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Male infertility and gonadotropin treatment: What can we learn from real-world data? Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2023; 86:102310. [PMID: 36682942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2022.102310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Gonadotropin therapy to treat specific male infertility disorders associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is evidence-based and effective in restoring spermatogenesis and fertility. In contrast, its use to improve fertility in men with idiopathic oligozoospermia or nonobstructive azoospermia remains controversial, despite being widely practiced. The existence of two major inter-related pathways for spermatogenesis, including FSH and intratesticular testosterone, provides a rationale for empiric hormone stimulation therapy in both eugonadal and hypogonadal males with idiopathic oligozoospermia or nonobstructive azoospermia. Real-world data (RWD) on gonadotropin stimulating for these patient subsets, mainly using human chorionic gonadotropin and follicle-stimulating hormone, accumulated gradually, showing a positive therapeutic effect in some patients, translated by increased sperm production, sperm quality, and sperm retrieval rates. Although more evidence is needed, current insights from RWD research indicate that selected male infertility patients might be managed more effectively using gonadotropin therapy, with potential gains for all parties involved.
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van der Spoel E, Roelfsema F, van Heemst D. Relationships Between 24-hour LH and Testosterone Concentrations and With Other Pituitary Hormones in Healthy Older Men. J Endocr Soc 2021; 5:bvab075. [PMID: 34337275 PMCID: PMC8315483 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the relationship between LH and testosterone (T), which characteristics associate with the strength of this relationship, and their interrelationships with GH, TSH, cortisol, and ACTH. Design Hormones were measured in serum samples collected every 10 minutes during 24 hours from 20 healthy men, comprising 10 offspring of long-lived families and 10 control subjects, with a mean (SD) age of 65.6 (5.3) years. We performed cross-correlation analyses to assess the relative strength between 2 timeseries for all possible time shifts. Results Mean (95% CI) maximal correlation was 0.21 (0.10-0.31) at lag time of 60 minutes between LH and total T concentrations. Results were comparable for calculated free, bioavailable, or secretion rates of T. Men with strong LH-T cross-correlations had, compared with men with no cross-correlation, lower fat mass (18.5 [14.9-19.7] vs. 22.3 [18.4-29.4] kg), waist circumference (93.6 [5.7] vs. 103.1 [12.0] cm), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (0.7 [0.4-1.3] vs. 1.8 [0.8-12.3] mg/L), IL-6 (0.8 [0.6-1.0] vs. 1.2 [0.9-3.0] pg/mL), and 24-hour mean LH (4.3 [2.0] vs. 6.1 [1.5] U/L), and stronger LH-T feedforward synchrony (1.5 [0.3] vs. 1.9 [0.2]). Furthermore, T was positively cross-correlated with TSH (0.32 [0.21-0.43]), cortisol (0.26 [0.19-0.33]), and ACTH (0.26 [0.19-0.32]). Conclusions LH is followed by T with a delay of 60 minutes in healthy older men. Men with a strong LH-T relationship had more favorable body composition, inflammatory markers, LH levels, and LH-T feedforward synchrony. We observed positive correlations between T and TSH, cortisol, and ACTH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie van der Spoel
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ferdinand Roelfsema
- Section Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Diana van Heemst
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Casarini L, Santi D, Brigante G, Simoni M. Two Hormones for One Receptor: Evolution, Biochemistry, Actions, and Pathophysiology of LH and hCG. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:549-592. [PMID: 29905829 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
LH and chorionic gonadotropin (CG) are glycoproteins fundamental to sexual development and reproduction. Because they act on the same receptor (LHCGR), the general consensus has been that LH and human CG (hCG) are equivalent. However, separate evolution of LHβ and hCGβ subunits occurred in primates, resulting in two molecules sharing ~85% identity and regulating different physiological events. Pituitary, pulsatile LH production results in an ~90-minute half-life molecule targeting the gonads to regulate gametogenesis and androgen synthesis. Trophoblast hCG, the "pregnancy hormone," exists in several isoforms and glycosylation variants with long half-lives (hours) and angiogenic potential and acts on luteinized ovarian cells as progestational. The different molecular features of LH and hCG lead to hormone-specific LHCGR binding and intracellular signaling cascades. In ovarian cells, LH action is