Aggressive angiomyxoma of the female pelvis and perineum: a case series

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AA) was first described in 1983, and fewer than 150 cases have been reported in the world medical literature. These tumors are benign, locally infiltrative mesenchymal neoplasms with a predilection for the female pelvis and perineum and a tendency to recur. The size of AAs at presentation varies considerably; however, these tumors often achieve large dimensions before becoming clinically symptomatic. Surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment, but whether clear, tumor-free surgical margins are necessary is controversial. We report a cohort of six patients treated surgically during the past 20 years for primary or recurrent AA. Treatment, surgical margin status, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, and outcomes are reviewed.     

不育患者血清精子蛋白17抗体的检测及临床意义

目的:检测抗精子抗体(AsAb)阳性不育患者血清中抗精子蛋白17(Sp17)的抗体,探讨该抗体在免疫性不育血清学诊断和免疫避孕方面的潜在应用价值。方法:用重组人Sp17作为抗原,ELISA法检测62例AsAb阳性血清中Sp17抗体阳性率及滴度,分析AsAb中抗Sp17的含量。结果:AsAb阳性血清中Sp17抗体阳性率为56.5%,男女之间差异无显著性。Sp17抗体占AsAb的(10.09±7.45)%,结果具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:Sp17是重要的精子抗原组分,血清中Sp17抗体的检测可作为不育患者辅助诊断指标,同时也提示Sp17可能是一种免疫避孕候选抗原疫苗。     

孕激素联合化疗治疗卵巢上皮性癌

目的 分析孕激素联合以铂类为主的常规化疗对卵巢上皮性癌1～4期患者的临床疗效。方法 以已行瘤体减灭术的卵巢上皮性癌患者1～4期为研究对象，分为单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组和普维拉组。随访、统计各组各期患者的生存率及复发率、血清激素水平、骨密度变化以及化疗副反应。结果 孕激素联合以铂类为主的化疗对早期卵巢上皮性癌的预后无明显影响，但对晚期(3期)卵巢上皮性癌的术后近期以及远期(2～5年)生存率及复发率均有改善趋势。单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组、普维拉组3期患者术后3年生存率分别为34．8％、66．2％、73．9％，复发率分别为72．2％、47．3％、40．6％；单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组术后5年生存率分别为17．4％、48．4％，复发率分别为81．5％、62．4％。孕激素的使用不影响患者血清激素水平，也不增加化疗的毒、副作用。联合孕激素治疗的患者术后骨密度下降较一般绝经后妇女慢。结论 孕激素联合以铂类为主的常规化疗可改善晚期卵巢上皮性癌的预后，并且不增加化疗的毒副作用，可改善患者的骨量丢失。     

克罗米酚对血清雌激素和孕激素水平的影响

目的探讨克罗米酚(CC)在诱发排卵过程中对雌、孕激素水平的影响。方法采用放射免疫法,测定16例不明原因不孕妇女在自然周期和用药周期的排卵前1天和排卵后10天血清雌二醇(E2)和孕酮(P)浓度。结果排卵前1天和排卵后10天,用药周期的E2、P浓度均高于自然周期(P<0.05)。结论克罗米酚在诱发排卵过程中可导致内源激素平衡紊乱。     

APP17肽对APP转基因小鼠学习记忆能力和海马神经细胞凋亡的影响

目的观察APP(-βamyloid precursop protein,APP)17肽(APP695中319-335肽段)对APP转基因小鼠(APP695V717I)学习、记忆能力及海马神经细胞凋亡的影响。方法3月龄的APP695转基因小鼠随机分为模型组和APP17肽治疗组,正常对照组采用月龄和性别与之相匹配的C57BL/6J小鼠。APP17肽治疗组给予皮下注射APP17肽,每只每次0.34μg,每周3次;模型组和正常对照组给予等体积NS。应用水迷宫试验观察小鼠学习、记忆功能的变化,以流式细胞技术分析海马神经细胞凋亡率和线粒体膜电位的变化。结果(1)水迷宫试验结果显示,模型组小鼠存在明显学习和记忆功能障碍,其第3、4、5天游完全程的时间[(93.22±16.35)、(86.73±20.26)、(77.13±29.35)s]和错误反应次数[(6.63±2.16)、(5.81±2.13)、(5.33±1.41)次]均较正常对照组[分别为(70.89±20.19)、(61.25±21.88)、(54.63±16.92)s和(5.01±1.93)、(2.97±0.96)、(2.31±1.01)次]增多(P<0.05);APP17肽治疗组小鼠的行为学障碍明显轻于模型组(P<0.05),其上述水迷宫检测结果与正常对照组比较差异无统计学意义。(2)与正常对照组小鼠海马神经细胞凋亡发生率[(3.13±1.19)%]和线粒体膜电位[(176.39±13.88)mV]比较,模型组凋亡发生率[(8.06±2.31)%]显著增加(P<0.01)而线粒体膜电位[(97.51±15.73)mV]明显降低(P<0.01);APP17肽治疗组检测结果与正常对照组接近,海马神经细胞凋亡发生率[(4.38±1.26)%]低于模型组(P<0.01),线粒体膜电位[(168.35±19.29)mV]高于模型组(P<0.01)。结论APP695转基因小鼠存在学习和记忆功能障碍,且其海马神经细胞凋亡率增加,线粒体膜电位降低;APP17肽能够明显改善该转基因小鼠的学习和记忆能力,其作用机制可能是通过稳定线粒体膜电位及抑制凋亡发生而实现。     

