• PMID: 23013062
• Gene Name: FSH
• Condition: Sertoli cell only syndrome (cSCOS), maturation arrest, hypospermatogenesis, mixed atrophy, severe atrophy
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 261
• Population details: 261 (193 azo?oligozoospermic patients (76 sertoli cell only syndrome (cSCOS), 31 focal SCOS, 34 maturation arrest, 17 hypospermatogenesis, 25 mixed atrophy, 10 severe atrophy), 68 infertile men (controls))
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: FSH, LH
• Other associated phenotypes: Sertoli cell only syndrome (cSCOS), maturation arrest, hypospermatogenesis, mixed atrophy, severe atrophy

Histological and hormonal testicular function in oligo/azoospermic infertile men

Lardone MC, Piottante A, Valdevenito R, Ebensperger M, Castro A.

We characterised and correlated the histological and hormonal aspects of a cohort of 261 azo/oligozoospermic men, applying a quantitative/qualitative evaluation of testicular tissue and serum and intratesticular hormonal measurements. One hundred and 93 azo⁄oligozoospermic patients were diagnosed as: complete sertoli cell only syndrome (cSCOS), n = 76; focal SCOS, n = 31; maturation arrest, n = 34; hypospermatogenesis, n = 17; mixed atrophy, n = 25; and severe atrophy, n = 10. Normal spermatogenesis was observed in 68 infertile men (controls). Patients with cSCOS, focal SCOS, mixed and severe atrophy had larger LC/clusters (11.5; 11.0; 10.7; 18.9 LC/cluster) than controls (6 LC/cluster; P < 0.001). cSCOS, focal SCOS, mixed and severe atrophy patients had higher FSH, LH and lower T/LH ratio serum levels than the other groups. Intratesticular testosterone concentrations were higher in tissues with complete or focal SCOS (45.6 ng mg(-1) protein) and mixed atrophy (79.0 ng mg(-1) protein) than normal tissues (20.3 ng mg(-1) protein; P = 0.03 and P = 0.007). Considering all subjects, significant correlations were found between T/LH ratio and Leydig cells/cluster (r = 0.510, P < 0.001), FSH levels (r = -0.692, P < 0.001) and with intratesticular testosterone (r = -0.354, P = 0.001); these correlations follow the pattern of severity of spermatogenic damage. By a thorough histological evaluation, we validate the concept that the severity of spermatogenic impairment is associated with major morphological and functional disturbance of the Leydig cell compartment. CI - © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. FAU - Lardone, M C AU - Lardone MC AD - Institute of Maternal and Child Research, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. FAU - Piottante, A AU - Piottante A FAU - Valdevenito, R AU - Valdevenito R FAU - Ebensperger, M AU - Ebensperger M