detirelix and Body-Weight

Acute (single dose), 2-week, and 3-month toxicology studies were conducted with detirelix, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist, in rats and cynomolgus monkeys. Acute studies were conducted by intravenous and subcutaneous injection. Subchronic studies were conducted by daily subcutaneous injection. Clinical signs after a single intravenous dose included lethargy, edema, cyanosis, pallor, and red ears in rats at greater than or equal to 0.3 mg/kg and lethargy and facial flushing in monkeys at greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/kg. In subchronic studies, detirelix at greater than or equal to 0.4 mg/kg/day (rats) and at greater than or equal to 0.2 mg/kg/day (monkeys) produced atrophy of the reproductive organs, inhibition of ovulation and spermatogenesis, decreased body weight gain in male rats and monkeys, and increased body weight gain in female rats. In the rat, morbidity and/or mortality occurred throughout the treatment phase at a subcutaneous dose of greater than or equal to 2.0 mg/kg/day. In both species, the time to recovery of normal reproductive organ morphology and function was directly related to dose. Exogenous testosterone decreased the severity of reproductive and body weight effects in male rats. In conclusion, the acute effects of detirelix were consistent with peripheral vasodilation. Subchronic effects were associated with inhibition of pituitary gonadotropic and gonadal hormone secretion.

Topics: Animals; Blood Chemical Analysis; Body Weight; Feeding Behavior; Female; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Macaca fascicularis; Male; Organ Size; Prostate; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Seminal Vesicles; Species Specificity; Testis; Uterus

No effective hormonal contraceptive has yet been devised for men. Through their suppressive effect on gonadotropin secretion, GnRH antagonists inhibit both testosterone (T) production and spermatogenesis in animals. Long term administration of an antagonist alone would result in androgen deficiency; this would cause unacceptable physiological and behavioral sequellae in men. Therefore, androgen replacement must be included in any GnRH antagonist regimen used in human male contraception. We tested the hypothesis that the combination of a GnRH antagonist plus T would suppress spermatogenesis in the male primate to azoospermic levels while maintaining normal serum T levels. We examined the effects of the GnRH antagonist Deterelix [N-Ac-DNal(2)1-DpCl-Phe2-DTrp3-DhArg(Et2)6 -DAla10-GnRH], alone and with simultaneous T replacement, on sperm production and serum T levels in adult male monkeys (n = 22). After 12 weeks of daily sc antagonist injection, all animals that received antagonist alone (n = 5) and those that 750 micrograms/kg.day antagonist plus T (n = 5) were azoospermic. After 16 weeks, four of five animals that received 250 micrograms/kg.day antagonist plus T became azoospermic. Control animals (n = 7) received daily injections of vehicle; sperm counts increased somewhat during the study period in that group. Castrate range T levels were achieved in animals receiving antagonist alone. T levels in the groups that received T supplementation and in the control group were in the normal male range throughout the treatment period. Sperm counts returned to the pretreatment range in all animals during the recovery period. We conclude that the combination of a GnRH antagonist plus T can induce azoospermia reversibly in this nonhuman primates species, and that a similar combination may be an effective contraceptive regimen in men. The GnRH antagonist alone may be an effective treatment for androgen-dependent neoplasia.

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Contraceptive Agents, Male; Drug Therapy, Combination; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Macaca fascicularis; Male; Spermatogenesis; Spermatozoa; Testis; Testosterone

The effects of concomitant testosterone (T)-supplementation on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist-induced testicular regression in cynomolgus monkeys (M. fascicularis) were investigated. Four adult monkeys were infused via osmotic minipumps with daily amounts of 2 mg of a potent GnRH antagonist (N-Ac-D-Nal(2)1, D-pCl-Phe2, D-Trp3, D-hArg (Et2)6, D-Ala10)-GnRH (RS-68439) for a period of 104 days. Androgen substitution was provided via T-filled Silastic capsules implanted at initiation of GnRH antagonist treatment. Within 1-4 days of GnRH antagonist administration, serum concentrations of bioactive LH became undetectable. The implants maintained serum T at 50-80% of pre-treatment levels. Sperm production decreased in three out of four monkeys. One animal became azoospermic by the 13th week of treatment and the ejaculates of two other monkeys contained less than 5 X 10(6) sperm. In the fourth monkey, spermatogenesis was less affected. Testicular histology, judging from biopsies at termination of GnRH antagonist treatment, was typical of the hypogonadotropic status in 3 of the 4 monkeys. The most affected tubules contained only spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. Although comparison with GnRH antagonist treatment alone in a previous study indicated a delay of spermatogenic inhibition with testosterone, the present study confirms the potential of GnRH antagonist for male fertility regulation.

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Luteinizing Hormone; Macaca; Macaca fascicularis; Male; Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones; Semen; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Spermatogenesis; Testis; Testosterone