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Prolactin and spermatogenesis: new lights on the interplay between prolactin and sperm parameters

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Abstract

Purpose

To clarify the relationship between one the most gender-specific hormone, i.e. prolactin (PRL), and semen parameters in men.

Methods

A retrospective, observational, cohort, real-world study was carried out, enrolling all men performing a semen analysis and PRL examination from 2010 to 2022. For each patient, the first semen analys was extracted, associated to PRL, total testosterone (TT), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Hyperprolactinaemia (>35 ng/mL) was excluded.

Results

1211 subjects were included. PRL serum levels were lower in normozoospermia compared to azoospermia (p = 0.002) and altered semen parameters (p = 0.048) groups. TT serum levels were not different among groups (p = 0.122). Excluding azoospermic men, PRL serum levels were lower in normozoospermic patients, when compared to other groups of semen alterations. An inverse correlation was detected between PRL and sperm concentration. Considering normozospermic subjects, PRL was directly related to both non-progressive sperm motility (p = 0.014) and normal sperm morphology (p = 0.040). Subdiving the cohort in quartiles according to PRL distribution, the highest motilities were observed in the second PRL quartile (8.30–11.10 ng/mL) and asthenozoospermia was significantly predicted by FSH (p < 0.001) and second PRL quartile (p = 0.045).

Conclusion

The PRL-spermatogenesis connection seems to be mild, although low-normal PRL levels are associated with the best spermatogenetic profile. PRL serum levels could mirror the immunoregulatory status within the testis, suggesting that there is a sort of ‘PRL optimal window’ reflecting an efficent spermatogenesis. Alternatively, men with good semen parameters might have a higher central dopaminergic tone resulting in low PRL levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy

    Giorgia Spaggiari, Francesco Costantino, Antonio R. M. Granata, Manuela Simoni & Daniele Santi

  2. Unit of Andrology and Sexual Medicine of the Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy

    Giorgia Spaggiari, Antonio R. M. Granata & Daniele Santi

  3. Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    Francesco Costantino, Manuela Simoni & Daniele Santi

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Azienda USL of Modena, Modena, Italy

    Simonetta Tagliavini, Giulia Canu, Manuela Varani, Maria Cristina De Santis, Laura Roli & Tommaso Trenti

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  1. Giorgia Spaggiari
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Spaggiari, G., Costantino, F., Granata, A.R.M. et al. Prolactin and spermatogenesis: new lights on the interplay between prolactin and sperm parameters. Endocrine 81, 330–339 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03375-x

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