<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Introduction:</bold> Thyroid hormones play a major role in the regulation of testicular maturation and growth and in the control of Sertoli and Leydig cell functions in adulthood. When naturally occurring, hypothyroidism causes male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and Sertoli cell function disorders, but when iatrogenic and methimazole-induced its influence on the pituitary-testicular axis function with respect to Sertoli cells is poorly known.<bold>Material and Methods:</bold> Male adult Wistar rats (n = 14) were divided into two groups: E – taking methimazole orally for 60 days, and C – control animals. After 60 d, the concentrations in serum of testosterone, follicle-stimulating and luteinising hormones, and inhibins A and B were measured. Testicles were examined morphologically: the apoptotic Sertoli cell percentage (ASC%) and number of these cells functional per tubular mm2 (FSCN/Tmm2) were calculated.<bold>Results:</bold> In group E, inhibin A was higher while inhibin B was lower than in group C. ASC% was higher and FSCN/Tmm2 lower in group E than in group C.<bold>Conclusion:</bold> A specific modulation of Sertoli cell function in the course of methimazole-induced hypothyroidism leads to a simultaneous concentration increase in inhibin A and decrease in B. Inhibin A might share responsibility for pituitary-testicular axis dysfunction and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in this model of hypothyroidism.</abstract>

Introduction: Thyroid hormones play a major role in the regulation of testicular maturation and growth and in the control of Sertoli and Leydig cell functions in adulthood. When naturally occurring, hypothyroidism causes male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and Sertoli cell function disorders, but when iatrogenic and methimazole-induced its influence on the pituitary-testicular axis function with respect to Sertoli cells is poorly known.Material and Methods: Male adult Wistar rats (n = 14) were divided into two groups: E – taking methimazole orally for 60 days, and C – control animals. After 60 d, the concentrations in serum of testosterone, follicle-stimulating and luteinising hormones, and inhibins A and B were measured. Testicles were examined morphologically: the apoptotic Sertoli cell percentage (ASC%) and number of these cells functional per tubular mm2 (FSCN/Tmm2) were calculated.Results: In group E, inhibin A was higher while inhibin B was lower than in group C. ASC% was higher and FSCN/Tmm2 lower in group E than in group C.Conclusion: A specific modulation of Sertoli cell function in the course of methimazole-induced hypothyroidism leads to a simultaneous concentration increase in inhibin A and decrease in B. Inhibin A might share responsibility for pituitary-testicular axis dysfunction and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in this model of hypothyroidism.

Pituitary-testicular axis dysfunction in methimazole-induced hypothyroidism in rats

Department and Clinic of Animal Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Department of Biopharmacy, Chair of Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy with Medical Analytics Division

Department of Comparative Anatomy and Anthropology

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction: Thyroid hormones play a major role in the regulation of testicular maturation and growth and in the control of Sertoli and Leydig cell functions...

Pituitary-testicular axis dysfunction in methimazole-induced hypothyroidism in rats

Published Online: Mar 28, 2019

Page range: 161 - 166

Received: Oct 08, 2018

Accepted: Feb 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0008

Keywords
rats, hypogonadism, inhibins, sex hormones, thionamines, thyroid gland

© 2019 Marcin Gołyński et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Pituitary-testicular axis dysfunction in methimazole-induced hypothyroidism in rats

Published Online: Mar 28, 2019

Page range: 161 - 166

Received: Oct 08, 2018

Accepted: Feb 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0008

Keywordsrats, hypogonadism, inhibins, sex hormones, thionamines, thyroid gland

© 2019 Marcin Gołyński et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
rats, hypogonadism, inhibins, sex hormones, thionamines, thyroid gland