" In vitro " Effect of Different Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Preparations on Sertoli Cells: Toward a Personalized Treatment for Male Infertility

• Published in: Frontiers in endocrinology (Lausanne) 2020-06, Vol.11, p.401-401
• Main Authors: Arato, Iva, Grande, Giuseppe, Barrachina, Ferran, Bellucci, Catia, Lilli, Cinzia, Jodar, Meritxell, Aglietti, Maria Chiara, Mancini, Francesca, Vincenzoni, Federica, Pontecorvi, Alfredo, Calafiore, Riccardo, Oliva, Rafael, Luca, Giovanni, Mancuso, Francesca, Milardi, Domenico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alpha follitropin; Animals; beta follitropin; Cells, Cultured; Endocrinology; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - administration & dosage; Infertility, Male - physiopathology; Infertility, Male - therapy; Male; Precision Medicine; proteomic analysis; Proteomics; Sertoli cells; Sertoli Cells - drug effects; Sertoli Cells - metabolism; Sertoli Cells - physiology; Sus scrofa; Testosterone - administration & dosage; urofollitropin
• ISSN: 1664-2392; 1664-2392
• DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00401

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a major regulator of spermatogenesis, has a crucial function in the development and function of the testis and it is extensively given as a fertility treatment to stimulate spermatogenesis. We analyzed the effects of different FSH preparations (α-follitropin, β-follitropin, and urofollitropin) in combination with testosterone on porcine pre-pubertal Sertoli cells. To study the effect of the different FSH treatments in the Sertoli cell function we performed Real Time PCR analysis of AMH, inhibin B, and FSH-r, an ELISA assay for AMH and inhibin B, and a high-throughput comparative proteomic analysis. We verified that all three preparations induced a reduction of AMH in terms of mRNA and secreted proteins, and an increase of inhibin B in terms of mRNA in all the FSH formulations, while solely α-follitropin produced an increase of secreted inhibin B in the culture medium. Comparative proteomic analysis of the three FSH preparations identified 46 proteins, 11 up-regulated and 2 down-regulated. Surprisingly, the combination of testosterone with β-follitropin specifically induced an up-regulation of eight specific secreted proteins. Our study, showing that the three different FSH preparations induce different effects, could offer the opportunity to shed light inside new applications to a personalized reproductive medicine.