Serum testosterone response to desialylated human choriogonadotropin in man.
To assess the in vivo steroidogenic activity of desialylated human choriogonadotropin (hCG) in man, highly purified desialylated hCG was administered as a constant intravenous infusion over 6 hours to four normal men at a rate sufficient to maintain substantial levels of desialylated hCG in the serum. The mean percent change of serum testosterone from baseline during the first 6 hours in men given an infusion of desialylated hCG was compared to that in saline-infused controls and that in men given highly purified intact hCG. The mean change of serum testosterone at 6 hours in the group infused with desialylated hCG (129% of baseline) was significantly greater than that of the controls (69% of baseline). Furthermore, the response to desialylated hCG could not be distinguished from that of hCG (125% of baseline). It was concluded that desialylated hCG, when given as a constant intravenous infusion, can elicit a substantial serum testosterone response comparable to that seen with purified hCG, and thus, that desialylated hCG behaves as an agonist of the LH/CG receptors on human Leydig cells.
Liu
L
L
Developmental Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Wehmann
R E
RE
Rosa
C
C
Birken
S
S
Nisula
B C
BC
D000328:Adult; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011974:Receptors, LH; C019263:asialo-human chorionic gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone