Abstract
Reduced conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) results in defective virilization in karyotypic males. Different mutations in the 5α-reductase type 2 gene cause the phenotypic variability of the disease. In this report we describe four prepubertal patients with a predominantly male phenotype who carry homozygous point mutations in the 5α-reductase type 2 gene and address the specific T and DHT response to different human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation tests. For molecular genetic analysis, DNA from peripheral blood leucocytes was studied. The coding region of the 5α-reductase type 2 gene was characterized by exon-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification, non-radioactive single strand polymorphism analysis, and direct sequencing. Three different homozygous point mutations (Gly196−Ser, Arg227−Gln and Ala228−Thr) were identified in the patients. In contrast, in the DNA from 100 phenotypically normal males only two heterozygous abnormalities (Ile196−Ile, ΔMet157) were characterized. For hormonal studies, T and DHT were measured in serum before and after hCG stimulation employing different protocols. HCG stimulation with 5000 IU/m2 once and prolonged stimulation with seven injections of 1500 IU hCG per single dose every other day were used.
Conclusion
While abnormal T/DHT ratios were identified with both hCG protocols in the patients, prolonged stimulation lead to higher T values and to higher T/DHT ratios, and hence to a better discrimination of pathologic results.
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Abbreviations
- DHT :
-
dihydrotestosterone
- hCG :
-
human chorionic gonadotropin
- PCR :
-
polymerase chain reaction
- SHBG :
-
sex hormone-binding globulin
- SSCP :
-
single strand conformation polymorphism
- T :
-
testosterone
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Hiort, O., Willenbring, H., Albers, N. et al. Molecular genetic analysis and human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation tests in the diagnosis of prepubertal patients with partial 5α-reductase deficiency. Eur J Pediatr 155, 445–451 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01955179
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01955179