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The stature of boys is inversely correlated to the levels of their sertoli cell hormones: do the testes restrain the maturation of boys?

ABSTRACT: The testes of preadolescent boys appear to be dormant, as they produce only trace levels of testosterone. However, they release supra-adult levels of Müllerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS, anti-Müllerian hormone) and lesser levels of inhibin B (InhB), for unknown reasons. Boys have a variable rate of maturation, which on average is slower than girls. The height of children relative to their parents is an index of their maturity. We report here that a boy's level of MIS and InhB is stable over time and negatively correlates with his height and his height relative to his parent's height. This suggests that boy's with high levels of MIS and InhB are short because they are immature, rather than because they are destined to be short men. The levels of MIS and InhB in the boys did not correlate with known hormonal modulators of growth, and were additive with age and the growth hormone/IGF1 axis as predictors of a boy's height. If MIS and InhB were causal regulators of maturity, then the inter-boy differences in the levels of these hormone produces variation in maturation equivalent to 18-months of development. MIS and InhB may thus account for most of the variation in the rate of male development. If boys lacked these hormones, then an average 5-year-old boy would be over 5 cm taller than age-matched girls, making boys almost as dimorphic as men, for height. This indicates that boys have a high growth potential that is initially suppressed by their testes. The concept of the childhood testes suppressing an adult male feature appears paradoxical. However, the growth of children requires intergenerational transfer of nutrients. Consequently, the MIS/InhB slowing of male growth may have been historically advantageous, as it would minimizes any sex bias in the maternal cost of early child rearing.

SUBMITTER: Morgan K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3107220 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The stature of boys is inversely correlated to the levels of their sertoli cell hormones: do the testes restrain the maturation of boys?

Morgan Kirstie K Dennis Nicola A NA Ruffman Ted T Bilkey David K DK McLennan Ian S IS

PloS one 20110602 6

The testes of preadolescent boys appear to be dormant, as they produce only trace levels of testosterone. However, they release supra-adult levels of Müllerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS, anti-Müllerian hormone) and lesser levels of inhibin B (InhB), for unknown reasons. Boys have a variable rate of maturation, which on average is slower than girls. The height of children relative to their parents is an index of their maturity. We report here that a boy's level of MIS and InhB is stable over time ...[more]

PMID: 21655101

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Project description:BackgroundEndocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as metals have been reported to alter circulating reproductive hormone concentrations and pubertal development in animals. However, the relationship has rarely been investigated among humans, with the exception of heavy metals, such as Pb and Cd. Our aim was to investigate measures of in utero and peripubertal metal exposure in relation to reproductive hormone concentrations and sexual maturation and progression among boys from the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) cohorts.MethodsOur analysis included 118 pregnant women and their male children from the ELEMENT study. Essential and non-essential metals were measured in urine collected from the mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy and their male children at 8-14 years. Reproductive hormone concentrations [serum testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), inhibin B, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)] were measured in blood samples from the children at 8-14 years. We also assessed Tanner stages for sexual maturation (genital, pubic hair development, and testicular volume), at two time points (8-14, 10-18 years). We used linear regression to independently examine urinary metal concentrations in relation to each peripubertal reproductive hormones adjusting for child age and BMI. Generalized estimation equations (GEEs) were used to evaluate the association of in utero and peripubertal metal exposures with sexual maturation and progression during follow-up based on Tanner staging and testicular volume.ResultsIn utero and prepubertal concentrations of some urinary metals were associated with increased concentrations of peripubertal reproductive hormones, especially non-essential metal(loid)s As and Cd (in utero), and Ba (peripubertal) as well as essential metal Mo (in utero) in association with testosterone. More advanced pubic hair developmental stage and higher testicular volume at the early teen visit was observed for boys with higher non-essential metal concentrations, including in utero Al and peripubertal Ba, and essential metal Zn concentration (peripubertal). These metals were also associated with slower pubertal progression between the two visits.ConclusionThese findings suggest that male reproductive development may be associated with both essential and non-essential metal exposure during in utero and peripubertal windows.

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The stature of boys is inversely correlated to the levels of their sertoli cell hormones: do the testes restrain the maturation of boys?

Publications

The stature of boys is inversely correlated to the levels of their sertoli cell hormones: do the testes restrain the maturation of boys?

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