Serum activin A and follistatin in disorders of spermatogenesis in men

Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. s.muttukrishna@ucl.ac.uk

OBJECTIVE: Inhibin, activin and follistatin are glycoprotein hormones produced by the gonads. Recent studies have shown that inhibin B is the predominant form of inhibin in the circulation in men. The objective of this study was to investigate circulating levels of activin A and follistatin in disorders of spermatogenesis in men and their relationship with FSH and inhibin B. DESIGN AND METHOD: Serum from five different groups of men was prospectively collected and stored at -20 degrees C. The groups were men with: (i) proven fertility (controls) (n=20), (ii) primary testicular failure (n=15), (iii) obstructive azoospermia (n=10), (iv) oligospermia (n=10) and (v) miscellaneous sperm dysfunction (n=40). WHO criteria (1992) were used for semen characterisation. Serum concentrations of 'total' activin A, follistatin, FSH and inhibin B were measured using specific two-site enzyme immunoassays. RESULTS: Activin A levels were significantly lower than in the controls in the obstructive azoospermia group and higher in the miscellaneous sperm dysfunction group. Serum follistatin levels did not significantly vary in any group compared with the controls. Circulating levels of FSH were higher than in the controls in the primary testicular failure and obstructive azoospermic group. Levels of inhibin B were lower than in the controls in all disorders of spermatogenesis studied. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that activin A and follistatin are in the circulation in males and activin A levels are significantly lower in obstructive azoospermia and higher in miscellaneous sperm dysfunction than in controls. The mechanism involved in altering the levels of activin A in these conditions is not clear. However, high follistatin:activin A molar ratios (>2.5) in all groups suggests that all activin A in the circulation is bound to follistatin in males.