Human Reproduction, Vol 12, 2376-2378, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
D Klingmuller and G Haidl
Inhibin, a dimeric gonadal glycoprotein, inhibits the production and/or
secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The major species
currently recognized are inhibin A (alphabeta A subunit) and inhibin B
(alphabeta B subunit). In men, inhibin B seems to be the physiologically
important form of inhibin. Therefore we measured serum inhibin B using a
new two-site immunoenzymatic assay in 14 men (mean +/- SEM age, 34.5 +/-
0.7 years) with sperm counts >20 x 10(6)/ ml, in 35 men (mean +/- SEM
age, 36.4 +/- 1.3 years) with oligozoospermia (sperm count <20 x
10(6)/ml) and in men with azoospermia (three orchidectomized men, three men
with Klinefelter's syndrome, 10 men with Kallmann's syndrome). We compared
inhibin B concentrations with serum FSH and sperm concentrations. In men
with normal sperm concentrations (44.7 +/- 6.4 x 10(6)/ml), the
concentration of inhibin was 223 +/- 18 pg/ml and of FSH 5.0 +/- 0.7 IU/l;
in patients with low sperm concentrations (3.7 +/- 0.8 x 10(6)/ml), the
concentration of inhibin B was 107 +/- 12 pg/ml and of FSH 12.2 +/- 1.5
IU/l. In all patients, except those with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism,
the relationship between inhibin B and FSH concentrations was inverse (r =
-0.69, P < 0.0001). In all patients the sperm concentration was
positively correlated with inhibin B concentrations (r = 0.70, P <
0.0001) and negatively correlated with FSH concentrations (r = -0.37, P
< 0.01). We conclude that inhibin B may be a marker of exocrine
testicular function and could offer improved diagnosis and treatment
modalities for male infertility.
ARTICLES
Inhibin B in men with normal and disturbed spermatogenesis
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Germany.
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