Clinical and experimental evidence of inhibition of testosterone production by suramin

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
R DanesiC E Myers

Abstract

The effect of suramin on testosterone production was evaluated in cancer patients, adult male rats, rat Leydig cells, and NCI-H295 human adrenal cancer cells. Testosterone plasma levels markedly decreased in 14 patients receiving suramin as a therapy for refractory cancer, and in 8 of them, the plasma LH and/or FSH levels increased beyond the normal range. The hCG stimulation test (5000 IU, im) was performed in 8 patients and induced an average 2.1-fold increase in testosterone levels over baseline values. Testicular histology after suramin treatment was available in 1 patient who died of progressive disease; this revealed atrophy of seminiferous tubules and reduced Leydig cells in the interstitium. A significant reduction in plasma testosterone was also observed in rats given 18 mg/kg suramin, ip, twice weekly for 8 weeks, whereas plasma LH and FSH levels did not change significantly. Cytohistochemistry of testes from suramin-treated rats showed a reduced number of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-positive cells within the interstitium compared to controls, and light microscopy revealed severe impairment of spermatogenesis. Suramin inhibited the production of testosterone by isolated rat Leydig cells as well as the conversi...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 6, 2005·Clinical Oncology : a Journal of the Royal College of Radiologists·S R MuthuramalingamA Protheroe
Apr 20, 2012·Urologic Oncology·Benjamin A GartrellMatthew D Galsky
Jul 10, 2018·Endocrinology·Alfredo Ulloa-AguirrePascale Crépieux
Jul 10, 2018·Endocrine Reviews·Ross C AndersonRobert P Millar

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