Urinary 17α-hydroxyprogesterone in management of 21 -hydroxylase deficiency

Objectives: The study was designed to assess the reliability of measurement of 24-hour urinary 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) by radio-immunoassay (RIA) as an alternative biochemical assessment for monitoring the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21 -hydroxylase deficiency (21 -OHD) and to assess the need for sample purification by column chromatography to improve assay specificity.
Methodology: Morning serum 17-OHP was measured using RIA and 24-hour urinary pregnanetriol using gas chromatography. Twenty-four-hour urinary 17-OHP was measured in samples from 17 prepubertal patients with CAH due to 21 -OHD, and 20 normal prepubertal children as controls. In 24 urine samples, RIA of 17-OHP was performed with and without column chromatography.
Results: There was a good correlation between 24-hour urinary 17-OHP and 24-hour urinary pregnanetriol (r = 0.962, P <0.01) and between 24-hour urinary 17-OHP and morning serum 17-OHP ( r = 0.955, P <0.01). There was no significant difference in the RIA of the urine samples with and without purification by column chromatography.
Conclusions: The measurement of 24-hour urinary 17-OHP is a reliable alternative for the biochemical monitoring of 21-OHD, and RIA specificity is unaffected by omission of column chromatography.     

Cytokine Production by Lymphocytes in Pregnancy

PROBLEM: In the presence of progesterone lymphocytes of pregnant women release a 34- kDa protein named the progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF). PIBF mediates the immunomodulatory and anti-abortive effects of progesterone and its presence is related to the outcome of pregnancy. PIBF induces production of Th2 type cytokines by activated lymphocytes. The in vivo relationship between PIBF- and cytokine production of pregnancy lymphocytes and the outcome of pregnancy was investigated. METHOD OF STUDY: Interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-10 production and PIBF expression in peripheral lymphocytes of 111 healthy pregnant women and 120 women at risk for premature pregnancy termination were detected by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: We found increased IL-12 and low PIBF and IL-10 expression on lymphocytes of “risk” patients, and a high rate of IL-10 and PIBF positivity on lymphocytes from healthy pregnant women. The cytokine production pattern of the lymphocytes was related to the presence or absence of previous abortions as well as to the outcome of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: These data suggest the involvement of an altered cytokine production pattern in the immunologic effects of progesterone.     

Progesterone and environmental tobacco smoke act synergistically to exacerbate the development of allergic asthma in a mouse model

BACKGROUND: Asthma affects males and females differently. Females have a higher incidence than males after the onset of puberty. This suggests a hormonal component to the development of the disease. Progesterone, a female hormone, has previously been shown to illicit a T-helper type 2 (TH2) immune response similar to that seen in allergic asthma. Previous studies performed by our laboratory have shown that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) enhances the immune response to allergens. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the combination of exposure to ETS and progesterone would further exacerbate the immune response in a mouse model of allergic asthma. METHODS: Female mice were ovariectomized and then implanted with time-release progesterone pellets. Mice were housed in either filtered air (FA) or ETS chambers and half were exposed to aerosolized house dust mite allergen (HDMA). Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for cell differentials; lung and spleen cells were harvested to compare IL-4 and IFN-gamma production by ELISPOT. RESULTS: Progesterone pellet implantation resulted in increased serum progesterone levels (28.3+/-8.43 vs. 13.5+/-7.22 ng/mL in placebo-treated mice, P<0.0001). Serum total IgE levels were significantly greater in progesterone vs. non-progesterone treated animals that were also exposed to HDMA. ETS exposure enhanced total IgE levels as well. Lung homogenate cells from HDMA/progesterone-treated animals stimulated with Concavalin A produced significantly more IL-4 compared with HDMA/placebo-treated animals (200+/-17.6 vs. 146+/-17.5 spots/well, P<0.01 in ETS exposed animals and 221+/-28.9 vs. 167+/-23.4 spots/well, P<0.01 in animals housed in FA). HDMA/ETS-treated animals had higher eosinophilia in lavage than all other groups. CONCLUSION: Increased serum progesterone levels exacerbate the allergic asthmatic phenotype in a mouse model. These effects are further exacerbated by the addition of environmental tobacco smoke. Progesterone provides a major contribution to the gender differences seen in the development and elicitation of the asthmatic response.