Journal of Endocrinology and Reproduction

S. Rengarajan ¹, R. Sivakumar ¹, N. Srinivasan ¹, P. Govindarajulu ¹, K. Balasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, IN

Abstract

Glucocorticoid excess due to stress, endocrine disorders or therapeutic application has been recognized to have an adverse efTect on androgenic status of men. Our previous studies emphasized the defective LH signal transduction in Leydig cells exposed to corticosterone. The present study was designed to identify the dose-dependent effects of corticosterone on the regulation of Leydig cell surface LH receptors and steroidogenic potency in vitro.

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R. Sivakumar ¹, J. Arunakaran ¹, N. Srinivasan ¹, P. Govindarajulu ¹, K. Balasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, IN

Abstract

Therapeutic or experimental radiation exposure is known to impair testicular Leydig cell function. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie such effects are largely unknown. Our previous study demonstrated that higher doses of gamma radiation impair basal and LH-stimulated cAMP production. The present study deals with the dose dependent effects of gamma radiation on LH and cAMP stimulated steroidogenesis in human Leydig cells. Testicles removed from advanced prostatic carcinoma patients, who do not have any endocrine or metabolic disorders known to affect the testicular functions were used in the present study. Prior to orchidectomy, serum hormones such as FSH, LH, testosterone and estradiol were assayed to evaluate the testicular functions.

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S. Singh ¹, S. Yuvaraj ¹, R. Sivakumar ¹, C. Parthasarathy ¹, T. Malini ¹, K. Balasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, IN

Abstract

Male reproductive dysfunction is a common feature in diabetic boys and men. Defective spermatogenesis, sperm count, sperm motility, seminal fluid volume and serum testosterone, supports endocrine basis for impotence and fertility disorders. The present investigation was carried out to understand the impact of diabetes on the structure and development of epididymis during the critical period of sexual maturation in rats. Prepubertal (40 days old) and adult (120 days old) male Wistar rats were made diabetic by single injection of streptozotocin (120 mg/kg body weight for prepubertal and 65 mg/kg body weight for adult) intraperitoneally.

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R. llangovan ¹, M. Balaganesh ¹, S. Sittadjody ¹, R. Sivakumar ¹, M. Sridhar ¹, R. C. Vignesh ¹, B. Ravi Sankar ¹, J. Arunakaran ¹, K. Balasubramanian ¹, M. Michael Aruldhas ¹, N. Srinivasan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai - 600 113, IN

Abstract

In the present investigation, 100 osteoporotic men with 100 age-matched normal were studied for serum sex steroids, parathyroid hormone (PTH), thyroid hormone (T₃), cytokines and bone turnover markers. Serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was significantly decreased in osteoporotic men compared with normal. In osteoporotic men, there was a significant increase in serum interleukin (IL)-lalpha. A marked increase in bone formation marker, serum osteocalcin (OCN) and bone resorption marker, serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) reflects high bone turnover in osteoporotic men. In conclusion, the present findings point out an important role of DHT in maintaining BMD in men. A strong positive correlation of serum DHT with BMD offers new perspectives in understanding the role of non-aromatizable androgen in the regulation of bone metabolism in men.

Keywords

BMD, Cytokines, DHT.

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S. Soudamani ¹, S. Yuvaraj ¹, S. Rengarajan ¹, R. Sivakumar ¹, T. Malini ¹, K. Balasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai 600 113, IN

Abstract

The present study was aimed at evaluating the effects of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and insulin replacement on the androgen (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER) concentrations in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides of prepubertal and adult Wistar rats. Prepubertal (40 days old) and adult (120 days old) male Wistar rats were made diabetic by single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of STZ (120 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg body weight, respectively). To one set of diabetic rats, insulin was administered daily at a dose of 3 U/100 g body weight, subcutaneously, in two equally divided doses at 8.00 AM and 6.00 PM. All the rats were killed on the 21st day of commencement of experimentation. The epididymis was dissected out and caput, corpus and cauda segments were separated, freed from spermatozoa and processed for AR and ER quantification. STZ-induced diabetes caused a marked decrease in both nuclear and cytosolic AR and ER concentrations in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides. Insulin replacement circumvented the adverse effects of diabetes in a segment-specific manner. These findmgs emphasize the detrimental effects of diabetes and the importance of insulin in the maintenance of epididymal AR and ER concentrations in immature as well as adult rats.

Keywords

Androgen Receptor, Diabetes, Epididymis, Estrogen Receptor, Insulin.

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