OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking for girls aged 3-8 years with incomplete precocious puberty (IPP). METHODS: Sixty girls with IPP were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 2 cases were eliminated). The girls in the control group were treated with healthy diet and proper exercise for 12 weeks. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the girls in the observation group were treated with acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking. The acupuncture was applied at Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Guilai (ST 29), etc., the needles were retained for 20 min, acupuncture was given twice a week (once every 3 days). The auricular point sticking was applied at Luanchao (TF₂), Neishengzhiqi (TF₂), Neifenmi (CO₁₈), Yuanzhong (AT_2,3,4i), etc., twice a week. The treatment was given for 12 weeks. Before treatment, after treatment and in follow-up after 12 weeks of treatment completion, the Tanner stage of breast, serum contents of sex hormone (luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], estradiol [E₂]) were observed. The ovarian volume, the number of follicles with diameter>4 mm, and the uterine volume were measured by abdominal color Doppler ultrasound. In addition, the safety of the observation group was evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, the Tanner stage of breast in the observation group was improved after treatment and in follow-up (P<0.05); after treatment and in follow-up, the Tanner stage of breast in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the serum levels of LH and E₂ in the observation group were increased (P<0.05), and the volume of bilateral ovaries was larger (P<0.05) in follow-up. Compared with before treatment, the serum contents of LH, FSH and E₂ in the control group were increased (P<0.05), the volume of bilateral ovaries was larger (P<0.05), and the number of follicles was increased (P<0.05) after treatment and in follow-up. The serum levels of LH, FSH and E₂ in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), the volume of bilateral ovaries was smaller than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the number of follicles was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the uterine volume in the two groups was larger in follow-up (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups after treatment and in follow-up (P>0.05). During the treatment, 3 cases in the observation group had slight abdominal pain and subcutaneous blood stasis, without serious adverse reactions. CONCLUSION Acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking could improve the Tanner stage of breast, reduce the level of sex hormone, slow down the development and maturation of ovary and follicle, and control the degree and speed of sexual development in girls aged 3-8 years with IPP.
Female ; Humans ; Puberty, Precocious/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Estradiol ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Ovary

A 13-year and 6-month-old girl attended the Hunan Children's Hospital due to delayed menarche. The laboratory test results indicated increased follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, decreased anti-Mullerian hormone, and pelvic ultrasound showed a cord-like uterus and absence of bilateral ovaries. Her 11-year and 5-month-old younger sister had the same laboratory and imaging findings, and both girls were diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency. Whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing confirmed that the proband and her sister carried heterozygous variants of HROB gene c.718C>T (p.Arg240*) and c.1351C>T (p.Arg451*), which were inherited from their parents respectively and consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. Oral estradiol valerate at an initial dose of 0.125 mg/d was given to the proband, and the secondary sexual characteristics began to develop after 6 months.
Humans ; Female ; Child ; Infant ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/genetics* ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Estradiol

Humans ; Puberty, Precocious/therapy* ; Consensus ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

OBJECTIVES: To study the value of basal luteinizing hormone (LH) level combined with uterine volume measurement in the early diagnosis of central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls with different Tanner stages. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the girls who presented with breast development before the age of 8 years and attended the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to September 2022. According to the results of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist test, the girls with peak LH ≥5.0 IU/L and peak LH/follicle stimulating hormone ≥0.6 were enrolled as the positive group, and the other girls were enrolled as the negative group. The two groups were compared in terms of the basal LH level and uterine volume. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze their value in the early diagnosis of CPP. RESULTS: For the girls with Tanner B2 and B3 stages, the positive group had significantly higher basal LH level and uterine volume than the negative group (P<0.05). The basal LH level had an optimal cut-off value of 0.325 IU/L and 0.505 IU/L respectively in the diagnosis of Tanner stage B2/B3 CPP, while uterine volume had an optimal cut-off value of 1.639 mL and 2.158 mL respectively. Basal LH level combined with uterine volume measurement had a significantly larger area under the ROC curve than uterine volume measurement alone (P<0.001), but with no significant difference compared with that of basal LH level measurement alone (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Basal LH level combined with uterine volume measurement is valuable in the early diagnosis of CPP in girls with different Tanner stages, which provides a basis and guiding significance for clinical diagnosis of CPP.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Early Diagnosis ; Luteinizing Hormone/chemistry* ; Puberty, Precocious/diagnosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterus/pathology*

A long-held belief is that pituitary hormones bind to their cognate receptors in classical target glands to actuate their manifold functions. However, a number of studies have shown that multiple types of pituitary hormone receptors are widely expressed in non-classical target organs. Each pituitary gland-derived hormone exhibits a wide range of nonconventional biological effects in these non-classical target organs. Herein, the extra biological functions of pituitary hormones, thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, and prolactin when they act on non-classical organs were summarized, defined by the novel concept of an "atypical pituitary hormone-target tissue axis." This novel proposal explains the pathomechanisms of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, obesity, hypertension, fatty liver, and atherosclerosis while offering a more comprehensive and systematic insights into the coordinated regulation of environmental factors, genetic factors, and neuroendocrine hormones on human biological functions. The continued exploration of the physiology of the "atypical pituitary hormone-target tissue axis" could enable the identification of novel therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Pituitary Hormones/metabolism* ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Prolactin ; Pituitary Gland/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of quercetin against testicular oxidative damage induced by a mixture of 3 commonly used phthalates (MPEs) in rats. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, MPEs exposure group, and MPEs with low-, median- and high-dose quercetin treatment groups. For MPEs exposure, the rats were subjected to intragastric administration of MPEs at the daily dose of 900 mg/kg for 30 consecutive days; Quercetin treatments were administered in the same manner at the daily dose of 10, 30, and 90 mg/kg. After the treatments, serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testicular malondialdeyhde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected, and testicular pathologies of the rats were observed with HE staining. The expressions of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH2 associated protein 1 (Keap1) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in the testis were detected using immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the rats with MPEs exposure showed significant reductions of the anogenital distance, weight of the testis and epididymis, and the coefficients of the testis and epididymis with lowered serum testosterone, LH and FSH levels (P < 0.05). Testicular histological examination revealed atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, spermatogenic arrest, and hyperplasia of the Leydig cells in MPEs-exposed rats. MPEs exposure also caused significant increments of testicular Nrf2, MDA, SOD, CAT and HO-1 expressions and lowered testicular Keap1 expression (P < 0.05). Treatment with quercetin at the median and high doses significantly ameliorated the pathological changes induced by MPEs exposure (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Quercetin treatment inhibits MPEs-induced oxidative testicular damage in rats possibly by direct scavenging of free radicals to lower testicular oxidative stress and restore the regulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Testis ; Quercetin/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Testosterone/pharmacology* ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Luteinizing Hormone

Prior research suggests a link between circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and prostate cancer outcomes. FSH levels may also explain some of the observed differences in cardiovascular events among men treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists compared to GnRH agonists. This study evaluates the association between preoperative FSH and long-term cardiovascular and oncologic outcomes in a cohort of men with long follow-up after radical prostatectomy. We performed a cohort study utilizing an institutional biobank with annotated clinical data. FSH levels were measured from cryopreserved plasma and compared with sex steroids previously measured from the same samples. Differences in oncologic outcomes between tertiles of FSH levels were compared using adjusted cox regression models. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were similarly assessed using hospital admission diagnostic codes. A total of 492 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 13.1 (interquartile range: 8.9-15.9) years. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels, but not other androgens, negatively correlated with FSH levels on linear regression analysis (P = 0.03). There was no association between FSH tertile and outcomes of biochemical recurrence, time to castrate-resistant prostate cancer, or time to metastasis. MACEs were identified in 50 patients (10.2%), with a mean time to first event of 8.8 years. No association with FSH tertile and occurrence of MACE was identified. Our results do not suggest that preoperative FSH levels are significantly associated with oncologic outcomes among prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy, nor do these levels appear to be predictors of long-term cardiovascular risk.
Cohort Studies ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery*

