Progesterone, 17-OH-Progesterone, Androstenedione and Testosterone Plasma Levels in Spermatic Venous Blood of Normal Men and Varicocele Patients

Summary Progesterone (P), 17-OH-progesterone (17-OH-P), Androstenedione (δ 4 ) and testosterone (T) plasma levels were measured in spermatic venous blood of twenty-nine varicocele patients (V) and in twelve normal subjects (N). Our data reveal a significant decrease of the mean testosterone in the spermatic blood of varicocele patients with respect to normal controls: (N = 1708.7 ± 223.8 (SEM) nmol/l, n = 10. V = 1190.9 ± 101.1 (SEM) nmol/l, n = 29. P < 0.03). An inverse correlation has been observed between the age of varicocele patients and 17-OH-P (n = 29, y = -33.38 x + 1384.70, r = -0.59, P < 0.01) and Δ 4 values (n = 23, y = -1.62 x + 85.65, r = -0.49, P < 0.05). The 17-OH-P/Δ 4 ratio appears significantly augmented in varicocele patients with respect to normal controls (n = 4.80 ± 0.86 (SEM), n = 12. V = 9.65 ± 1.21 (SEM), n = 23.0.02 > P > 0.01). This indicates a deficiency in varicocele patients of 17-20 lyase activity. The positive correlation between the P/17-OH-P ratio and age of varicocele patients (n = 28, y = 0.007 × -0.090, r = 0.45, P < 0.03) suggests a progressive impairment of 17-α-hydroxylase in such patients as they grow relatively older. These data demonstrated that the reduced spermatic levels of testosterone in varicoceles are due to the enzymatic impairment of testosterone biosynthesis, concerning firstly 17-20 lyase activity and secondly 17-α-hydroxylase activity. The latter enzymatic impairment is age related as is seen from the significant increase of the P/17-OH-P ratio in older patients.