The information of related literatures |
1. C. Romeo, T. Arrigo, P. Impellizzeri, A. Manganaro, P. Antonuccio, G. Di Pasquale, M. F. Messina, L. Marseglia, I. Formica and B. Zuccarello (2007) Altered serum inhibin b levels in adolescents with varicocele. J Pediatr Surg 42(2): 390-4.
2. D. Klingmuller and G. Haidl (1997) Inhibin B in men with normal and disturbed spermatogenesis. Hum Reprod 12(11): 2376-8.
Abstract
Inhibin, a dimeric gonadal glycoprotein, inhibits the production and/or secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The major species currently recognized are inhibin A (alphabeta A subunit) and inhibin B (alphabeta B subunit). In men, inhibin B seems to be the physiologically important form of inhibin. Therefore we measured serum inhibin B using a new two-site immunoenzymatic assay in 14 men (mean +/- SEM age, 34.5 +/- 0.7 years) with sperm counts >20 x 10(6)/ ml, in 35 men (mean +/- SEM age, 36.4 +/- 1.3 years) with oligozoospermia (sperm count <20 x 10(6)/ml) and in men with azoospermia (three orchidectomized men, three men with Klinefelter's syndrome, 10 men with Kallmann's syndrome). We compared inhibin B concentrations with serum FSH and sperm concentrations. In men with normal sperm concentrations (44.7 +/- 6.4 x 10(6)/ml), the concentration of inhibin was 223 +/- 18 pg/ml and of FSH 5.0 +/- 0.7 IU/l; in patients with low sperm concentrations (3.7 +/- 0.8 x 10(6)/ml), the concentration of inhibin B was 107 +/- 12 pg/ml and of FSH 12.2 +/- 1.5 IU/l. In all patients, except those with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, the relationship between inhibin B and FSH concentrations was inverse (r = -0.69, P < 0.0001). In all patients the sperm concentration was positively correlated with inhibin B concentrations (r = 0.70, P < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with FSH concentrations (r = -0.37, P < 0.01). We conclude that inhibin B may be a marker of exocrine testicular function and could offer improved diagnosis and treatment modalities for male infertility. PMID: [9436667]
3. F. H. Pierik, J. T. Vreeburg, T. Stijnen, F. H. De Jong and R. F. Weber (1998) Serum inhibin B as a marker of spermatogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 83(9): 3110-4.
Abstract
Inhibin B is produced by Sertoli cells, provides negative feedback on FSH secretion, and may prove to be an important marker for the functioning of seminiferous tubules. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between the spermatogenic function of the testis of subfertile men and the plasma concentrations of inhibin B and FSH. These parameters were estimated in a group of 218 subfertile men. Serum inhibin B levels were closely correlated with the serum FSH levels (r = -0.78, P < 0.001), confirming the role of inhibin B as feedback signal for FSH production. The spermatogenic function of the testis was evaluated by determining testicular volume and total sperm count. Inhibin B levels were significantly correlated with the total sperm count and testicular volume (r = 0.54 and r = 0.63, respectively; P < 0.001). Testicular biopsies were obtained in 22 of these men. Inhibin B was significantly correlated with the biopsy score (r = 0.76, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed a diagnostic accuracy of 95% for differentiating competent from impaired spermatogenesis for inhibin B, whereas for FSH, a value of 80% was found. We conclude that inhibin B is the best available endocrine marker of spermatogenesis in subfertile men. PMID: [9745412]
4. X. Ruiz Plazas, J. P. Burgues Gasion, M. Ozonas Moragues and P. Piza Reus (2010) [Utility of inhibin B in the management of male infertility]. Actas Urol Esp 34(9): 781-7.
5. C. Bohring and W. Krause (1999) Serum levels of inhibin B in men with different causes of spermatogenic failure. Andrologia 31(3): 137-41.
Abstract
Inhibin B appears to be the physiological feedback signal for FSH. Herein the determination of serum levels of inhibin B, FSH, LH and testosterone in 148 infertile patients and their association with clinical findings and seminal parameters are reported. A significant negative correlation of FSH and inhibin B (r = -0.60) was found. LH levels showed a significant inverse correlation (r = 0.37), but a weak regression (c0 = 0.01). No correlation with testosterone levels occurred. A significantly positive correlation was observed between testis volume and inhibin levels (r = 0.39) as well as between sperm count and inhibin levels (r = 0.39). To evaluate whether the secretion of inhibin B depends on the nature of damage to the Sertoli cells, inhibin levels in 23 patients with varicocele; eight after cryptorchidism, and 16 after hemiorchiectomy were compared to those of other patients without these diseases, but identical sperm count. No significant differences were found. In 20 men undergoing testicular biopsy, inhibin levels were compared to histology. Although the men with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome had significantly lower levels ((15.83 +/- 12.2) pg ml-1) than those with normal spermatogenesis ((183.8 +/- 112.3) pg ml-1), a distinction between patients with hypospermatogenesis from those with normal spermatogenesis was not possible on the basis of inhibin levels. Between these groups, the distinction was better achieved by the FSH levels (sensitivity of 85%). We conclude that inhibin B levels are a serum marker of Sertoli cell function, but the prediction of the quality of spermatogenesis is not superior to that of FSH levels. PMID: [10363117]
6. C. A. de Gouveia Brazao, F. H. Pierik, Y. Erenpreiss, F. H. de Jong, G. R. Dohle and R. F. Weber (2003) The effect of cryptorchidism on inhibin B in a subfertile population. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 59(1): 136-41.
7. A. Mahmoud, P. Kiss, M. Vanhoorne, D. De Bacquer and F. Comhaire (2005) Is inhibin B involved in the toxic effect of lead on male reproduction?. Int J Androl 28(3): 150-5.
Abstract
Human studies indicate exposure to lead is associated with decreased sperm quality with modest, if any, effects on conventional reproductive endocrine profile. Inhibin B is a marker of Sertoli cell function and spermatogenesis. The present study evaluates possible effects of lead exposure on serum levels of inhibin B in a group of lead workers as compared with a non-exposed group of hospital personnel. The study population included 68 healthy Belgian workers from a lead smelter (Hoboken, Belgium) and for comparison a control group of 91 hospital personnel (University Hospital Ghent, Belgium). Semen analysis and measurement of current blood lead levels and serum levels of inhibin B, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2). Lead workers had significantly lower sperm concentration (35 vs. 51 million/mL) and higher serum inhibin B (259 vs. 177 pg/mL) as well as lead blood levels 30.9 vs. 3.4 mug/dL) compared with the hospital personnel (all p < 0.05). Serum FSH and E2 levels were similar in both groups. Overall, inhibin B levels correlated significantly positively with blood lead levels and sperm concentration while it was negatively correlated with serum FSH. In multiple regression analysis of data from all participants, blood lead and serum FSH (p < 0.0001 for both) followed by sperm count (p = 0.007) were selected as the only independent variables for inhibin B with an R-adjusted coefficient of determination of 0.3714. The results of the present study suggest that the exposure of the cells of Sertoli to excessive amounts of lead results in inappropriate inhibin B overproduction that may be involved in the impairment of spermatogenesis. PMID: [15910540]
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Function |
Inhibins and activins inhibit and activate,respectively, the secretion of follitropin by the pituitary gland.Inhibins/activins are involved in regulating a number of diversefunctions such as hypothalamic and pituitary hormone secretion,gonadal hormone secretion, germ cell development and maturation,erythroid differentiation, insulin secretion, nerve cell survival,embryonic axial development or bone growth, depending on theirsubunit composition. Inhibins appear to oppose the functions ofactivins. Back to Top |