EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE SUPPRESSION ON SERUM LEVELS OF HEPATITIS-B SURFACE-ANTIGEN AND HBV-DNA IN MEN

Aims/Background: There is epidemiological evidence that progression of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver disease is adversely influenced by male gender. Furthermore, in male transgenic mice, HBsAg levels in crease after puberty, resulting in 4- to 10-fold higher HBsAg levels t han in female transgenic mice. Castration reduces HBsAg levels by 90-9 5%, while substitution of testosterone to castrated animals rapidly in creases HBsAg concentrations. We hypothesized that suppression of endo genous testosterone levels may have similar effects on HBsAg serum lev els in men, as observed in male mice. Methods: To test our hypothesis, we studied the influence of reversible testosterone suppression by th e LHRH-analog triptorelin on serum concentrations of HBsAg and HBV-DNA . Eight male patients, who were chronically infected with HBV, were st udied in a prospective interventional study. Results: Triptorelin decr eased serum testosterone levels to castration levels for several weeks . However, this reversible testosterone suppression had no effect on H BsAg or HBV-DNA serum concentrations (p>0.05). Conclusions. Suppressio n of endogenous testosterone levels had no effect on HBsAg levels in m en, which points to a different regulation of HBsAg expression in men compared with transgenic mice.