title: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone: A Review of Form and Function in the Treatment of Infertility.
abstract: The use of gonadotropin therapy, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), represents an indispensable part of fertility treatment. There are a number of FSH preparations commercially available or in development, including both urinary-derived products (urinary-derived FSH [uFSH]) and FSH produced through recombinant techniques (recombinant FSH [rFSH]). Differences in the glycosylation patterns of FSH give rise to a number of naturally occurring isoforms that may differ functionally. The relative concentrations of these isoforms vary over the course of the menstrual cycle and the lifetime, indicating that these differences in glycosylation may have physiologic relevance. Although both uFSH and rFSH contain human FSH, there are differences in the glycosylation patterns, which may give rise to differences in biologic activity between products. Current FSH products have been shown to have high purity and to exhibit consistent, favorable efficacy and safety profiles for the treatment of infertility, regardless of urinary or recombinant origin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hormonology and Tumormarkers, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium johan.smitz@uzbrussel.be.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smitz
authors.affiliation: Production and Regulatory Affairs, Instituto Massone SA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolfenson
authors.affiliation: Surface Oncology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chappel
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Parsippany, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D003412:Cricetulus; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D020033:Protein Isoforms
keywords: efficacy; follicle-stimulating hormone; high-purity FSH; purification; recombinant FSH