Constitutively active follicle-stimulating hormone receptor enables androgen-independent spermatogenesis
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is regulated by the 2 pituitary gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This process is considered impossible without the absolute requirement of LH-stimulated testicular testosterone (T) production. The role of FSH remains unclear because men and mice with inactivating FSH receptor (FSHR) mutations are fertile. We revisited the role of FSH in spermatogenesis using transgenic mice expressing a constitutively strongly active FSHR mutant in a LH receptor–null (LHR-null) background. The mutant FSHR reversed the azoospermia and partially restored fertility of Lhr–/– mice. The finding was initially ascribed to the residual Leydig cell T production. However, when T action was completely blocked with the potent antiandrogen flutamide, spermatogenesis persisted. Hence, completely T-independent spermatogenesis is possible through strong FSHR activation, and the dogma of T being a sine qua non for spermatogenesis may need modification. The mechanism for the finding appeared to be that FSHR activation maintained the expression of Sertoli cell genes considered androgen dependent. The translational message of our findings is the possibility of developing a new strategy of high-dose FSH treatment for spermatogenic failure. Our findings also provide an explanation of molecular pathogenesis for Pasqualini syndrome (fertile eunuchs; LH/T deficiency with persistent spermatogenesis) and explain how the hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis has shifted from FSH to T dominance during evolution.
Date Issued
2018-05-01
Date Acceptance
2018-02-07
Citation
Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2018, 128 (5), pp.1787-1792
ISSN
0021-9738
Publisher
American Society for Clinical Investigation
Start Page
1787
End Page
1792
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Volume
128
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Oduwole et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/4.0/
licenses/by/4.0/
Sponsor
Wellcome Trust
Medical Research Council (MRC)
Grant Number
063552/A/01/Z
G0600002
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Research & Experimental Medicine
SERTOLI-CELLS
MAINTAIN SPERMATOGENESIS
FSH
TESTOSTERONE
MUTATION
GENE
MOUSE
MEN
IDENTIFICATION
EXPRESSION
Endocrinology
Fertility
Reproductive Biology
Reproductive biochemistry
11 Medical And Health Sciences
Immunology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-03-26