title: Serum bioactive and immunoreactive follicle-stimulating hormone in oligozoospermic and azoospermic men: application of a modified granulosa cell bioassay.
abstract: Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) usually correlate well with the rate of spermatogenesis. However, in certain cases this correlation does not exist. The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable bioassay of FSH for the andrological clinic. Follicle-stimulating hormone was measured by both standard RIA and bioassay in 98 men subgrouped into normospermic, oligospermic, and azoospermic. Bioactivity of FSH was determined using in vitro cultures of granulosa cells utilizing progesterone measurements for assessing FSH activity. Results of FSH levels obtained by both methods correlated well (r = 0.55, P less than 0.01) within themselves, and both correlated negatively and significantly with sperm concentration. The ratio between bioactivity and immunoreactivity of FSH did not correlate with sperm density. Thus, the decrease in sperm concentration and other sperm variables resulting from a germinal epithelial dysfunction was not mediated or associated with low biological activity of FSH. The application of this method can be of clinical value in cases where a discrepancy is found between serum RIA-FSH levels and sperm quality.
authors.affiliation: Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matzkin
authors.forename: Z T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Homonnai
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galiani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dekel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone