Decrease in serum sex hormone binding globulin during human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation in prepubertal boys

Abstract

Temporal relationships between steroidogenic and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) responses to hCG were studied in 27 prepubertal boys: 19 with incomplete testicular descent and 8 with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH). Nine of the boys with incomplete testicular descent were given a single im injection of hCG and blood samples were taken daily for 5 days. Six of them showed a slight decrease in SHBG concentration by day 5. All the other 18 boys were given four im injections of hCG on days 0, 4, 7 and 10. Blood was taken before each injection and on day 14. In the boys with incomplete testiscular descent SHBG concentration decreased by day 14 (P < 0.01). All the boys with HH had an impaired testosterone response to hCG, and SHBG levels did not decrease after hCG. In only 2 of these boys SHBG concentrations were > 10% below the basal by day 14. These boys, however, also had the highest testosterone responses of their group. Thus it appears that if testosterone increases in prepubertal boys, SHBG decreases.The serum concentration of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) depends on the hormonal milieu.In adults it is increased by oestrogens and thyroid hormones and decreased by androgens (Anderson 1974).Very little is known about the regulation of the serum concentration of SHBG in children. hCG stimulation has been reported to cause a decrease in prepubertal cryptorchid boys but the time course of the decrease was evaluated in only one

Bioactive and Peripheral Androgens in Prepubertal Simple Hypertrichosis

“…It is well known that androgens induce a decrease in serum SHBG (Anderson, 1974;El Makhzangy et af., 1979;Cunningham et af., 1983). DHT plasma levels in our patients, even though higher than controls, were always low compared to values observed in pubertal age and thus not effective in lowering SHBG plasma levels (Dunkel, 1985) or advancing bone age. Moreover, it is well known that DHT is not the only factor responsible for the decrease in SHBG plasma levels during 412 R. Balducci & V. Tascano puberty (Glass et al, 1977;Plymate et al, 198 1,1988;Mathur et al, 1982;Cunningham et al, 1984;Rosner et al, 1984;Vermeulen et al, 1982;Belgorosky & Rivarola, 1986;von Schoultz & Carlstrom, 1989).…”

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Test: Old Uncertainties, New Perspectives, and Value in 46,XY Disorders of Sex Development

“…The measurement of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) before and after a short (3 days) or long (3 weeks) hCG administration has been suggested to evaluate androgen sensitivity [Dunkel, 1985;Ciaccio et al, 1989;Bertelloni et al, 1997], but the utility of this approach is inconclusive, also considering that new molecular technologies can easily reach a definitive genetic diagnosis [Hughes and Achermann, 2016].…”

Dihydrotestosterone Regulates Plasma Sex‐hormone‐binding Globulin in Prepubertal Males

“…At least part of it must therefore be converted to DHT before exerting its SHBG regulating effect. The observed regulatory effect of post-hCG increased T on SHBG concentration reported earlier in prepubertal boys with cryptorchidism (Belgorosky & Rivarola, 1982;Dunkel, 1985) and male pseudohermaphroditism (Belgorosky & Rivarola, 1982) can be explained on the basis that increased T must have been converted to DHT prior to reducing the SHBG. We cannot explain, at present, why one patient (No.…”

“…K . El-Awady et al with incomplete testicular descent (Belgorosky & Rivarola, 1982;Dunkel, 1985). Patients with anorchia showed neither response in serum androgens nor in SHBG after hCG (Belgorosky & Rivarola, 1982).…”