title: Measurement of inhibin concentrations in men: study of changes after castration and comparison with androgen levels in testicular tissue, spermatic venous blood, and peripheral venous blood.
abstract: We measured serum inhibin levels in eight untreated patients with prostatic cancer undergoing castration by RIA using an antiserum against 31-kDa bovine follicular fluid inhibin. The inhibin concentrations in testicular tissue and spermatic venous blood were also measured in six of these patients. Serum inhibin levels (mean +/- SD, 377.8 +/- 212.1 U/L), declined rapidly after castration (15 min after, 233 +/- 171.4; 30 min, 224.6 +/- 156.6; 1 h, 181.5 +/- 95.9; 2 h, 174.3 +/- 69.4; 4 h, 122 +/- 6.4; 6 h, less than 120). High concentrations of inhibin were detected in testicular tissue (31,360 +/- 15,180 U/kg), and the levels in spermatic venous blood (3,178.3 +/- 1,386.8 U/L) were approximately 10 times greater than those in peripheral blood (385.5 +/- 233.1 U/L). Testosterone levels were 1,968.2 +/- 992.3 nmol/kg in testicular tissue and approximately 100 times greater in spermatic venous blood (1,631.6 +/- 389.7 nmol/L) than in peripheral blood (18.0 +/- 4.4 nmol/L). These results suggest that circulating inhibin in men mainly originates from testis and that one of the routes of secretion is via the bloodstream.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minowada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukutani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aso
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins