Endocrine Abstracts

The role of CNVs in male infertility is poorly defined, and only those linked to the Y chromosome have been the object of extensive research. Although it has been predicted that the X chromosome is also enriched in spermatogenesis genes, no clinically relevant gene mutations have been identified so far. In order to advance our understanding of the role of X-linked genetic factors in male infertility, we applied high resolution X chromosome specific array-CGH in 199 men with di...

Mini-puberty is the period between 30 and 80 days after birth when testosterone and gonadotropin surges occur in male infants to induce the transformation of gonocytes into Ad (adult/dark) spermatogonia. Cryptorchid boys with impaired mini-puberty develop infertility despite timely and successful surgical treatment. The decreased germ cell count found in this group of boys could be the result of uncontrolled transposon activity inducing genomic instability and germ cell death....

Testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) are the two most important sex steroids in men and women, respectively, and their accurate determination in serum is of crucial importance in assessing gonadal function both in clinical management and research. The limitations of serum T and E2 measurements using non-extraction platform immunoassays (IA) are widely recognized. Switching to more specific mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods has been advocated but directly comparative data on ...

Opioid analgesia impairs gonadal function in healthy men and women. Methadone, a synthetic opioid is used in opioid addicts to prevent relapse due its longer-lasting effects and is known to cause hypogonadism. Little data exists on the prevalence of this and the mechanism through which this occurs.Men (n=147), mean age 36.2 years (S.D 7.2) attending a drug-treatment rehabilitation centre for methadone maintenance therapy had early m...

Introduction: Klinefelter Syndrome (KS; 47,XXY) is the most common sex chromosome disorder in men, characterized by hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. EXAKT (Epigenetics, X-chromosomal features and clinical Applications in Klinefelter syndrome Trial) is a Muenster-based prospective project involving Klinefelter patients and their parents assessing a wide area of cardiovascular, inflammatory and metabolic factors as well as a broad range of genetic and epigenetic investigations es...

Despite it’s believed that sexual function may improve after liver transplantation (LT), many patients complain about unsatisfactory sexual life. There are few longitudinal data on the endocrine changes which occur after liver transplantation.Aim: To evaluate erectile sexual dysfunction (ESD) prevalence and factors associated with its development, especially with relation to the status of sex steroids. Patients and Methods: 54 post-LT male patients ...