OBJECTIVETo assay the existence of SHBG in prostatic tissue and analyze the effects of SHBG on the prostate and prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODSProstate tissue cytosolic and nuclear fractions were obtained from 32 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 11 cases of elderly control, and 22 cases of the normal young and middle-aged. SHBG in cytosol and nucleus was evaluated by two-site immunoradiometric assay based on the 125I-labelled monoclonal antibody.

RESULTSThe study testified the existence of SHBG in the cytosol of prostatic tissue. SHBG in BPH tissue [(5.11 +/- 1.37) fmol/g wet tissue] was a little more than that in the young and middle-aged group [(4.98 +/- 1.39) fmol/g wet tissue] and the elderly group [(5.06 +/- 1.27) fmol/g wet tissue], but there was no significance among the three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHBG in the prostate can bind and accumlate androgen, which is related to prostatic physiology and contributes to the etiology of BPH.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; chemistry ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of obesity on the peak level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist test and obesity-related hormones in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP).

METHODSThree hundred and thirty-three girls with CPP who underwent the GnRH agonist test between 2012 and 2014 were classified into three groups: normal weight (n=123), overweight (n=108), and obesity (n=102), according to body mass index (BMI). The sexual development indices were compared between the three groups. Twenty girls were randomly selected from each group for evaluation of the serum levels of leptin, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), neurokinin B, and kisspeptin. The correlation of BMI with the levels of various hormones was assessed using Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in mean age at diagnosis between the three groups; however, the bone age was significantly higher in the overweight and obesity groups than in the normal weight group (P<0.05). The peak level of LH in the GnRH agonist test and SHBG level in the normal weight group were significantly higher than those in the overweight and the obesity groups, while the serum levels of leptin and neurokinin B were significantly lower in the normal weight group than in the overweight and the obesity groups (P<0.05). BMI was negatively correlated with the peak level of LH in the GnRH agonist test and SHBG level (P<0.05), and positively correlated with the levels of leptin and neurokinin B (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe effects of BMI on the result of the GnRH agonist test and levels of obesity-related hormones should be taken into account in girls with precocious puberty.

Body Mass Index ; Child ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; agonists ; Humans ; Leptin ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Neurokinin B ; blood ; Obesity ; blood ; Puberty, Precocious ; blood ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis

Objective: To investigate the values of serum calculated free testosterone (cFT), testosterone secretion index (TSI), and free testosterone index (FTI) in the diagnosis of ED with androgen deficiency by observing their changes in the patient. METHODS: We conducted this study among 185 men complaining of ED and 35 20－40 years old healthy males presenting at the clinic for premarital medical checkup. We asked them about their medical history, to fill in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire, and to complete the nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test. According to the data obtained, 150 of the complainants were diagnosed as ED patients and 25 of the healthy examinees were included in the control group. We determined the levels of total serum testosterone (TT), luteinizing hormone (LH), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), serum albumin (ALB), cFT, bio-available testosterone (bio-T), TSI, and FTI in the two groups of subjects. Using cFT ≤0.3 nmol/L, TSI ≤2.8, and FTI ≤0.4 as the critical values and TT ≤11.5 nmol/L as the gold standard for androgen deficiency, we calculated cFT-, TSI-, and FTI-related rates of missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and diagnostic coincidence. RESULTS: With TT ≤11.5 nmol/L as the criterion, the cFT-, TSI-, and FTI-related rates of coincidence in the diagnosis of androgen deficiency in the ED patients were 90.8%, 85.8%, and 80.8%, those of missed diagnosis were 4.0%, 33.3%, and 44.0%, and those of misdiagnosis were 10.5%, 19.4%, and 12.6%, with the Kappa of values 0.755, 0.564, and 0.427, respectively (P <0.05). The levels of serum TT, cFT, Bio-T, TSI, and FTI were decreased with increased age of the 20－40 years old ED patients, with statistically significant differences among different age groups except the serum TT level. However, no statistically significant differences were found in the levels of TT, cFT, Bio-T, TSI, and FTI among the patients with different IIEF-5 scores. CONCLUSIONS The level of cFT has a higher value than those of TT, TSI, and TSI in the diagnosis of ED with androgen deficiency in 20－40 years old men.
Adult ; Androgens ; deficiency ; Case-Control Studies ; Erectile Dysfunction ; blood ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis ; Testosterone ; blood ; Young Adult

