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Original Studies |
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki (V.P., K.E., L.S. L.D.), FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland; and Department of Anatomy, University of Turku (M.P.), FIN-20520 Turku, Finland
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Virve Pentikäinen, M.D., Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 281, FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: virve.pentikainen{at}hus.fi
The necessity of estrogens for male fertility was recently discovered
in studies on both estrogen receptor 
knockout and aromatase
(cyp 19 gene) knockout mice. However, direct testicular
effects of estrogens in male reproduction have remained unclear. Here
we studied the protein expression of ER and the recently described
estrogen receptor ß in the human seminiferous epithelium and
evaluated the role of 17ß-estradiol, the main physiological estrogen,
in male germ cell survival. Interestingly, both estrogen receptors
and ß were found in early meiotic spermatocytes and elongating
spermatids of the human testis. Furthermore, low concentrations of
17ß-estradiol (10-9 and 10-10 mol/L)
effectively inhibited male germ cell apoptosis, which was induced
in vitro by incubating segments of human seminiferous
tubules without survival factors (i.e. serum and
hormones). Dihydrotestosterone, which, in addition to estradiol, is an
end metabolite of testosterone, was also capable of inhibiting
testicular apoptosis, but at a far higher concentration
(10-7 mol/L) than estradiol. Thus, estradiol appears to be
a potent germ cell survival factor in the human testis. The novel
findings of the present study together with the previously reported
indirect effects of estrogens on male germ cells indicate the
importance of estrogens for the normal function of the testis.
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O. M. Tirado, D. M. Selva, N. Toran, C. A. Suarez-Quian, M. Jansen, D. P. McDonnell, J. Reventos, and F. Munell Increased Expression of Estrogen Receptor {beta} in Pachytene Spermatocytes After Short-Term Methoxyacetic Acid Administration J Androl, January 1, 2004; 25(1): 84 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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L. Suomalainen, J. K. Hakala, V. Pentikainen, M. Otala, K. Erkkila, M. O. Pentikainen, and L. Dunkel Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in Inhibition of Male Germ Cell Apoptosis in the Human Testis J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2003; 88(11): 5572 - 5579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. Aquila, D. Sisci, M. Gentile, A. Carpino, E. Middea, S. Catalano, V. Rago, and S. Ando Towards a physiological role for cytochrome P450 aromatase in ejaculated human sperm Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2003; 18(8): 1650 - 1659. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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K. Erkkila, L. Suomalainen, M. Wikstrom, M. Parvinen, and L. Dunkel Chemical Anoxia Delays Germ Cell Apoptosis in the Human Testis Biol Reprod, August 1, 2003; 69(2): 617 - 626. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 S. Lambard, I. Galeraud-Denis, H. Bouraima, S. Bourguiba, A. Chocat, and S. Carreau Expression of aromatase in human ejaculated spermatozoa: a putative marker of motility Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2003; 9(3): 117 - 124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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G. Ricci, S. Perticarari, E. Fragonas, E. Giolo, S. Canova, C. Pozzobon, S. Guaschino, and G. Presani Apoptosis in human sperm: its correlation with semen quality and the presence of leukocytes Hum. Reprod., October 1, 2002; 17(10): 2665 - 2672. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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F. Munell, C. A. Suarez-Quian, D. M. Selva, O. M. Tirado, and J. Reventos Androgen-Binding Protein and Reproduction: Where Do We Stand? J Androl, September 1, 2002; 23(5): 598 - 609. [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. R. Pak, G. R. Lynch, and P.-S. Tsai Differential Alteration of the Reproductive Axis by Testosterone and Estrogen in Peripubertal and Adult Male Siberian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) Biol Reprod, September 1, 2002; 67(3): 706 - 711. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. Aquila, D. Sisci, M. Gentile, E. Middea, L. Siciliano, and S. Ando Human Ejaculated Spermatozoa Contain Active P450 Aromatase J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2002; 87(7): 3385 - 3390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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R. Luboshitzky, Z. Shen-Orr, R. Nave, S. Lavi, and P. Lavie Melatonin Administration Alters Semen Quality in Healthy Men J Androl, July 1, 2002; 23(4): 572 - 578. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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P. T. K. Saunders, M. R. Millar, S. Macpherson, D. S. Irvine, N. P. Groome, L. R. Evans, R. M. Sharpe, and G. A. Scobie ER{beta}1 and the ER{beta}2 Splice Variant (ER{beta}cx/{beta}2) Are Expressed in Distinct Cell Populations in the Adult Human Testis J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2002; 87(6): 2706 - 2715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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D. G. Monroe, R. R. Berger, and M. M. Sanders Tissue-Protective Effects of Estrogen Involve Regulation of Caspase Gene Expression Mol. Endocrinol., June 1, 2002; 16(6): 1322 - 1331. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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R. Nie, Q. Zhou, E. Jassim, P. T.K. Saunders, and R. A. Hess Differential Expression of Estrogen Receptors {alpha} and {beta} in the Reproductive Tractsof Adult Male Dogs and Cats Biol Reprod, April 1, 2002; 66(4): 1161 - 1168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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K. Erkkila, H. Aito, K. Aalto, V. Pentikainen, and L. Dunkel Lactate inhibits germ cell apoptosis in the human testis Mol. Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2002; 8(2): 109 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 V. Pentikainen, L. Suomalainen, K. Erkkila, E. Martelin, M. Parvinen, M. O. Pentikainen, and L. Dunkel Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Activation in Human Testicular Apoptosis Am. J. Pathol., January 1, 2002; 160(1): 205 - 218. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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E. R. Simpson and S. R. Davis Minireview: Aromatase and the Regulation of Estrogen Biosynthesis--Some New Perspectives Endocrinology, November 1, 2001; 142(11): 4589 - 4594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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V. Pentikainen, K. Erkkila, L. Suomalainen, M. Otala, M. O. Pentikainen, M. Parvinen, and L. Dunkel TNF{alpha} Down-Regulates the Fas Ligand and Inhibits Germ Cell Apoptosis in the Human Testis J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2001; 86(9): 4480 - 4488. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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T. R. Pak, G. R. Lynch, and P.-S. Tsai Testosterone and Estrogen Act via Different Pathways to Inhibit Puberty in the Male Siberian Hamster (Phodopus sungorus) Endocrinology, August 1, 2001; 142(8): 3309 - 3316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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D. Coveney, G. Shaw, and M. B. Renfree Estrogen-Induced Gonadal Sex Reversal in the Tammar Wallaby Biol Reprod, August 1, 2001; 65(2): 613 - 621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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L. D. Quirke, J. L. Juengel, D. J. Tisdall, S. Lun, D. A. Heath, and K. P. McNatty Ontogeny of Steroidogenesis in the Fetal Sheep Gonad Biol Reprod, July 1, 2001; 65(1): 216 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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L. O'Donnell, K. M. Robertson, M. E. Jones, and E. R. Simpson Estrogen and Spermatogenesis Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2001; 22(3): 289 - 318. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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S. Makinen, S. Makela, Z. Weihua, M. Warner, B. Rosenlund, S. Salmi, O. Hovatta, and J.-A. Gustafsson Localization of oestrogen receptors alpha and beta in human testis Mol. Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2001; 7(6): 497 - 503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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P. T.K. Saunders, R. M. Sharpe, K. Williams, S. Macpherson, H. Urquart, D.S. Irvine, and M. R. Millar Differential expression of oestrogen receptor {{alpha}} and {beta} proteins in the testes and male reproductive system of human and non-human primates Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2001; 7(3): 227 - 236. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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