This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 93/9/3318    most recent Author Manuscript (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Recabarren, S. E. Articles by Rey, R. A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Recabarren, S. E. Articles by Rey, R. A. Related Collections Neuroendocrinology and Pituitary Pediatric Endocrinology Male Endocrinology

Pituitary and Testicular Function in Sons of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome from Infancy to Adulthood

Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Endocrinology (S.E.R., P.R.-G., M.R.), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Concepción, 3801061 Chillán, Chile; Laboratory of Endocrinology and Metabolism West Division (T.S.-P., M.M., B.E.), School of Medicine, University of Chile, 8320000 Santiago, Chile; Institute of Maternal and Child Research (R.R., R.S.), School of Medicine, University of Chile, 8360160 Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas (R.A.R.), Hospital de Niños "R. Gutiérrez," C1425EFD Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Departamento de Histología, Biología Celular, Embriología, y Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Professor T. Sir-Petermann, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine West Division, School of Medicine, Las Palmeras 299, Interior Quinta Normal, Casilla 33052, Correo 33, 8320000 Santiago, Chile. E-mail: tsir{at}med.uchile.cl.

Context: An important proportion of male members of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) families exhibit insulin resistance and related metabolic defects. However, the reproductive phenotypes in first-degree male relatives of PCOS women have been described less often.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the pituitary-testicular function in sons of women with PCOS during different stages of life: early infancy, childhood, and adulthood.

Design: Eighty sons of women with PCOS (PCOS_S) and 56 sons of control women without hyperandrogenism (C_S), matched for age, were studied. In all subjects, the pituitary-gonadal axis was evaluated by a GnRH agonist test (leuprolide acetate, 10 µg/kg sc). Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B were used as Sertoli cell markers. Serum concentrations of gonadotropins, steroid hormones, and SHBG were also determined. A semen analysis was performed.

Results: Basal concentrations of gonadotropins, sex steroids, and inhibin B were comparable between PCOS_s and C_S during early infancy, childhood, and adulthood. Similar results in stimulated gonadotropin and sex steroid concentrations were observed. However, AMH serum concentrations were higher in PCOS_s compared with C_S during early infancy [925.0 (457.3–1401.7) vs. 685.6 (417.9–1313.2) pmol/liter, P = 0.039] and childhood [616.3 (304.6–1136.9) vs. 416.5 (206.7–801.2) pmol/liter, P = 0.007). Sperm-count analysis was similar between both groups.

Conclusions: AMH concentrations are increased in prepubertal sons of women with PCOS, suggesting that these boys may show an increased Sertoli cell number or function during infancy and childhood. However, this does not seem to have a major deleterious effect on sperm production.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. E. Recabarren, P. P. Rojas-Garcia, M. P. Recabarren, V. H. Alfaro, R. Smith, V. Padmanabhan, and T. Sir-Petermann Prenatal Testosterone Excess Reduces Sperm Count and Motility Endocrinology, December 1, 2008; 149(12): 6444 - 6448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]