Objective: To explore the longterm influence of vasectomy on the levels of serum androgens in aging males. METHODS: Using stratified random sampling, we conducted a questionnaire survey and physical examinations among 437 adult males aged ≥40 years, 232 with and 205 without the history of vasectomy. In addition, we measured the levels of serum total testosterone (TT), sexhormone binding globulin (SHBG), calculated free testosterone (cFT), testosterone secreting index (TSI), free testosterone index (FTI), and luteinizing hormone (LH). RESULTS: Compared with the nonvasectomy group, the vasectomy group showed significantly increased levels of serum TT (［16.01±5.41］ vs ［17.39±6.57］ nmol/L), SHBG (［58.91±36.89］ vs ［70.28±40.90］ nmol/L), and LH (［8.86±6.49］ vs ［10.85±11.73］ IU/L) (all P< 0.05) and a decreased level of FTI (0.33±0.15 vs 0.30±0.12, P< 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the nonvasectomy and vasectomy groups in cFT (［0.24±0.07］ vs ［0.23±0.09］ nmol/L) or TSI (［2.42±1.34］ vs ［2.46±1.51］ nmol/IU) (both P>0.05), nor after adjustment for relevant factors in TT (β: 1.015, 95% CI: －0.180－2.210), SHBG (β: 5.118, 95% CI: －2.069－12.305), cFT (β: 0.003, 95% CI: －0.011－0.018), FTI (β: －0.012, 95% CI: －0.035－0.011), TSI (β: 0.138, 95% CI: －0.131－0.407), and LH (β: 1.011, 95% CI: －0.811－2.834) (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Vasectomy has no obvious longterm influence on the levels of serum androgens in aging males.
Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; blood ; Androgens ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Testosterone ; blood ; Time Factors ; Vasectomy

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes of serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and sex hormone levels in type 2 diabetes and to explore the correlation of SHBG with blood glucose, BMI, insulin sensitivity and the intervention of pioglitazone.

METHODSEighty-five cases with type 2 diabetes (38 women) and 59 normal controls (27 women) were recruited randomly in the study. Among all patients 48 underwent pioglitazone intervention. All women were postmenopausal. Fasting serum samples were taken separately. SHBG were measured with IRMA, and estrogen (E2), testosterone (T), fasting insulin (FINS ) were detected with RIA. Body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood lipids,BMI, HOMA-IS were measured and calculated as well. LN [1/ (FBG x FINS)] was used as insulin sensitivity index (ISI).

RESULTPatient groups had lower serum SHBG levels than control groups of both sexes (women, P<0.01; men, P<0.05). T/SHBG are higher in women patient group compared with control (P<0.01). Spearman analysis showed that in women patient group,serum SHBG was correlated with FBG, FINS and ISI (r(s)=-0.372 P<0.05; 0.332 P<0.05; 0.445 P<0.01). While in men patient group,BMI was negatively correlated with serum SHBG and total T (r(s)= 0.329 P<0.05 and-0.424 P<0.01). Significant improvements of blood glucose and lipids were demonstrated in patients after 12-week pioglitazone intervention compared with baseline values, while serum SHBG, sex hormones and ISI had not significantly changed.

CONCLUSIONReduced serum SHBG of patients with type 2 diabetes might be related to insulin resistance to some extent.

Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis ; Thiazolidinediones ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the status of male reproductive health among middle-aged and older men in the urban area of Nanjing.

METHODSWe collected the laboratory results of 884 middle-aged and older men aged 55 - 89 years from the Xuanwu District of Nanjing present for routine physical examinations, including those of blood routine tests, liver and kidney function, blood glucose, blood lipid, and total prostate specific antigen (TPSA), as well as such reproductive hormone indexes as total serum testosterone (TT), free serum testosterone (fT), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). We also obtained the above reproductive hormone indexes from 119 young and middle-aged men aged 20 - 39 years as controls.

RESULTSAging-related changes were found in the 50 percentiles of all the reproductive hormones and relevant parameters but those of TT and E2, with gradual increases in LH, FSH and SHBG and decreases in fT, TSI and fTI. Comparison of reproductive hormones and relevant parameters by Mann-Whitney U test did not show any statistically significant differences in the TT level between any two of the five age groups (20 - 39, 55 - 59, 60 - 69, 70 - 79, and > or = 80 yr) (P > 0.05) except between the control and > or = 80 yr groups and the 60 - 69 and > or = 80 yr groups (P < 0.05), nor in the E2 level between any two groups, nor in the levels of LH and FSH except between the 55 - 59 and 60 - 69 yr groups and the 70 - 79 and > or = 80 yr groups, and nor in the levels of fT and TSI except between the 55 - 59 and 60 - 69 yr groups. However, there were significant differences in the levels of SHBG and fTI between any two age groups. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that fT, TSI, and fTI were correlated negatively with aging and LH (P < 0.05, I r I > 0.5) but weakly positively with cholesterol, blood glucose and hemoglobin (P < 0.05, /r/ < 0.5), SHBG and LH positively with aging, SHBG weakly negatively with blood glucose and hemoglobin, LH weakly negatively with hemoglobin, and TT weakly negatively with aging but positively with hemoglobin.

CONCLUSIONThe levels of serum testosterone, particularly that of fT, declined with aging in middle-aged and older men in the urban area of Nanjing, which may contribute to abnormal lipid metabolism, low hemoglobin and high blood glucose.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging ; blood ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of sperm morphology with reproductive hormones in infertile men and the pathogenesis of teratozoospermia.

