The pitfalls of the dexamethasone suppression test: A biological marker of endogenous depression?

In the past few years there have been numerous publications which have stressed the value of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) as a diagnostic marker of endogenous depression. Our own studies in 333 psychiatric inpatients and 121 healthy subjects did not reveal a differential diagnostic use for the DST. This result is in good agreement with other results in the literature. Our data demonstrate that intervening variables such as severity of illness, weight loss, sleep disturbances, situational stress, drug and alcohol withdrawal, and the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone have an important influence on DST results, regardless of the diagnostic classification.     

地塞米松对内毒素休克新生大鼠脑一氧化氮合成酶基因表达的调节

目的：探讨新生大鼠内毒素休克脑损伤时脑一氧化氮合成酶(NO6)三种亚型基因表达的变化及地塞米松(DEX)对其的调控作用。方法：在新生大鼠内毒素休克动物模型基础上，采用逆转录PCR及PCR技术，对脑组织中三型NOS mRNA及caspase—3 mRNA的表达进行半定量分析。结果：正常新生大鼠脑iNOS及eNOS mRNA无明显表达，nNOS mRNA、caspase—3 mRNA有一定程度表达。内毒素脂多糖(LPS)腹腔注射后2h，三种亚型NOS mRNA开始表达，于LPS6h达高峰，并持续至24h。caspase—3 mRNA于LPS腹腔注射后2h后表达逐渐增加，24h达高峰。DEX可抑制nNOS、iNOS及caspase—3 mRNA的表达，且以用药后2h最为明显，并持续至用药后24h。结论：内毒素休克脑损伤时，各型NOS均有表达，NO的产生是内毒素休克脑损伤时重要的病理生理机制之一。DEX通过抑制NOS、caspase—3 mRNA的表达部分实现其神经保护作用．     

甲基强的松龙和地塞米松治疗放射性脑水肿的差异

目的研究甲基强的松龙及地塞米松治疗放射性脑水肿的差异。方法建立大鼠脑胶质瘤模型。实验分组：A组（大剂量甲基强的松龙组）、B组（小剂量甲基强的松龙组）、C组（地塞米松组）、D组（对照组）、E组（空白组）。各组均颅内种植肿瘤，于种植15天后A、B、C、D各组给予C060照射，A、B、C组大鼠照射前后分别给予甲基强的松龙和地塞米松治疗。测量大鼠脑水肿情况。结果治疗后，与其他各组比较，D组大鼠脑组织含水率最高，E组最低（P〈0．05）；C组大鼠脑组织含水率明显高于A、B两组（P〈0．05）；但A、B两组间无显著性差异（P〉O．05）。结论甲基强的松龙和地塞米松都可以有效防治放射性脑水肿，且甲基强的松龙比地塞米松疗效更好。     

Consequence of long-term exposure to corticosterone or dexamethasone on ethanol consumption in the adrenalectomized rat,and the effect of type I and type II corticosteroid receptor antagonists

The daily fluid intake of male Wistar rats with simultaneous access to 6% ethanol and water was determined during a baseline period (1 week), following adrenalectomy (1 week) and for 3 weeks following SC implantation of hormone pellets containing corticosterone (CORT) or dexamethasone (DEX). Ethanol consumption dropped during the first week of adrenalectomy (ADX) but increased again in the absence of hormone replacement to reach preoperative levels during the ensuing weeks. The CORT treatment, which produced plasma hormone levels similar to the 24-h mean concentration of adrenally intact rats, not only reversed the effect of ADX on alcohol consumption but also enhanced it to levels above those observed in intact rats. Water intake was not affected by the CORT treatment. DEX implants stimulated water intake, but did not enhance the drinking of ethanol. SC injections of RU 28318 (type I corticosterone receptor antagonist; 10 mg/kg) or mifepristone (RU 38486; type II receptor antagonist; 25 mg/kg) at the beginning and halfway through three daily, 6-h tests failed to affect ethanol drinking in adrenally intact rats or in ADX rats bearing CORT implants. Similarly, there was no effect of giving the two antagonists in combination. These results suggest that exogenous CORT can induce excessive alcohol intake in genetically unselected rats and that this facilitatory effect may be mediated by non-genomic cellular mechanisms.     

