title: Immunoactive inhibin as a marker of Sertoli cell function following cytotoxic damage to the human testis.
abstract: Sertoli and Leydig cell functions were evaluated in men with testicular damage due either to cytotoxic chemotherapy (CCT) or radiotherapy (XRT). Serum immunoactive inhibin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations were measured in 15 men (19-50 years) who had received 6-10 courses of combination CCT (mustine, vinblastine, procarbazine and prednisolone) for Hodgkin's disease 1-8 years earlier and 18 men (21-49 years) who had undergone unilateral orchidectomy for testicular seminoma followed by XRT (30 Gy) to the remaining testis, 1-4 years earlier. Normal men (n = 16, 19-36 years) acted as controls. Median inhibin (422 U/l) and testosterone (16.0 nmol/l) levels in the CCT-treated group were not significantly different from controls, whereas median FSH (14.5 IU/l) and LH (10.0 IU/l) levels were higher (p less than 0.0001 and p less than 0.001) than normal (2.9 and 5.5 IU/l). The median inhibin/FSH (I/FSH) ratio in the patients was lower (p less than 0.0001) than in the controls (33.8 vs. 187.0) as was the testosterone/LH (T/LH) ratio (1.7 vs. 3.8, p less than 0.001). In the XRT-treated group, both median inhibin (194.5 U/l) and testosterone (12.7 nmol/l) levels were lower (p less than 0.0001 and p less than 0.01) than normal (532.8 U/l and 20.0 nmol/l) in the presence of greatly elevated FSH (26.0 IU/l) and LH (14.5 IU/l) levels. In conclusion, CCT-induced testicular damage is associated with subtle Sertoli and Leydig cell dysfunction demonstrated by the reduced I/FSH and T/LH ratios; however, compensatory mechanisms maintain normal testosterone and inhibin levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tsatsoulis
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Shalet
authors: I D
authors: ID
authors: Morris
authors: D M
authors: DM
authors: de Kretser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000209:etiology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone