Assessment of Inhibin-B hormone level and its relationship with some gonadal hormones in males having idiopathic infertility

Abstract

The aim of the current study to determine levels of Inhibin-B hormone and its relationship with some gonadal hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) prolactin, and testosterone hormones in some males with idiopathic infertility in Shirqat city.
 Blood and seminal fluid samples from (60) idiopathic male infertile and (30) healthful individuals as (control group) aged (18 to 60 years) were collected from private clinics. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to estimate serum Inhibin B, FSH, LH, prolactin, and testosterone hormones.
 According to types of sperm count, patients have divided onto two groups 49 persons as azoospermia group (zero /ml) and 11 persons as oligospermia group less than 20 million/ml. Inhibin B and testosterone levels were significantly decreased (P≤0.01) in the infertile men compared with the control group. While the FSH level, LH, and prolactin were significantly higher (P≤ 0.01) in the infertile men than in the control group, the results of Inhibin B were non-significant.
 In contrast, levels of FSH, LH, and prolactin were higher significant (P≤ 0.01), except testosterone level was significant differences (P≤ 0.05) in the age groups <20-30 year, 31–40 year, and ≥ 40 years. There were significant differences (P≤ 0.01) in levels of FSH and prolactin, but the levels of Inhibin B and LH were non-significant in the infertility period ≤ 10 year, 11 – 20 years, ≥ 20 years. Smoker infertile men have low levels (P≤ 0.01) in the prolactin while had high levels in the Inhibin B and LH hormones compared with control. Patients with a family history showed a significant difference (P≤0.05) in the levels of Inhibin B, testosterone, LH, and prolactin.
 In conclusion, this study revealed a significant decrease in the Inhibin-B levels of the Azoospermic and oligospermia infertile men. The negative correlation between inhibin B and testosterone and weak correlation with other gonadal hormones. Therefore, Inhibin-B has an important role in diagnosing idiopathic male infertility, and it's one of the important markers in the diagnosis of normal spermatogenesis.