preferentially exerted through kinases, phosphorylated extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK1/2) and phosphorylated AKT (also known as protein kinase B), resulting in irreplaceable proliferative/antiapoptotic signals and partial agonism on progesterone production in vitro. In contrast, hCG displays notable cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated steroidogenic and proapoptotic potential, which is masked by estrogen action in vivo. In vitro data have been confirmed by a large data set from assisted reproduction, because the steroidogenic potential of hCG positively affects the number of retrieved oocytes, and LH affects the pregnancy rate (per oocyte number). Leydig cell in vitro exposure to hCG results in qualitatively similar cAMP/PKA and pERK1/2 activation compared with LH and testosterone. The supposed equivalence of LH and hCG has been disproved by such data, highlighting their sex-specific functions and thus deeming it an oversight caused by incomplete understanding of clinical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Casarini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniele Santi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Brigante
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Modena, Italy
| | - Manuela Simoni
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Modena, Italy
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Skorupskaite K, George JT, Veldhuis JD, Millar RP, Anderson RA. Neurokinin 3 receptor antagonism decreases gonadotropin and testosterone secretion in healthy men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2017; 87:748-756. [PMID: 28802064 DOI: 10.1111/cen.13445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with mutations of neurokinin B (NKB) and its receptor show hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, but there is little evidence for the importance of this pathway in reproductive function in normal men, or its functional hierarchy with kisspeptin. DESIGN An open label study wherein men (n = 6) were administered the NK3R antagonist MLE4901 40 mg orally twice a day for 7 days. Kisspeptin-10 (0.3 μg/kg iv bolus) was given before and on day 7 of NK3R antagonist treatment. PATIENTS Subjects were healthy men. MEASUREMENTS Reproductive hormones were measured before and during the NK3R antagonist administration, including frequent sampling on two occasions for analysis of pulsatile LH secretion. RESULTS LH, FSH and testosterone secretion were decreased during NK3R antagonist administration. LH showed a biphasic response, being reduced after 24 hours of treatment (4.5 ± 0.6 IU/L pretreatment to 1.7 ± 0.2 IU/L, P < .05), with partial recovery thereafter, but it was again decreased on day 7 (2.5 ± 0.6 IU/L, P < .05 vs pretreatment). FSH secretion was also suppressed, with a similar temporal pattern to that of LH. Testosterone secretion was decreased from 24 hours (18.4 ± 1.6 pretreatment vs 5.6 ± 1.5 nmol/L, P < .01) and remained suppressed throughout the treatment period. Analysis of LH pulsatility showed that both basal and pulsatile LH secretion were markedly suppressed but there was no detected change in LH pulse frequency. Kisspeptin-10 stimulated LH secretion, with similar responses before and during NK3R antagonist administration. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate a central role for NKB/NK3R in the physiological regulation of reproductive function in men, and that this is functionally upstream of kisspeptin-mediated GnRH secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Skorupskaite
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jyothis T George
- Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK
- Boehringer Ingelheim, Bracknell, UK
| | - Johannes D Veldhuis
- Endocrine Research Unit, Center for Translational Science Activities, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Robert P Millar
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Schmidt PJ, Martinez PE, Nieman LK, Koziol DE, Thompson KD, Schenkel L, Wakim PG, Rubinow DR. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Symptoms Following Ovarian Suppression: Triggered by Change in Ovarian Steroid Levels But Not Continuous Stable Levels. Am J Psychiatry 2017; 174:980-989. [PMID: 28427285 PMCID: PMC5624833 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16101113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms are eliminated by ovarian suppression and stimulated by administration of ovarian steroids, yet they appear with ovarian steroid levels indistinguishable from those in women without PMDD. Thus, symptoms could be precipitated either by an acute change in ovarian steroid levels or by stable levels above a critical threshold playing a permissive role in expression of an underlying infradian affective "pacemaker." The authors attempted to determine which condition triggers PMDD symptoms. METHOD The study included 22 women