Prenatal testosterone excess alters Sertoli and germ cell number and testicular FSH receptor expression in rams

ROJAS-GARC¡§ªA, P.; RECABARREN, M.; SARABIA, L.; SCHÖN, J.; GABLER, C.; EINSPANER, R.; MALIQUEO, M.; SIR-PETERMANN, T.; REY, R.; RECABARREN, S. E.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM

AMER PHYSIOLOGICAL SOC

Año: 2010 vol. 299 p. 998 - 1005

0193-1849

Exposure to excess testosterone (T) during fetal life has a profound impact on the metabolic and reproductive functions in the female¡¯s postnatal life.  However, less is known about the effects of excess testosterone in males.  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact (consequences) of an excess of T during fetal development on mature male testis.  The testicular evaluation was by histological analysis and by determination of mRNA expression of the FSH receptor (FSH-R), transforming growth factor ¦Â type I receptor (TbR-I), and two members of the TGF beta superfamily, transforming growth factor b-3 (TGFb-3) and anti-M¨¹llerian hormone (AMH) in males born to mothers receiving an excess of T during pregnancy.  At 42 weeks of age, post-pubertal males born to mothers treated with 30 mg T propionate twice weekly from day 30 to 90, followed by 40 mg T propionate from day 90 to 120 of pregnancy (T-males) showed higher concentrations of FSH in response to a GnRH analog, a higher number of Sertoli cells/seminiferous tubule cross section and a lower number of germ cells/tubule (P<0.05) than control males (C-males) born to mothers treated with the vehicle.  The mRNA expression of FSH-R and of TbR-I was higher in T-males compared to C-males (P<0.05).  Moreover, in T-males, AMH expression level correlated negatively with the expression level of TGFb-3.  In C-males, this latter correlation was not observed.  These results suggest that prenatal exposure to an excess of testosterone can modify negatively some histological and molecular characteristics of the mature testis.