Dunkel L, Perheentupa J, Tapanainen J, Leinonen P, Vihko R
Pediatr Res. 1984 Nov;18(11):1085-7. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198411000-00005.
Qualitative changes are known to occur in testicular steroidogenesis at birth as the testosterone peak is reached without significant elevation of basal luteinizing hormone in the 2nd wk of life. This study was designed to evaluate testicular activity prior to these changes. Pituitary-testicular function was studied by measuring serum gonadotropins and steroids after stimulation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (one intravenous injection) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (three intramuscular injections). The subjects had minor genital anomalies; their ages ranged from 2 to 6 days. All had a strong luteinizing hormone response and a weaker follicle-stimulating hormone response to GnRH stimulation. hCG induced significant increases in serum pregnenolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone. Serum estradiol and estrone did not change, and progesterone decreased. The results clearly show that the pituitary-testicular axis is functional neonatally. The responsiveness of the testis to hCG supports the assumption that the postnatal decrease of testicular steroids is due to the simultaneous disappearance of hCG from the circulation. The neonatal testis does not show any estradiol response to hCG, which is a feature typical of prepuberty.
已知出生时睾丸类固醇生成会发生质性变化，因为在出生后第2周达到睾酮峰值时，基础促黄体生成素并未显著升高。本研究旨在评估这些变化之前的睾丸活性。通过测量促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）（一次静脉注射）和人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）（三次肌肉注射）刺激后的血清促性腺激素和类固醇，研究垂体-睾丸功能。受试者有轻微生殖器异常；年龄在2至6天之间。所有受试者对GnRH刺激均有强烈的促黄体生成素反应和较弱的促卵泡生成素反应。hCG可使血清孕烯醇酮、17-羟孕酮、雄烯二酮、睾酮和双氢睾酮显著增加。血清雌二醇和雌酮未发生变化，孕酮降低。结果清楚地表明垂体-睾丸轴在新生儿期是有功能的。睾丸对hCG的反应性支持了这样一种假设，即出生后睾丸类固醇的减少是由于循环中hCG同时消失所致。新生儿睾丸对hCG没有任何雌二醇反应，这是青春期前的典型特征。
