On the maintenance of male fertility in the absence of native testosterone secretion: site-directed hormonal therapy in the rat.
A method of direct percutaneous injection of testosterone (T)-laden microspheres directly into the testis was used in an attempt to achieve the maintenance of normal intratesticular T concentrations, spermatogenesis, and fertility. Rats were divided into three groups: (1) sham operated/injection controls; (2) animals receiving 250 micrograms/d gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-antagonist; and (3) animals receiving GnRH-antagonist as in group 1 plus 20 mg T-laden microspheres/testis. Treatment periods were 45 and 90 days. Serum T, testicular interstitial fluid T, testis weights, epididymal weights, daily sperm production (sperm x 10(6)/g/d), cauda sperm motility, and fertility were assessed in all animals. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist treatment reduced serum and testicular interstitial fluid to below detectable levels at day 45 and to similar levels at day 90. Supplementation with T-laden microspheres maintained testicular interstitial fluid T at concentrations not different from controls without elevation of serum T concentrations. All other values, including fertility were suppressed by GnRH-antagonist treatment and maintained by supplementation with T-laden microspheres.
Department of Urology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908.
T T
TT
Turner
S S
SS
Howards
J L
JL
Gleavy
D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; C060521:LHRH, N-Ac-naphthyl(1)-(4-Cl-Phe)(2)-Trp(3)-Arg(6)-Ala(10)-