with PMDD, ages 30 to 50 years. Twelve women who experienced symptom remission after 2-3 months of GnRH agonist-induced ovarian suppression (leuprolide) then received 1 month of single-blind (participant only) placebo and then 3 months of continuous combined estradiol/progesterone. Primary outcome measures were the Rating for Premenstrual Tension observer and self-ratings completed every 2 weeks during clinic visits. Multivariate repeated-measure ANOVA for mixed models was employed. RESULTS Both self- and observer-rated scores on the Rating for Premenstrual Tension were significantly increased (more symptomatic) during the first month of combined estradiol/progesterone compared with the last month of leuprolide alone, the placebo month, and the second and third months of estradiol/progesterone. There were no significant differences in symptom severity between the last month of leuprolide alone, placebo month, or second and third months of estradiol/progesterone. Finally, the Rating for Premenstrual Tension scores in the second and third estradiol/progesterone months did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate that the change in estradiol/progesterone levels from low to high, and not the steady-state level, was associated with onset of PMDD symptoms. Therapeutic efforts to modulate the change in steroid levels proximate to ovulation merit further study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lynnette K. Nieman
- Intramural Research Program on Reproductive and Adult Endocrinology, The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHSS
| | - Deloris E. Koziol
- Biostatistics & Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health
| | | | | | - Paul G. Wakim
- Biostatistics & Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health
| | - David R. Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
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van der Spoel E, Roelfsema F, Jansen SW, Akintola AA, Ballieux BE, Cobbaert CM, Blauw GJ, Slagboom PE, Westendorp RGJ, Pijl H, van Heemst D. Familial Longevity Is Not Associated with Major Differences in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Healthy Middle-Aged Men. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2016; 7:143. [PMID: 27881971 PMCID: PMC5101217 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2016.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT A trade-off between fertility and longevity possibly exists. The association of the male hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis with familial longevity has not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVE To study 24-h hormone concentration profiles of the HPG axis in men enriched for familial longevity and controls. DESIGN We frequently sampled blood over 24 h in 10 healthy middle-aged male offspring of nonagenarian participants from the Leiden Longevity Study together with 10 male age-matched controls. Individual 24-h luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentration profiles were analyzed by deconvolution analyses to estimate secretion parameters. Furthermore, the temporal relationship between LH and testosterone was assessed by cross-correlation analysis. We used (cross-)approximate entropy to quantify the strength of feedback and/or feedforward control of LH and testosterone secretion. RESULTS Mean [95% confidence interval (CI)] total LH secretion of the offspring was 212 (156-268) U/L/24 h, which did not differ significantly (p = 0.51) from the total LH secretion of controls [186 (130-242) U/L/24 h]. Likewise, mean (95% CI) total testosterone secretion of the offspring [806 (671-941) nmol/L/24 h] and controls [811 (676-947) nmol/L/24 h] were similar (p = 0.95). Other parameters of LH and testosterone secretion were also not significantly different between offspring and controls. The temporal relationship between LH and testosterone and the strength of feedforward/feedback regulation within the HPG axis were similar between offspring of long-lived families and controls. CONCLUSION This relatively small study suggests that in healthy male middle-aged participants, familial longevity is not associated with major differences in the HPG axis. Selection on both fertility and health may in part explain the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evie van der Spoel
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ferdinand Roelfsema
- Section Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Steffy W. Jansen
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Abimbola A. Akintola
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Bart E. Ballieux
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Christa M. Cobbaert
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Gerard J. Blauw
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - P. Eline Slagboom
- Section Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Rudi G. J. Westendorp
