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This version published online on April 7, 2004
Endocrinology, doi:10.1210/en.2003-1036
A more recent version of this article appeared on July 1, 2004
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Submitted on August 11, 2003
Accepted on March 29, 2004

Changes in Circulating and Testicular Levels of Inhibin A and B and Activin A During Post-natal Development in the Rat

JEREMY J BUZZARD, KATE L LOVELAND, MOIRA K O'BRYAN, ANNE E O'CONNOR, MARILYN BAKKER, TETSUO HAYASHI, NIGEL G WREFORD, JOHN R MORRISON, and DAVID M de KRETSER*

Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development (JJB, KLL, MKO'B, AEO'C, MB, TH, JRM, DMdeK), Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development (KLL, MKO'B, DMdeK), Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (JJB, NGW), Monash University, Clayton, 3168, Melbourne, Australia.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: David.De.Kretser{at}med.monash.edu.au.

This study describes the testicular levels of inhibin/activin subunits by Northern analysis and in situ hybridization, and serum and testicular levels of inhibins A and B and activin A by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) during post-natal development in the rat. We show that serum inhibin A levels are <4pg/ml throughout post-natal life. Serum inhibin B levels peak at 572 ± 119pg/ml (mean ± SE) at day 40 post partum (pp) before falling to 182 ± 35pg/ml in mature males. Serum activin A decreases from 294 ± 29pg/ml at day 6 to 132 ± 27pg/ml at maturity. Within the testis, inhibin A levels fall from 0.330 ± 0.108ng/g at day 15 to <0.004ng/g at maturity. Inhibin B levels peak at 43.9 ± 4.2ng/g at day 6 before falling to 1.6 ± 0.13ng/g at maturity. Testicular activin A levels fall from 18.6 ± 2.2ng/g at day 6 to 0.094 ± 0.013ng/g at maturity. Northern profiles of testicular inhibin/activin subunits correlate with immunoreactive levels demonstrated by ELISA. In situ hybridization suggests that {beta}A and {beta}B subunit expression is largely restricted to the seminiferous tubule, particularly Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and primary spermatocytes. These data support the view that inhibin B is the major inhibin in the male rat, and that levels relate to Sertoli cell number and activity. Furthermore, the demonstration of high local concentrations of activin A during the period of Sertoli cell proliferation and the onset of spermatogenesis support its proposed role as a modulator of testicular development and function.




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