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Subcutaneous Leydig Stem Cell Autograft: A Promising Strategy to Increase Serum Testosterone.

ABSTRACT: Exogenous testosterone therapy can be used to treat testosterone deficiency; however, it has several adverse effects including infertility due to negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Leydig stem cell (LSC) transplantation could provide a new strategy for treating testosterone deficiency, but clinical translatability of injecting stem cells inside the testis is not feasible. Here, we explore the feasibility of subcutaneously autografting LSCs in combination with Sertoli and myoid cells to increase testosterone. We also studied whether the grafted LSCs can be regulated by the HPG axis and the molecular mechanism behind this regulation. LSCs were isolated from the testes of 12-week-old C57BL/6 mice, and subcutaneously autografted in combination with Sertoli cells and myoid cells. We found that LSCs alone were incapable of self-renewal and differentiation. However, in combination with Sertoli cells and myoid cells, LSCs underwent self-renewal as well as differentiation into mature Leydig cells. As a result, the recipient mice that received the LSC autograft showed testosterone production with preserved luteinizing hormone. We found that testosterone production from the autograft was regulated by hedgehog (HH) signaling. Gain of function and loss of function study confirmed that Desert HH (DHH) agonist increased and DHH antagonist decreased testosterone production from autograft. This study is the first to demonstrate that LSCs, when autografted subcutaneously in combination with Sertoli cells and myoid cells, can increase testosterone production. Therefore, LSC autograft may provide a new treatment for testosterone deficiency while simultaneously preserving the HPG axis. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:58-65.

SUBMITTER: Arora H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6312442 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Subcutaneous Leydig Stem Cell Autograft: A Promising Strategy to Increase Serum Testosterone.

Arora Himanshu H Zuttion Marilia Sanches Santos Rizzo MSSR Nahar Bruno B Lamb Dolores D Hare Joshua M JM Ramasamy Ranjith R

Stem cells translational medicine 20181002 1

Exogenous testosterone therapy can be used to treat testosterone deficiency; however, it has several adverse effects including infertility due to negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Leydig stem cell (LSC) transplantation could provide a new strategy for treating testosterone deficiency, but clinical translatability of injecting stem cells inside the testis is not feasible. Here, we explore the feasibility of subcutaneously autografting LSCs in combination with Ser ...[more]

PMID: 30280521

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Project description:Abstract BACKGROUND: In men, obesity is often associated with low testosterone (T) levels, but information is limited as to how body weight affects the pharmacokinetic profile or dosing of testosterone therapy (TTh) in men with T deficiency. Historically, men with body mass index (BMI) >32.4 kg/m2 required higher doses of T 2% gel to achieve physiological T levels than men with BMI ≤29.1 or 29.2–32.4 kg/m2.(1) In a phase 3 trial (N=150) of subcutaneous (SC) testosterone enanthate (TE) administered weekly, concentration-guided dosing raised T levels to within physiological range in 92.7% of patients.(2) Here, we report a post hoc analysis evaluating the association between body weight and serum T levels attained with SC TE. Methods: SC TE was evaluated in an open-label, single-arm, dose-blinded, 52-week phase 3 trial (NCT02159469). Patients self-administered 75 mg SC TE weekly during the titration phase; blinded dose-adjustments in 25 mg increments occurred at pre-defined time points beyond the sixth dose. The primary endpoint of this study was the percentage of patients achieving an average serum T concentration (Cavg0-168h) of 300 to 1,100 ng/dL at week 12. For this post hoc analysis, a linear regression model with weight and dose as independent variables was used to assess differences in mean minimum T concentration (Cmin) and Cavg0-168h at week 12. Results: For this analysis, 137 patients were included. Doses were 50 mg (n=25), 75 mg (n=93), and 100 mg (n=19). The mean weight was 84.4 kg, 102.2 kg, and 112.0 kg for the 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg dose groups, respectively (range, 49.9–146.5 kg). The dose-normalized T Cmin was 9.2 ng/dL, 5.7 ng/dL, and 4.3 ng/dL per 1 mg of SC TE for the 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg groups, respectively. The dose-normalized T Cavg0-168h was 12.0 ng/dL, 7.2 ng/dL, and 5.7 ng/dL per 1 mg of SC TE. In an overall linear regression model, 48.2% (P<0.0001) and 55.0% (P<0.0001) of the total variance in Cmin and Cavg0-168h, respectively, can be predicted from the independent weight and dose variables. Conclusion: Our results show an inverse relationship between body weight and T exposure. Men with higher mean body weights required higher doses of SC TE to achieve physiologic T levels compared with men with lower mean body weights. The available doses provide effective options to reach target exposures. These findings highlight the impact of weight and dose selection on SC TE exposure. References: (1) Dobs et al., J Sex Med 2014;11:857–864; (2) Kaminetsky et al., J Urol. 2019;201:587–94.

Project description:IntroductionAge-related decline in testosterone is associated with Leydig cell aging with impaired testosterone synthesis in aging. Obesity accelerates the age-related decline in testosterone. However, the mechanisms underlying the Leydig cell aging and the effects of obesity on Leydig cell aging remain unclear.MethodNatural aging mice and diet-induced obese mice were used to assess the process of testicular Leydig cell senescence with age or obesity. Bioinformatic analysis of the young and aged human testes was used to explore key genes related Leydig cell aging. Leydig cell-specific p38 MAPK knockout (p38LCKO) mice were used to further analyze the roles of p38 MAPK in Leydig cell aging. The levels of testosterone and steroidogenic enzymes, activity of p38 MAPK, aging status of Leydig cells, and oxidative stress and inflammation of testes or Leydig cells were detected by ELISA, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining analysis, respectively.ResultThe serum testosterone level was significantly reduced in aged mice compared with young mice. In the testis of aged mice, the reduced mRNA and protein levels of LHCGR, SRB1, StAR, CYP11A1, and CYP17A1 and the elevated oxidative stress and inflammation were observed. KEGG analysis showed that MAPK pathway was changed in aged Leydig cells, and immunoblotting displayed that p38 MAPK was activated in aged Leydig cells. The intensity of SA-β-Gal staining on Leydig cells and the number of p21-postive Leydig cells in aged mice were more than those of young mice. Similar to aged mice, the testosterone-related indexes decreased, and the age-related indexes increased in the testicular Leydig cells of high fat diet (HFD) mice. Aged p38LCKO mice had higher levels of testosterone and steroidogenic enzymes than those of age-matched wild-type (WT) littermates, with reduced the intensity of SA-β-Gal staining and the expression of p21 protein.ConclusionOur study suggested that obesity was an important risk factor for Leydig cell aging. p38 MAPK was involved in Leydig cell aging induced by age and obesity. The inhibition of p38 MAPK could delay Leydig cell aging and alleviate decline in testosterone.

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Subcutaneous Leydig Stem Cell Autograft: A Promising Strategy to Increase Serum Testosterone.

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Subcutaneous Leydig Stem Cell Autograft: A Promising Strategy to Increase Serum Testosterone.

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