Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle of the baboon (Papio hamadryas).

Eleven unconjugated steroids were measured daily during a complete cycle in the peripheral plasma of 6 normally menstruating baboons (Papio hamadryas) by means of a radioimmunoassay procedure and the levels were compared with those found previously in 17 normally menstruating women. The patterns of progesterone and 20alpha-dihydroprogesterone were very similar to those found in women throughout the entire menstrual cycle. However, the ratio of these steroids differed markedly from that found in women. A great similarity of the follicular phase and the peri-ovulatory period profiles was observed in both species for 17-hydroxy-progesterone, pregnenolone, androstenedione, oestradiol and oestrone. The pattern of oestradiol:oestrone ratios was similar in both species. However, an elevation of the above five steroids, typical for the human luteal phase, was not found in baboons. The increase of testosterone values, seen in women at mid-cycle, was not detected in baboons. The plasma concentrations were lower in baboons than in humans for all the above steroids.     

Antigenic characterization of c-type oncornavirus isolated from lymphomatous baboon (Papio hamadryas).

Antigens of BILN C-type oncornavirus isolated from lymphomatous baboon were studied in the double immunodiffusion. The major viral protein (P-30) of this virus possesses interspecies antigenic determinants (GS-3). This protein also revealed close antigenic relation to the P-30 of RD-114 and M-7 C-type oncornaviruses. Specific serum against BILN P-30 has been produced. The comparison of the three test-system (P-30s of M-7, RD-114, and BILN, and specific sera against them) did not allow to distinguish these proteins by the method used.     

Serum dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in baboon (Papio Papio) pregnancy.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (D) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DS) concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay in peripheral sera of non-pregnant, pregnant (55 days to term) and newborn baboons and in umbilical sera of animals delivered by Caesarean section close to term. D concentrations (mean +/- SD, microng/100 ml, N) in non-pregnany animals (1.61 +/- 1.32, 23) were not different (P greater than 0.05) from those during pregnancy (1.80 +/- 1.21, 101). DS concentrations, expressed as unconjugated D, in non-pregnant (13.5 +/- 6.0, 23) and pregnant (15.1 +/- 7.5, 101) animals were also similar (P greater than 0.05). However, both D (P less than 0.01) and DS (P less than 0.005) levels increased with gestational age such that serum D (2.46 +/- 1.39, 23, P less than 0.05) and DS (18.9 +/- 5.7, 23, P less than 0.001) levels between 150 and 180 days gestation were greater than in non-pregnant animals. These increases may be important since oestrogen production rises rapidly during late gestation and both D and DS can serve as oestrogen precursors. In both non-pregnant (P less than 0.005) and pregnant (P less than 0.001) animals D and DS concentrations (ratio 1:8) were correlated. Cord serum D levels (2.4 +/- 1.4, 5) were not different from those of maternal serum (P greater than 0.05), while cord DS levels (40.3 +/- 14.8) were greater (P less than 0.001) than those of maternal serum. This may reflect rapid equilibration of D but not DS between foetal and maternal circulations. In sera from neonates, D (19.4 +/- 14.6, 8) and DS 567 +/- 570, 8) concentrations were greater (P less than 0.001) than those in maternal serum, indicating marked post-partal changes in clearance or production of both compounds. The high levels of D and DS in cord and newborn wera are compatible with the view that the baboon foetus makes appreciable contributions of oestrogen precurosrs in pregnancy.     

Timing of the luteal-placental shift in the baboon (Papio cynocephalus)

Normally cycling female baboons (Papio cynocephalus) were mated with males of proven fertility during the periovulatory period. After pregnancy was confirmed, the corpus luteum-bearing ovary was removed (CL-OVX) at day 18 (n = 1), day 20 (n = 4), day 25 (n = 3), or day 30 (n = 4) of gestation. Upon CL-OVX at day 18 or 20, there was an immediate decline in plasma progesterone to basal levels, and pregnancy was not maintained. After CL-OVX on days 25 or 30, there was a transient, small decline in plasma progesterone levels which recovered rapidly to levels found in pregnant controls, and pregnancy was maintained. Only one baboon failed to maintain pregnancy after CL-OVX on day 30, but progesterone levels remained elevated for 3 days before the termination of pregnancy suggesting that causes other than CL-OVX were responsible. In another group of three baboons, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate was administered before CL-OVX at day 20 of gestation and again at days 23 and 26. Progesterone declined sharply after CL-OVX to near basal levels but increased between days 22 and 24, and pregnancy was maintained in all cases. Estradiol levels did not decline as sharply as those of progesterone in any group, which indicates an exclusively luteal source for progesterone while estradiol comes from both the luteal and nonluteal ovaries. There is a placental increase in estradiol production which occurs much later than does the production of progesterone. The luteal-placental shift occurs between day 20 and 25 of gestation in the baboon, earlier than in women but later than in rhesus monkeys.     

A primate T-lymphotropic virus, PTLV-L, different from human T-lymphotropic viruses types I and II, in a wild-caught baboon (Papio hamadryas).

