Effects of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on the Onset of Puberty, Leydig Cell Differentiation, Spermatogenesis and Hypothalamic KISS1 Expression in Immature Male Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has been used to treat short stature and rhGH-related syndromes. However, there are concerns that rhGH-treatment may cause precocious puberty. We investigated the effects of rhGH-treatment on the puberty onset, sexual maturation, androgen production, and hypothalamic gene expression in prepubertal male rats.

Materials and methods

Sprague-Dawley male rats were injected subcutaneously daily with 1 or 2 IU/kg/d rhGH or 0.1 mL saline from postnatal day (PND) 21 to 30. At PND 31 bodyweight, reproductive organs weight, preputial separation, testis histology, circulating testosterone, and expression of testicular steroidogenic pathway genes and hypothalamic Kiss1 were examined.

Results

By day 4 of injection bodyweights o

SUBMITTER: Huh K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7994663 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature