Androgens and the male reproductive tract: an overview of classical roles and current perspectives

Patrão, Marília T.C.C.; Silva, Erick J. R.; Avellar, Maria Christina W.

doi:10.1590/s0004-27302009000800006

Cited by 57 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…This complex process is precisely regulated by androgens, although, estrogens have also been shown to be involved [23,24]. Androgens are steroid hormones primarily involved in the establishment of sexual maturation at puberty, and in maintenance of the male reproductive function, spermatogenesis and sexual behavior during adult life [25]. Many studies have proved that not only androgens have important functions in the adult male reproductive organ, but also estrogen and its receptors are essential for normal fertility in the male.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired expression of testicular androgen receptor and collagen fibers in the testis of diabetic rats under HAART: the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Ismail

Isaac

Offor

et al. 2017

Folia Histochem Cytobiol.

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introduction. Wide spectrum of alterations associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been reported. The current study aimed at evaluating the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea (HH) aqueous extract on the testosterone levels, expression of androgen receptors and collagen fibers in the testes of streptozotocin--nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats under HAART regimen. Material and methods. Sixty two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (189.0 ± 4.5 g) were divided into eight groups (8 animals in each treatment groups and 6 rats in the control group). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (110 mg/kg bw) followed by streptozotocin (45 mg/kg bw) and the animals were then subjected to various treatments with HAART, HH extract or melatonin. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected to measure serum testosterone levels. Testes were fixed in buffered formaldehyde and paraffin processed. The expression of androgen receptor (AR) was assessed by immunohistochemistry and collagen fibers were visualized by Masson trichrome staining. results. Serum testosterone level was drastically (p < 0.0001) reduced in all rats with induced diabetes. In the testis of diabetic rats increased collagen fibers deposition with varying derangements in germinal epithelium of spermatogenic layers were observed. Intertubular hemorrhages and absence of spermatozoa were also noted in the testes of diabetic rats subjected to HAART. Reduced immunoexpression of ARs was found in the nuclei of Sertoli cells and the cytoplasm of spermatogonia and spermatocytes in III-IV stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle of diabetic animals treated with different dosages of HH alone and those treated with HAART concomitantly with melatonin and HH. The expression of ARs was almost negative in the testes of rats treated with HAART alone. Conclusions. Concomitant treatment of rats with aqueous HH extract during the HAART did not change serum testosterone level nor mitigate the altered expression of collagen fibers and androgen receptor resulting from STZ-nicotinamide-induced diabetes. Therefore, anti-diabetic properties of Hypoxis extract require further investigation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired expression of testicular androgen receptor and collagen fibers in the testis of diabetic rats under HAART: the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Ismail

Isaac

Offor

et al. 2017

Folia Histochem Cytobiol.

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“…Androgens are steroid hormones primarily involved in the establishment of sexual maturation at puberty, and in maintenance of the male reproductive function, spermatogenesis and sexual behavior during adult life [17]. It is well established that androgen receptors (AR) are expressed widely throughout the developing male reproductive system [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired expression of sex hormone receptors in male reproductive organs of diabetic rat in response to oral antidiabetic drugs

Ayuob

Murad

Ali

2015

Folia Histochem Cytobiol.

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Introduction. Few oral antidiabetic drugs have been evaluated for their reproductive complication. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of metformin, pioglitazone and sitagliptin on the structure of male reproductive system through an immunohistopathological study. Material and methods. Sprague-Dawley male rats were injected with streptozotocin. The diabetic rats were divided into four groups (n = 8/each group); diabetic control, metformin-, pioglitazone-and sitagliptin-treated groups in addition to a normal control group (n = 8). At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for biochemical assessment. Testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle were dissected and processed for histopathological examination using routine and immune-staining. Results. All drugs significantly (p < 0.05) decreased fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and malondialdehyde compared to the diabetic control group. Metformin has induced the least pathologic changes on the structure of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle among the studied drugs. Metformin succeeded to restore weights of testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle as well as testosterone hormone level back to values of the NC group while the pioglitazone and sitagliptin failed to do that. A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in testicular ERa and ERb immunoexpression of pioglitazone-treated group as well as suppression of ERb and AR immunoreactivity in in epididymus and seminal vesicles of pioglitazone-and sitagliptin-treated rats were observed compared to the control animals. Conclusions. Histological structure as well ER and AR expression in the system organs were negatively and significantly affected with all studied drugs. Metformin has the least effect on the structure of the studied male reproductive organs. Thus, pioglitazone and sitagliptin treatment should be avoided in young male diabetic patients.

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“…AR-mRNA and protein are also present in the human with a falling concentration from the caput to the cauda [8]. It is also known that the androgens can autoregulate the expression of AR-mRNA promoting AR protein stabilization too [26].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Involvement of the Androgen Receptor in the Secretion of the Epididymalcorpusin the LizardPodarcis sicula

Verderame

2014

International Journal of Zoology

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A crucial role in the maintenance of male reproductive functions is carried out by the androgen through its receptor in balance with the estrogen receptors (ERs). The distribution of the androgen receptor (AR) is well documented in the testis and in the reproductive tissues of mammals but the findings about the AR in nonmammalian vertebrates and in particular in reptiles are very scarce. Here by means of in situ hybridization (ISH) we investigated the AR expression along the epididymal channel (efferent ductules, corpus, and cauda) of Podarcis sicula during the mating and nonmating period. The results show that in this seasonal breeding species the AR expression pattern is always constant throughout the epididymis. The administration of estradiol-17 in the mating period does not affect the AR expression but inhibits the secretory activity of the epididymal corpus. To verify the expression pattern of ERs, we also conducted ISH investigations on adjacent sections with ERs probes. The findings suggest that AR induces the secretory activity in the epithelial cells of the epididymal corpus and confirm our previous results that showed the role of ERalpha (ER ) as switch off for the secretion of this compartment.

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Androgens and the male reproductive tract: an overview of classical roles and current perspectives

Cited by 57 publications

References 76 publications

Impaired expression of testicular androgen receptor and collagen fibers in the testis of diabetic rats under HAART: the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Impaired expression of testicular androgen receptor and collagen fibers in the testis of diabetic rats under HAART: the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Impaired expression of sex hormone receptors in male reproductive organs of diabetic rat in response to oral antidiabetic drugs

The Involvement of the Androgen Receptor in the Secretion of the Epididymalcorpusin the LizardPodarcis sicula

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