title: Autoantibody against testosterone in a woman with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.
abstract: We demonstrate that antitestosterone autoantibody is produced in a 24-yr-old woman with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. The serum testosterone level measured by RIA was extremely elevated (5.80 ng/mL); after elution, serum testosterone had returned to a normal female value (0.21 ng/mL). The clinical features were suggestive of no androgen activity. Primary follicles were present in the patent's ovary. After gonadotropin treatment, conception was achieved, and a normal female infant was delivered. A gel filtration study showed that the testosterone-binding activity was eluted at the position of 15,000-kDa Ig. Scatchard analysis revealed a low affinity antibody; the association constant was 0.034 x 10(3) mol-1, and the maximal binding capacity was 162 mumol/mL. An immunoprecipitation study the chain-specific antibodies showed that the antitestosterone autoantibody belonged to kappa-type IgG. This subject is the first reported case with an endocrine disorder who possessed autoantibodies against testosterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aono
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D007621:Karyotyping; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008596:Menotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000473:pathology; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D013739:Testosterone; D008596:Menotropins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone