Hormonal control of spermatogenesis in men: therapeutic aspects in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_D9A9146F0CD6
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Review (review): journal as complete as possible of one specific subject, written based on exhaustive analyses from published work.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Hormonal control of spermatogenesis in men: therapeutic aspects in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
Journal
Annales d'endocrinologie
Author(s)
Pitteloud N., Dwyer A.
ISSN
0003-4266 (Print)
ISSN-L
0003-4266
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2014
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
75
Number
2
Pages
98-100
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
During the first two trimesters of intrauterine life, fetal sex steroid production is driven by maternal human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The HPG axis is activated around the third trimester and remains active for the first 6-months of neonatal life. This so-called mini-puberty is a developmental window that has profound effects on future potential for fertility. In early puberty, GnRH secretion is reactivated first at night and then night and day. Pulsatile GnRH stimulates both LH and FSH, which induce maturation of the seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells. Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) results from GnRH deficiency. Men with CHH lack the mini-pubertal and pubertal periods of Sertoli Cell proliferation and thus present with prepubertal testes (<4mL) and low inhibin serum levels --reflecting diminished SC numbers. To induce full maturation of the testes, GnRH-deficient patients can be treated with either pulsatile GnRH, hCG or combined gonadotropin therapy (FSH+hCG). Fertility outcomes with each of these regimens are highly variable. Recently, a randomized, open label treatment study (n=13) addressed the question of whether a sequential treatment with FSH alone prior to LH and FSH (via GnRH pump) could enhance fertility outcomes. All men receiving the sequential treatment developed sperm in the ejaculate, whereas 2/6 men in the other group remained azoospermic. A large, multicenter clinical trial is needed to definitively prove the optimal treatment approach for severe CHH.
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
18/07/2014 19:07
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:58
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