Endocrinological responses during suckling in Hatano high- and low-avoidance rats

Hatano high-avoidance (HAA) and low-avoidance (LAA) animals were originally selected from Sprague-Dawley rats for good and poor active avoidance learning in a shuttle box. We studied the endocrinological profile in lactating rats to determine the effect of suckling during mid-lactation in HAA and LAA rats. The pups were separated from their mother rats 6 h before the onset of suckling and blood samples were drawn from unanaesthetized mother rats via a jugular cannula at 0, 5 and 15 min after the suckling stimulus and then 15, 45 and 105 min after pups were removed. Plasma concentrations of oxytocin in HAA rats were significantly higher than in LAA rats during the suckling period. Plasma concentrations of prolactin and ACTH in HAA rats were significantly higher than in LAA rats during the suckling period, and at 15 min and 45 min after the pups were removed. However, there were no strain differences in circulating corticosterone between the two lines, indicating that the response of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis to the suckling stimulus was greater in HAA rats than in LAA rats, whereas the ACTH-induced adrenal response of corticosterone release was higher in LAA rats than in HAA rats. Since dopamine from the median eminence inhibits prolactin secretion from the lactotrophs of the anterior pituitary, and tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurones are partially regulated by the level of circulating prolactin, we evaluated the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine biosynthesis. TH, measured by the accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, was significantly higher in HAA rats than in LAA rats before the suckling stimulus. After the suckling stimulus, TH activity in HAA rats was significantly lower than before suckling, whereas TH activity in LAA rats was not changed. These findings clearly demonstrated that apparent differences between the two Hatano lines exist in endocrinological profiles during suckling. These strain differences probably originate from neurotransmitter changes, such as dopamine.     

Marked seasonal changes in response to the negative feedback action of estradiol on luteinizing hormone secretion in the female Japanese monkey

The seasonal changes in response to the negative feedback action of estradiol on LH secretion were studied in two groups of ovariectomized Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata fuscata; n = 6). Blood samples were collected two to three times a week, and changes in serum concentrations of LH, estradiol, and progesterone were examined. Before ovariectomy (OVX), serum LH was maintained at about 320 pg/ml regardless of the season (breeding season: autumn and winter). After OVX and simultaneous treatment sc with a Silastic implant of estradiol during the first breeding season, serum LH increased rapidly and remained high. As spring arrived, serum LH decreased abruptly and remained low. The removal of implants during the subsequent nonbreeding season resulted in an increase in serum LH similar to that during the previous breeding season after OVX and estradiol treatment. After the reinsertion of implants during the same nonbreeding season, serum LH reverted to previous low levels. As autumn arrived (second breeding season), serum LH rose again and remained high under the presence of implants. In the first subset of animals (n = 3), the implants were left in place until the subsequent mid-nonbreeding season when they were removed, and reinserted during the same non-breeding season. The findings closely corresponded to the previous results. In these animals, the implants were removed during the third breeding season, which resulted in a significant increase in serum LH. The second subset of animals (n = 3) underwent removal of implants during the second breeding season, which resulted in a further increase in serum LH, but the difference was not significant. In both subsets of animals, the timing of the increase and decrease in serum LH under the presence of implants virtually coincided with the onset and end of the breeding season in ovary-intact animals. Serum estradiol after OVX was maintained at levels similar to those in intact animals (80-100 pg/ml) under the presence of implants, but removal of implants resulted in decrease in serum estradiol to around 30 pg/ml within 1 week. Serum progesterone after OVX was maintained at low levels (less than 0.2 ng/ml) regardless of the presence of estradiol implants. These results clearly indicate a marked seasonal difference in serum LH concentrations in ovariectomized monkeys in response to constant serum estradiol. It is suggested that seasonal breeding of the Japanese monkey is governed by biannual changes in the response of the hypothalamo-hypophysial axis to the negative feedback action of estradiol.     

