied the regulation mechanisms of the HTP axis, and the effect of age, in boys 1-6 months of age. Secondly, we studied testicular function - as reflected by HPT hormones - in newborns with cryptorchidism or hypospadias. Sera from a population sample of infants with cryptorchidism (n = 43), hypospadias (n = 41) and controls (n = 113) were analyzed for inhibin B, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). LH, testosterone, non-shbg-bound testosterone (NSBT), and AHM levels showed significant age-related trends. After age-correction, a negative correlation between FSH and inhibin B was observed (r = -0.43). The only significant group-differences were lower testosterone and NSBT levels in cryptorchidism cases, with a mean testosterone of 1.8 and 2.6 nmol/L and a mean NSBT of 0.48 and 0.70 nmol/L for cryptorchidism cases and controls, respectively. The higher levels of LH, testosterone, and NSBT in boys born pre-term or with a low birthweight indicate that abnormal prenatal development may determine postnatal testis function. Our results support the hypothesis that the inhibin B - FSH feedback loop is already functional before puberty. The lower testosterone and NSBT levels indicate that disturbed Leydig cell function can already be detected early after birth in cryptorchid boys. © 2008 European Academy of Andrology. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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