METHODSThis study included 90 infertile men aged 25 - 40 years. We measured their testis volumes using the Prader orchidometer, conducted routine semen analyses according to the WHO laboratory standard, and determined the concentrations of reproductive hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) by chemiluminescence and the levels of free testosterone (FT) and bioavailable testosterone (BioT).

RESULTSAll the subjects showed normal sperm concentration. Based on the results of semen morphology analysis, the 90 infertile men were equally divided into groups 1 (morphologically normal sperm <4%), 2 (morphologically normal sperm > or = 4% and <10%), and 3 (morphologically normal sperm > or = 10%), with no significant differences in age among the three groups (P>0.05). The volumes of the left testis were (14.27 +/- 3.65) ml, (16.90 +/- 3.57) ml and (14.57 +/- 3.57) ml, respectively (P = 0.006 group 1 vs group 2, P = 0.741 group 1 vs group 3, P = 0.014 group 2 vs group 3), and those of the right testis were (14.60 +/- 3.70) ml, (16.60 +/- 3.35) ml and (14.67 +/- 3.54) ml, respectively (P = 0.050). There were no significant differences among the three groups in prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, estradiol, total testosterone and SHBG, (P>0.05). The levels of serum FT were (0.25 +/- 0.07) nmol/L, (0.29 +/- 0.07) nmol/L and (0.31 +/- 0.13) nmol/L (P = 0.086 group 1 vs group 2, P= 0.010 group 1 vs group 3, P= 0.364 group 2 vs group 3), and those of BioT were (5.81 +/- 1.58) nmol/L, (6.78 +/- 1.55) nmol/L and (7.29 +/- 3.02) nmol/L, respectively (P = 0.086 group 1 vs group 2, P = 0.010 group 1 vs group 3, P = 0.364 group 2 vs group 3). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was positively correlated with the levels of serum FT and BioT (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe higher the levels of serum FT and BioT, the higher the percentage of morphologically normal sperm, which suggests that serum FT and BioT might be involved in the pathogenesis of teratozoospermia.

Adult ; Estradiol ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; physiopathology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Prolactin ; blood ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; metabolism ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; abnormalities ; Testis ; Testosterone ; blood

From a young age, males are at higher cardiovascular risk than females. Dyslipidemia, including a higher burden related to small low-density lipoproteins (LDL), plays an important role in precipitating atherosclerosis in both males and females. We investigated sex differences in atherogenic lipoprotein burden and the independent predictors of LDL particle size in children and adolescents. We measured the concentrations of total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, estradiol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL particle size in 135 children and adolescents (67 boys, 68 girls). The free androgen index was significantly and negatively correlated with LDL particle size (r = -0.273, P = 0.026) in boys, but estrogen and LDL particle size were not related. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis adjusted for body mass index, age, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, free androgen index was still an independent predictor of LDL particle size in boys (R2 = 0.075, P = 0.026). The prominent decrease in LDL particle size along with increased testosterone concentrations in males might explain why they are more likely to display atherogenic dyslipidemia from adolescence.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Atherosclerosis/blood ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Estradiol/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL/*blood ; Male ; Particle Size ; Puberty/blood ; Regression Analysis ; Risk ; Sex Factors ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin/analysis ; Testosterone/*blood ; Triglycerides/blood

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship of the levels of serum androgens with lipid metabolism in middle-aged and elderly men in Zunyi, Guizhou.

METHODSUsing the stratified cluster sampling method, we conducted a questionnaire investigation and physical examinations among 437 men in Zunyi City. We divided the subjects into a middle-aged (40－64 ［53.20 ± 7.41］ years, n = 269) and an elderly group (=≥65 ［70.63 ± 4.66］ years, n = 168) and collected fasting elbow venous blood samples from them for measuring the levels of total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), calculated free testosterone (cFT), free testosterone index (FTI), and testosterone secretion index (TSI).

RESULTSCompared with the elderly group, the middle-aged males showed significantly lower SHBG, LH, HDL and LDL, and higher cFT, FTI, TSI, TG and TCH (all P < 0.05). TT and SHBG were negatively correlated with TG, TCH, HDL and LDL, while cFT was positively correlated with TCH, and so was FTI with TG, TCH with LDL, and TSI with TCH, HDL and LDL (all P < 0.05), but LH was negatively correlated with TG, TCH and LDL (all P < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that TT and SHBG were negatively correlated with TG, TCH, HDL and LDL, and so was LH with TCH, HDL and LDL (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIn the middle-aged and elderly men in Zunyi, low concentrations of TT, SHBG and LH were associated with the increased risk of high-TCH and -LDL dyslipidemia, low concentrations of TT and SHBG with that of high-TG dyslipidemia, while high concentrations of TT, SHBG and LH with that of low-HDL dyslipidemia.

Adult ; Aged ; Androgens ; blood ; China ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Dyslipidemias ; etiology ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; Testosterone ; blood ; Triglycerides ; blood