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Tamoxifen Suppresses Gonadotropin-Induced 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Accumulation in Normal Men

Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Intramuscular administration of 1500 IU hCG daily for 3 days induced a transient accumulation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17 OHP) relative to testosterone (T) in normal men, reaching its maximum 24 h after the first injection (17 OHP to T ratio, 1.7 ± 0.3 times baseline; P < 0.01).

Simultaneous administration of hCG and the estrogen antagonist tamoxifen (20 mg twice daily) almost completely abolished the hCG-induced steroidogenic block localized between 17 OHP and T (17 OHP to T ratio at 24 h, 1.1 ± 0.1 times baseline; P*< 0.01 vs. hCG alone).

These data indirectly suggest that, in man, the hCG-induced steroidogenic lesion might be mediated through its estrogenstimulating effect.

^* To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received February 26, 1980.