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) refers to the failure of spermatogenesis, which affects approximately 1% of the male population and contributes to 10% of male infertility. NOA has an underlying basis of endocrine imbalances since proper human spermatogenesis relies on complex regulation and cooperation of multiple hormones. A better understanding of subtle hormonal disturbances in NOA would help design and improve hormone therapies with reduced risk in human fertility clinics. The purpose of this review is to summarize the research on the endocrinological aspects of NOA, especially the hormones involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-testis axis (HPTA), including gonadotropin-releasing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin, inhibin B, anti-Müllerian hormone, and leptin. For the NOA men associated with primary testicular failure, the quality of currently available evidence has not been sufficient enough to recommend any general hormone optimization therapy. Some other NOA patients, especially those with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, could be treated with hormonal replacement. Although these approaches have succeeded in resuming the fertility in many NOA patients, the prudent strategies should be applied in individuals according to specific NOA etiology by balancing fertility benefits and potential risks. This review also discusses how NOA can be induced by immunization against hormones.
Azoospermia/etiology* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Sperm Retrieval ; Testis ; Testosterone/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of Bushen Yiqi Huoxue Decoction BYHD) in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). METHODS: A total of 180 patients with DOR diagnosed from December 2013 to December 2014 were equally assigned into progynova and duphaston (E+D) group, Zuogui Pill group and BYHD group with 60 cases in each by computerized randomization. Patients received E+D, Zuogui Pill or BYHD for 12 months, respectively. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E₂), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), antral follicle count (AFC), ovarian volume, endometrial thickness, and the resistance indices (RIs) of ovarian arteries and uterine arteries were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: Nine women (4 from the E+D group, 3 from the Zuogui Pill group, and 2 from the BYHD group) withdrew from the study. After 6 months, Zuogui Pill and BYHD significantly decreased FSH and LH and increased endometrial thickness and AMH (all P<0.01). BYHD also resulted in E₂ elevation (P<0.05), ovary enlargement (P<0.05), AFC increase (P<0.01), and RI of ovarian arteries decrease (P<0.05). After 12 months, further improvements were observed in the Zuogui Pill and BYHD groups (all P<0.01), but BYHD showed better outcomes, with lower FSH, larger ovaries and a thicker endometrium compared with the Zuogui Pill group (all P<0.01). However, E+D only significantly increased endometrial thickness (P<0.01) and no significant improvements were observed in the RI of uterine arteries in the three groups. CONCLUSIONS BYHD had a favorable therapeutic effect in patients with DOR by rebalancing hormone levels, promoting ovulation, and repairing the thin endometrium. The combination of tonifying Shen (Kidney), benefiting qi and activating blood circulation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for DOR.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone/pharmacology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Ovarian Reserve

OBJECTIVE: Moxibustion, a common therapy in traditional Chinese medicine, has potential benefits for treating decreased ovarian reserve (DOR). The present study investigates the protective effect of moxibustion in a rat model of DOR and explores the possible mechanisms. METHODS: Sixty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, DOR, moxibustion (MOX), and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The DOR rat model was established by intragastric administration of 50 mg/kg Tripterygium glycoside suspension (TGS), once daily for 14 days. MOX and HRT treatments were given from the day TGS administration was initiated. The ovarian reserve function was evaluated by monitoring the estrus cycle, morphological changes in ovaries, levels of serum estradiol (E₂), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), pregnancy rate and embryo numbers. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end-labeling staining was used to identify ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis, while the protein and mRNA expressions of Bax, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) in ovarian tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Compared with the DOR group, MOX improved the disordered estrous cycle, promoted follicular growth, reduced the number of atresia follicles, increased the concentrations of serum E₂ and AMH, and decreased serum FSH and LH concentrations. More importantly, the pregnancy rate and embryo numbers in DOR rats were both upregulated in the MOX treatment group, compared to the untreated DOR model. Further, we found that the MOX group had reduced apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells, increased Bcl-2 expression and reduced expression of Bax. Furthermore, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was triggered by the moxibustion treatment. CONCLUSION Moxibustion improved ovarian function and suppressed apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in a rat model of DOR induced by TGS, and the mechanism may involve the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Animals ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Moxibustion ; Ovarian Reserve ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/pharmacology* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Pregnancy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics*