Excess Testosterone Exposure Alters Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis Dynamics and Gene Expression in Sheep Fetuses.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal exposure to excess androgen may result in impaired adult fertility in a variety of mammalian species. However, little is known about what feedback mechanisms regulate gonadotropin secretion during early gestation and how they respond to excess T exposure. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous exposure to T on key genes that regulate gonadotropin and GnRH secretion in fetal male lambs as compared with female cohorts. We found that biweekly maternal testosterone propionate (100 mg) treatment administered from day 30 to day 58 of gestation acutely decreased (P < .05) serum LH concentrations and reduced the expression of gonadotropin subunit mRNA in both sexes and the levels of GnRH receptor mRNA in males. These results are consistent with enhanced negat

SUBMITTER: Roselli CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5086533 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature