Human chorionic gonadotrophin raises serum immunoreactive inhibin levels in men with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism

Abstract

Inhibin is a gonadal glycoprotein hormone involved in the regulation of FSH. To elucidate the regulation of inhibin production we investigated the acute (daily for 1 week) and chronic (9-10 months of follow-up) changes in immunoreactive inhibin, testosterone, LH and FSH levels in the serum of three hypogonadotrophic hypogonadal patients treated first with hCG alone (for 3-6 months) and then hCG combined with FSH (1-5 months). One patient was unexpectedly resistant to gonadotrophin therapy; in the other two, hCG, with or without FSH, caused a rise in inhibin and testosterone, supporting previous observations that LH, as well as FSH, plays a role in the regulation of inhibin or inhibin-related peptides in men.