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Public Health, Center of Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanno Pijl
- Section Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Diana van Heemst
- Section Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Diana van Heemst,
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Stachenfeld NS, Taylor HS. Challenges and methodology for testing young healthy women in physiological studies. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2014; 306:E849-53. [PMID: 24569589 PMCID: PMC3989744 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00038.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Physiological responses and control of body systems differ between women and men. Moreover, within women, female gonadal hormones have important influences on organs and systems outside of reproduction. Until the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, laboratories focused physiological research primarily on men, and this focus placed limitations on women's health care. Thus, the NIH directive to include women required scientists and physicians studying humans to consider female reproductive physiology. Even though this directive was enacted over 20 years ago, there is still a great deal of misunderstanding as to the best methods to control hormones or account for changes in internal hormone exposure in women. This discussion describes common methods investigators use to include women in physiological studies and to examine the impact of female reproductive hormone exposure for research purposes. In some cases, the goal is to control for phase of the cycle, so women are studied when the endogenous hormones should be similar to each other. When the goal of the research is to examine the effects of hormones on a physiological response, it is important to use methods that will change hormone exposure in a controlled fashion. We recommend a method that employs gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist or antagonist to suppress estrogens, gonadotropins, progesterone, and androgens followed by administration of these hormones. While this method is more invasive, it is safe and is the strongest research design to examine both hormone effects within women and between women and men.
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George JT, Veldhuis JD, Tena-Sempere M, Millar RP, Anderson RA. Exploring the pathophysiology of hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes: kisspeptin-10 stimulates serum testosterone and LH secretion in men with type 2 diabetes and mild biochemical hypogonadism. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2013; 79:100-4. [PMID: 23153270 DOI: 10.1111/cen.12103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2012] [Revised: 11/06/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Low serum testosterone is commonly observed in men with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), but the neuroendocrine pathophysiology remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVES The hypothalamic neuropeptide kisspeptin integrates metabolic signals with the reproductive axis in animal models. We hypothesized that administration of exogenous kisspeptin-10 will restore luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone secretion in hypotestosteronaemic men with T2DM. PARTICIPANTS Five hypotestosteronaemic men with T2DM (age 33·6 ± 3 years, BMI 40·6 ± 6·3, total testosterone 8·5 ± 1·0 nmol/l, LH 4·7 ± 0·7 IU/l, HbA1c 7·4±2%, duration of diabetes <5 years) and seven age-matched healthy men. EXPERIMENT 1: Mean LH increased in response to intravenous administration of kisspeptin-10 (0·3 mcg/kg bolus) both in healthy men (5·5 ± 0·8 to 13·9 ± 1·7 IU/l P < 0·001) and in men with T2DM (4·7 ± 0·7 to 10·7 ± 1·2 IU/l P = 0·02) with comparable ΔLH (P = 0·18). EXPERIMENT 2: Baseline 10-min serum sampling for LH and hourly testosterone measurements were performed in four T2DM men over 12 h. An intravenous infusion of kisspeptin-10 (4 mcg/kg/h) was administered for 11 h, 5 days later. There were increases in LH (3·9 ± 0·1 IU/l to 20·7 ± 1·1 IU/l P = 0·03) and testosterone (8·5 ± 1·0 to 11·4 ± 0·9 nmol/l, P = 0·002). LH pulse frequency increased from 0·6 ± 0·1 to 0·9 ± 0 pulses/h (P = 0·05) and pulsatile component of LH secretion from 32·1 ± 8·0 IU/l to 140·2 ± 23·0 IU/l (P = 0·007). CONCLUSIONS Kisspeptin-10 administration increased LH pulse frequency and LH secretion in hypotestosteronaemic men with T2DM in this proof-of-concept study, with associated increases in serum testosterone. These data suggest a potential novel therapeutic role for kisspeptin agonists in enhancing endogenous testosterone secretion in men with T2DM and central hypogonadism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyothis T George
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK.
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