Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 4, 906-912,
April 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Inhibin B plasma concentrations in oligozoospermic subjects before and after therapy with follicle stimulating hormone
1 Clinica Medica 3, University of Padova, Padova, 2 Centro per la Diagnosi e la Terapia della sterilità di coppia, Divisione di Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia and 3 Servizio di Medicina di Laboratorio, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy
The aim of this study was to investigate inhibin B and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion in a large group of oligozoospermic subjects affected by different degrees of testicular damage, before and after FSH treatment. A total of 135 oligozoospermic subjects (sperm count <20x106/ml) were evaluated for seminal parameters and FSH, luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and inhibin B plasma concentrations. Testicular structure was analysed with bilateral fine needle aspiration cytology. Inhibin B showed an inverse correlation with FSH, no correlation with sperm concentration and a significant relationship with intratesticular spermatid number, demonstrating that testicular spermatids play an important role in the control of inhibin B production. Twenty-five subjects with sperm counts <10x106/ml were treated with FSH; 11 of these had basal FSH and inhibin B plasma concentrations in the normal range (group A), while in seven subjects FSH was elevated (>7 IU/l) with normal inhibin B (group B), and in seven patients FSH was high and inhibin B reduced (<80 pg/ml) (group C). During treatment, in group A patients inhibin B plasma concentrations increased significantly after 2, 3 and 4 weeks of FSH administration and declined thereafter to pre-treatment concentrations. Groups B and C did not show any modification during the treatment. In the same period, in group A FSH increased significantly after 2, 3 and 4 weeks and subsequently declined. In groups B and C, FSH increased significantly after 2 weeks and remained elevated during the following period. The results of the present study confirm the significant inverse correlation between inhibin B and FSH plasma concentrations in subjects with disturbed spermatogenesis, and demonstrate that inhibin B reflects Sertoli cell function and their interaction with spermatids. FSH and inhibin B concentrations are an expression of the spermatogenic status of seminiferous tubules. FSH treatment seems to modify inhibin B plasma concentrations only in subjects with normal basal FSH and inhibin B, independently from the effects of this therapy on sperm production.
Key words: cytology/fine needle aspiration/FSH therapy/inhibin B/oligozoospermia
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: University of Padova, Clinica Medica 3, Via Ospedale 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
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