Growth hormone advances spermatogenesis in premature rats treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist

To clarify the effect of GH on the development of seminiferous tubules in premature male rats, we investigated whether GH accelerates spermatogenesis under the condition of gonadotropin deprivation. Male Wistar rats aged three weeks were divided into three groups and subjected to administration of either long-acting GnRH agonist (GnRHa) or a combination of GnRHa and rat GH, with normal saline solution as control. After the 4-week treatment, sperm density and motility in the right epididymis were measured and seminiferous tubules of right testes were histologically examined. Sperm density and motility were significantly higher in GnRHa+GH-treated rats than in GnRHa-treated rats. In histological examination, the numbers of germ cells in various stages were increased in GnRHa+GH-treated rats compared with GnRHa-treated rats, with the number of mature spermatid being noticeably higher in GnRHa+GH-treated rats. These results suggest that administration of GH decreases loss of germ cells at various stages of spermatogenesis under the condition of gonadotropin withdrawal.