Ovarian and hormonal response of female goats to active immunization against inhibin

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of active immunization against inhibin on hormonal levels and the ovulation rate in goats. Ten adult Shiba goats (Capra hircus) in two groups were used in this study. The first group was injected with inhibin vaccine (immunized, n=5) and the second group was injected with Freund's adjuvant (control, n=5) followed by three booster injections at 4-week intervals. After the third booster injection, three consecutive periods of oestrus were induced using prostaglandin F(2alpha) at intervals of 11 days. Blood samples were collected at 2-6 h intervals and the ovaries were monitored using B-mode ultrasonography. All inhibin-immunized goats generated antibodies that bound (125)I-labelled bovine inhibin and their FSH concentrations were significantly higher than corresponding values in the control group. Also, inhibin-immunized goats had significantly higher preovulatory oestradiol-17beta (P<0.01) and higher concentrations of progesterone in the luteal phase (P<0.05). Immunization of goats against inhibin resulted in a significant (P<0.01) increase in ovulation rate (control: 1.7+/-0.3 vs immunized: 7.6+/-1.1). These results demonstrate that active immunization against inhibin enhances ovarian follicular development and ovulation rate by promoting an increase in pituitary FSH secretion. Therefore, immunization against inhibin may be a useful alternative to the conventional approach of superovulation in goats.     

Elevated levels of inhibin-A and immunoreactive inhibin in aged male Wistar rats with testicular Leydig cell tumor.

This study was undertaken to investigate the endocrine changes that occur in male Tig:Wistar rats with Leydig cell tumors, with special reference to immunoreactive inhibin (ir-inhibin) and its dimeric forms. Adult male rats from 2 to 28 months of age were used. Blood samples were taken to measure plasma concentrations of ir-inhibin, inhibin-A, inhibin-B, 17beta-estradiol (E2), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Inhibin bioactivity in both peripheral plasma and testicular extracts was also measured. Rats aged 18 months and older had testicular Leydig cell tumor. Testicular tissue sections from 27-month-old rats examined immunohistochemically showed strong positive staining for all 3 inhibin subunits, in particular inhibin alpha and betaA subunits, in the tumor cells. Plasma concentrations of ir-inhibin began to rise significantly (P < .05) at 18 months of age. High bioactivity of inhibin was detected not only in testicular extracts but also in peripheral plasma of aged rats. Thus, plasma concentrations of bioactive inhibin-A, but not inhibin-B, were significantly elevated with increasing age. The concentrations were significantly higher than those in normal male (P < .01) or normal female (P < .05) rats. Plasma concentrations of E2 were significantly (P < .05) elevated only at 23-24 months of age. A marked reduction (P < .05 to .001) in plasma LH and FSH concentrations was observed at 18 months of age and older. Plasma concentrations of testosterone were highest at 2 months of age and then decreased gradually and significantly (P < .05 to .001) afterward. Significant (P < .05 to .001) positive (testosterone vs LH) and negative (ir-inhibin vs FSH, ir-inhibin vs LH, and E2 vs FSH) correlations were observed. It is suggested that plasma inhibin-A levels are elevated in male Tig:Wistar rats with Leydig cell tumor, and thus inhibin-A may be used as a specific marker of testicular Leydig cell tumors. The present results also suggest that the age-related decline in plasma gonadotropins and thus testosterone levels in Tig:Wistar rats may be due to the development of tumors of the Leydig cells rather than to aging per se.     

The Impact of the Acute Results on the Long—Term Outcome after the Treatment of In—stent Restenosis：A Serial Intravascular Ultrasoun Study

Stenting reduces acute complications and restenosis compared to balloon angioplasty and other devices. However, in- stent restenosis (ISR) is an important clinical problem. The current serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)analysis was undertaken to determine whether the acute results obtained during the treatment of ISR influence the long term results and whether this is true for patients treated with and without adjunct brachytherapy.     

Wrapping tissues with a pre-established cage-like layer composed of living cells

We report a method for wrapping tissues with a pre-established cage-like layer composed of living cells. We encapsulated multicellular aggregates of human hepatoma HepG2 cells as a model of tissues such as pancreatic islets and hepatocyte spheroids in alginate-based hydrogel microcapsules and subsequently coated the microcapsule surface with a gelatin derivative through a horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed reaction. Human aorta endothelial (HAE) cells grew on the surface and formed a cell layer within 24?h of incubating the microcapsules in a medium containing the cells. Subsequent degradation of the hydrogel microcapsule using a non-proteolytic enzyme, alginate lyase, resulted in a cage-like structure of HAE cells formed around the microcapsule. The HAE cell layer shrank without fragmenting and wrapped the inner spherical tissue. This method was also effective for wrapping multiple cellular aggregates within a single cage of HAE cells. In addition, it was possible to wrap tissue grown from individual cells in spherical cavities within the microcapsules.