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This version published online on July 31, 2003
Endocrinology, doi:10.1210/en.2003-0403
A more recent version of this article appeared on November 1, 2003
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Submitted on March 31, 2003
Accepted on July 24, 2003

ELEVATED STEROIDOGENESIS, DEFECTIVE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS AND INFERTILITY IN TRANSGENIC MALE MICE OVEREXPRESSING HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN

Susana B. Rulli1, Petteri Ahtiainen1, Sari Mäkelä1, Jorma Toppari1, Matti Poutanen1, and Ilpo Huhtaniemi1*

1 Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ilpo.huhtaniemi{at}imperial.ac.uk.

We previously developed a transgenic (TG) mouse model that overexpresses the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) {beta}-subunit under the universal human ubiquitin C promoter, displaying in males a modest 3-fold increase in circulating levels of LH/hCG bioactivity. The males were fertile and presented with a mild reproductive phenotype. To achieve higher levels of hCG, a double TG model was generated by crossbreeding the hCG{beta}- expressing mice with another TG line harboring a ubiquitin C/common {alpha}-subunit fusion gene. The double-TG mice expressed excessive levels of dimeric hCG, with 2000-fold elevated circulating LH/hCG bioactivity. These male mice were infertile, primarily due to inability to copulate, and they showed enhanced testicular androgen production despite clear down-regulation of LH/hCG receptors. Their intratesticular inhibin-B was unaltered but serum FSH markedly reduced. Apparently the chronic hCG hyperstimulation led to focal Leydig cell proliferation/hypertrophy at 6 months of age, but failed to promote testicular tumors. Even though full spermatogenesis occurred in most of the seminiferous tubules, progressive tubule degeneration was apparent as the males grew older. The prostate and seminal vesicles were enlarged by distension of glandular lumina. Functional urethral obstruction was indicated by distension and sperm accumulation in distal vas deferens, as well as by dilated urinary bladder and enlarged kidneys. The abnormal function of accessory sex glands and/or lower urinary tract, as a consequence of the disturbed sex hormone balance or direct action of hCG, may be the main cause of infertility in this model. The present study provides in vivo evidence that exposure of male mice to chronically elevated levels of hCG severely affects their urogenital tract function at multiple sites and causes infertility, but unlike in LH/hCG overexpressing female mice, is not tumorigenic.


Key words: human chorionic gonadotropin • transgenic mice • male reproduction • infertility • testis • steroidogenesis • accessory sex organs







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