Serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone strongly correlates with intratesticular testosterone in gonadotropin-suppressed normal men receiving various dosages of human chorionic gonadotropin.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if serum concentrations of testosterone precursors would correlate with intratesticular testosterone (ITT) concentration measured directly by testicular aspiration and allow for a less invasive means of inferring ITT.


METHODS
Controlled clinical study.


METHODS
Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment.


METHODS
Twenty-nine normal men.


METHODS
We determined ITT concentration by testicular aspiration before and after treatment in men receiving exogenous T to block endogenous gonadotropin production and randomly assigned to one of four doses of hCG (0, 125 IU, 250 IU, or 500 IU every other day) for 3 weeks.


METHODS
The association between serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OH-P), androstenedione, and DHEA and ITT.


RESULTS
With T administration alone, serum 17OH-P decreased significantly and increased significantly when 500 IU hCG was administered. End-of-treatment ITT strongly correlated with serum 17OH-P. Moreover, serum 17OH-P, but not androstenedione or DHEA, was independently associated with end-of-treatment ITT by multivariate linear regression.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum 17OH-P is highly correlated with ITT in gonadotropin-suppressed normal men receiving T and stimulated with hCG. Serum 17OH-P is a surrogate biomarker of ITT and may be useful in research and in men receiving gonadotropin therapy for infertility.
Amory
John K
JK
Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. jamory@u.washington.edu
Coviello
Andrea D
AD
Page
Stephanie T
ST
Anawalt
Bradley D
BD
Matsumoto
Alvin M
AM
Bremner
William J
WJ
D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000032:analysis; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003272:Contraceptive Agents, Male; D006062:Gonadotropins; D010919:Placebos; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone