Androgen-responsive non-coding small RNAs extend the potential of HCG stimulation to act as a bioassay of androgen sufficiency

Background: It is unclear whether a short-term change in circulating androgens is associated with changes in the transcriptome of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).\ud Aims & Methods: To explore the effect of hCG-stimulation on the PBMC-transcriptome, 12 boys with a median age (range) of 0.7yrs (0.3, 11.2) who received intramuscular hCG 1500u on 3 consecutive days as part of their investigations underwent transcriptomic array analysis on RNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after hCG stimulation.\ud Results: Median pre and post hCG testosterone for the overall group was 0.7nmol/l (