Maternal plasma concentrations of β-lipotrophin, β-endorphin and γ-lipotrophin throughout pregnancy

Summary. Plasma β-LPH, β-EP and γ-LPH concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 10 pregnant women from 12 weeks gestation until term and in nine women in the early follicular phase of the cycle. There was a progressive and significant rise in the concentration of all three peptides throughout pregnancy and by 32 weeks the concentrations of β-LPH and β-EP were greater than the corresponding concentrations in the follicular phase: γ-LPH was greater than in the follicular phase by the end of pregnancy in those women who were delivered after 40 weeks. The ratio of β-LPH to γ-LPH did not change significantly throughout pregnancy, but there was a progressive fall in the β-LPH/β-EP ratio. The possible presence of a 'big LPH' to explain this finding is discussed.     

Maternal and cord plasma concentrations of β-lipotrophin, β-endorphin and γ-lipotrophin at delivery; effect of analgesia

Summary. Maternal venous plasma concentrations of β-LPH, β-EP and γ-LPH were compared in (i) patients undergoing vaginal delivery, 11 with an epidural block and 13 with pethidine and nitrous oxide or no analgesics; (ii) patients delivered by caesarean section, 7 under epidural block and 8 under general anaesthesia. Patients delivered by either method under epidural block had significantly lower levels of all three peptides than those receiving no epidural. There were significant negative correlations between umbilical vein β-LPH, β-EP and γ-LPH concentrations and umbilical artery pH and positive correlations between β-LPH and β-EP but not γ-LPH and cord P _CO2 in 29 patients. There was no relation between cord levels of any of the three peptides and the method of analgesia or the route of delivery. Although concentrations of all three peptides were closely correlated to one another in either maternal or cord plasma, there was no relationship between maternal and fetal levels.     

Plasma β-endorphin immunoreactivity in premenstrual tension

Summary. Plasma samples were collected twice during the follicular phase and three times during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in 12 women with premenstrual tension (PMT) and in 14 control subjects without symptoms. Concentrations of β-endorphin (β-E) immunoreactivity, cortisol, oestradiol, progesterone and LH were determined. Comparison of the mean concentrations of LH, cortisol, oestradiol and progesterone did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the PMT and the control groups. In the early luteal phase, the mean plasma β-E immunoreactivity was lower in the PMT group (10.7, SE 0.7 pg/ml) than in the control group (14.6, SE 1.6 pg/ml, P <0.05), suggesting that endorphin secretion is decreased in PMT. No significant change in the plasma β-E level was found in the PMT patients between the follicular and luteal phase when symptoms appeared. This does not exclude the possibility that in the central nervous system abnormal changes occur in the activity of endogenous opioids in PMT.     

Function of estrogen receptor isoforms α and β in endometrial carcinoma cells

The aim of this study was to explore how to modulate the expression of estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta and to verify the role of ERalpha and beta in relationship to estrogen and tamoxifen (TAM). A series of oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODN) corresponding to regions of the ERalpha or beta was tested in human endometrial cancer cell lines (HEC-1B). The change in HEC-1B proliferation in response to 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and TAM under the impact of antisense ODN was studied. The results of the study are as follows: 1) transfection with antisense ODN significantly inhibited ERalpha and ERbeta protein production, 2) the cells lost the ability to proliferate in response to E(2) after transfection with ERalpha antisense ODN especially at 24, 48, and 72 h. There was no obvious change in response to E(2) in HEC-1B cell lines that were transfected with ERbeta antisense ODN, and 3) after transfection with ERalpha antisense ODN, HEC-1B cells lost the ability to proliferate in response to TAM at 48 h. This inhibition was also observed after transfection with ERbeta antisense ODN at 24 h. ERalpha may be the primary receptor in the proliferation of HEC-1B cells in response to E(2). Both ERalpha and ERbeta are involved in the agonist impact of TAM on endometrial cancer cells.     

Cervical Ripening Induces Labour Through Interleukin 1β

Summary: In order to study the Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) levels in mechanical cervical ripening with Foley catheter, IL-1β levels in amniotic fluid of 12 women before and after cervical ripening were compared with those in 23 women in spontaneous active labour. IL-1β was present in 81.8% of patients after cervical ripening and in none prior to it. In women with spontaneous labour 69.6% had immunodetectable IL-1β. Women with spontaneous labour and those sampled after cervical ripening had similar IL-1β levels in the amniotic fluid. Cervical ripening with Foley catheter is associated with high levels of IL-1β and this probably induces labour.     

Intrauterina infections with group B β-haemolytic streptococci

Summary. The case records of 15 infants with intrauterine infections due to group B β-haemolytic streptococci were traced from the records of two geographically separate centres over a 4-year period (1979–1982). Six infants were stillborn and the other nine died within the first 6 h. All the infants weighed 1000g and were 28 weeks gestation. Placental examination in 14 of the 15 infants showed the presence of chorioamnionitis and funisitis. The infants also showed evidence of pneumonitis. Four infants had evidence of otitis media, two had evidence of an early meningitis. A history of antepartum bleeding was present in six infants and abundant retroplacental clot was noted in four of them. The membranes had been ruptured for >24 h in only three infants. In six of the infants the membranes were intact at the time of delivery. A history of intact membranes at the time of delivery does not exclude a diagnosis of an intrauterine infection with this organism, and this series of infants highlights the importance of routine bactriologie studies of all perinatal deaths.     

Plasma dopamine β-hydroxylase activity in pregnancyinduced hypertension

Summary. Plasma dopamine p-hydroxylase (DBH) activity was estimated in non-pregnant women, normotensive pregnant women during the third trimester and women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Nonpregnant women from a high income group had significantly higher DBH activity than their low income counterparts. DBH activity was significantly elevated in women with PIH when compared with non-pregnant and normal pregnant women from a low income group, but was lower than the level in well-nourished, non-pregnant normotensive women.