Searching for clues to the evolution of the primate T-lymphotropic viruses (PTLVs), which include the human and the simian T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV and STLV), we have identified another PTLV, which differs sufficiently from the known PTLV-I and PTLV-II types to be designated here PTLV-L. The virus was isolated from a wild-born baboon (Papio hamadryas) from Eritrea. In a cDNA library a 1802-bp-long fragment was identified that extends from the env region, including the complete transmembrane protein gene, to part of the tax/rex gene. Homologies at the nucleotide sequence level of PTLV-L, prototype simian T-lymphotropic virus-PH969, with HTLV-I and -II, respectively, were 62% and 64% overall, 65% and 70% in the env region, and 80% and 80% in the partial tax/rex sequence. In the 5' part of the pX region a significant homology was seen only with HTLV-II (52%). Phylogenetic analysis based on the gene encoding the transmembrane protein indicates that PTLV-L represents a PTLV type with a long independent evolution, longer than any strain within the PTLV-I or PTLV-II groups. The finding of another PTLV type in African baboons is further evidence of the wide variety of PTLV found on this continent. Whether PTLV-L resembles PTLV-I and PTLV-II in the extension of its host range to other primates, including humans, remains to be seen.     

Immunological characterization and immunocytochemical localization of oviduct-specific glycoproteins in the baboon (Papio anubis)

Oviducts obtained from estradiol-treated ovariectomized baboons synthesize and release a family of high mol wt (100,000-130,000) glycoproteins during short term explant culture. The objective of this study was to make a polyclonal antibody to these glycoproteins and then use the antibody to determine the presence of the glycoproteins in oviduct flushings, tissue culture media, and tissues obtained from cycling and steroid-treated baboons. Oviduct culture medium proteins from estradiol-treated baboons were separated on one-dimensional polyacrylamide gels and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. The region containing the glycoproteins was cut out, solubilized in dimethylsulfoxide, mixed with Freund's adjuvant, and injected at 2-week intervals into a male rabbit. The anti-serum used in this study was obtained 6 weeks after the initial injection and cross-reacted with antigens on Western blots of oviduct flushings and oviduct culture media obtained from follicular stage and estradiol-treated baboons. The antigens were absent in oviduct flushings obtained from luteal stage, ovariectomized and estradiol-primed baboons treated with estradiol and progesterone or progesterone alone. The antigens were not detected on Western blots of other reproductive and nonreproductive tract culture media or in serum obtained from follicular stage or estradiol-treated baboons. Immunoperoxidase staining was limited to discrete granules in the apical cytoplasm of secretory cells in oviducts obtained from follicular stage and estradiol-treated baboons. Thus, the secretory cells of the baboon oviduct synthesize and secrete a family of estradiol-dependent oviduct-specific glycoproteins that may have potential functional significance during fertilization and embryo development.     

Cardiovascular haemodynamics and the response of vasopressin, aldosterone, plasma renin activity and plasma catecholamines to head-up tilt in young and old healthy subjects

Increasing age impairs the regulation of blood pressure during posture change. The neuro-humoral and cardiovascular responses to head-up tilt were analysed in carefully-screened young and healthy elderly individuals. Mean blood pressure was significantly higher in the elderly but there were no differences in total peripheral resistance, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac index. Age-related interactions were observed in the control of mean blood pressure, heart rate and stroke volume. Total peripheral resistance increased and cardiac index decreased but there was no difference in their control in the young and old. Noradrenaline, vasopressin, plasma renin activity and aldosterone all increased in response to the tilt. These observations indicate differences in the neuroendocrine responses and cardiovascular haemodynamics of young and old healthy individuals to head-up tilt and are particularly important because of all observations were made simultaneously in the same subject. It is suggested that a similar approach should be adopted in the investigation of patients with postural hypotension.     

Circulating thyroid hormones in progressive renal failure in the baboon (Papio ursinus)

In order to examine the effects of developing renal failure on circulating thyroid hormones, serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4), free T4 (FT4), triiodothyronine (T3) and reverse T3 (rT3) and TBG capacity were measured in 9 baboons before and during the progress of acute (mean survival 12 days), subacute (32 days) and chronic (120 days) renal failure following allogeneic renal transplantation. Irrespective of the rate of development of renal failure, there were significant, non linear (power functions) negative correlations between serum creatinine or urea concentrations and levels of T4, FT4 and T3; rT3 levels remained unchanged, but the T4: rT3 molar ratio fell from 236.5 +/- 61 (+/- SE) to 121.8 +/- 30.9 (p less than 0.05). T4 and T3 levels were invariably subnormal at creatinine concentrations greater than 250 mumol/l (2.8 mg/dl), but FT4 was subnormal only in chronic renal failure. Thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) capacity did not change significantly; thus the TBG: T4 ratio increased from 3.4 +/- 0.2 (basal) to 10.4 +/- 3.4 before death (p less than 0.05). In animals which survived for greater than 25 days after transplantation, a significant linear correlation between FT4 and T3 was found as uremia progressed. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (pH 7.4) of (125I)-T4 labelled preoperative and uremic serum showed a consistent decline in the proportion of tracer bound to TBG, from 67.0 +/- 0.8% to 58.9 +/- 1.0% (p less than 0.001), with a 48% reduction in TBG saturation (p less than 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Plasma aldosterone and renin activity in hypopituitarism (author's transl)

Plasma renin activity (P.R.A.) and plasma aldosterone were measured in twelve patients having hypopituitarism. Both mean values of this group were significantly lower than in normal subjects (P.R.A. recumbent: p less than 0.001, upright: p less than 0.001, plasma aldosterone: recumbent: p less than 0.02, upright: p less than 0.005). Hyporeninism is a controversed feature in hypopituitarism. Our preliminary data suggest that it is not directly correlated to ACTH or cortisol deficiency. Nevertheless it may explain the hypoaldosteronism prior reported in such patients.