Interactions between growth hormone and dexamethasone in skeletal growth and bone structure of the young mouse

Summary The present study investigated the interactions of growth hormone (GH) and glucocorticoid on skeletal growth and bone structure in young mice. The purpose of this study was to examine the possible prevention by GH of the damage inflicted by dexamethasone (Dex) at sites of skeletal growth and ossification. Dex (1 mg/kg) with or without rat GH (rGH) or bovine GH (bGH), 1 mg/kg, was given for 4 weeks, from age 3–7 weeks, to female ICR mice. Tibiae, humerus, and vertebrae were analyzed morphometrically and biochemically. Growth, as determined by the mouse weight, tibial length, and humerus protein content was found to be compromised by dexamethasone. This was prevented by rGH or bGH. The epiphyseal growth plate width, trabecular bone volume, cortical bone width, mineral bone content, and alkaline and acid phosphatase activity were decreased by dexamethasone. These were prevented by rGH or by bGH. The findings of the present study suggest that in the mouse, GH can decrease or even avoid some of the pathological features in growing bones inflicted by high-dose glucocorticoid treatment.     

Modeling the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dexamethasone in depressed patients

Summary Changes in time course effected by cortisol suppression and the relationship of these changes to the plasma dexamethasone concentration of suppressor and non-suppressor patients are described in this report on a combined pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model.Thirteen depressed patients (8 suppressors and 5 non-suppressors) received an intravenous dose (1.5 mg) of dexamethasone. The drug-induced effect changes are found to lag behind, in time, the plasma drug level changes. To accurately relate the temporal relationship of effect changes to plasma dexamethasone levels, a pharmacodynamic model (sigmoid-Emax) was combined with a pharmacokinetic model that incorporated an effect compartment. The magnitude of the time-lag was quantified by the half-time of equilibration between concentrations in the hypothetical effect compartment and the plasma dexamethasone levels (t_&frac;k_eo).The t_&frac;k_eo of the nonsuppressing group was about 50 of that of the suppressing group, indicating that for a given plasma level the onset and termination of effect for the nonsuppressing group is about two times more rapid than for the suppressing group. Moreover, the model can estimate the effect-site concentration that causes one-half of the maximal predicted effect (EC₅₀), a measure of an individual's sensitivity to dexamethasone. The receptor sensitivity (as determined from the EC₅₀ ratio) of the suppressing group was about twice that of the nonsuppressing group.     

地塞米松对冷藏离体肺表面活性物质和顺应性的影响

目的:观察地塞米松对冷藏离体肺表面活性物质和顺应性的影响.方法:32只家兔肺随机均分为对照组、地塞米松冷藏(4℃)保存24h、72h、120h3个组.对照组:测定室温条件下的肺表面活性物质及顺应性.冷藏组:肺离体后立即置于含有地塞米松台式液中冷藏,在相应时间取出肺,室温条件下复温后,置入生理盐水中,测定肺表面活性物质,并测定注气(生理盐水)和抽气(生理盐水)过程中,肺容积在10ml、20ml、30ml时的肺顺应性.结果:冷藏24h组注水、抽水;72h组肺容积在10ml、20ml抽气、冷藏120h组在肺容积为10ml、20ml抽气的肺顺应性同对照组比较,差异无显著性(P>0.05).其余各组、项与对照组比较差异具有显著性(P<0.05),伴有表面活性物质的减少.结论:地塞米松冷藏离体肺顺应性增大,其影响程度随冷藏时间的延长而增加,同时伴有肺表面活性物质的减少.     

婴幼儿良性颅内压增高症78例诊治分析

目的 :探讨婴幼儿良性颅内压增高症的促发因素及治疗。方法 :对 78例婴幼儿良性颅内压增高症患儿的临床资料进行分析。结果 :在促发因素中 ,发热性疾病或呼吸道感染占 41 .0 % ,药物因素占 34.6% ,中耳炎占 5 .1 %。反映感染性疾病和药物是诱发婴幼儿良性颅内压增高的重要因素 ,中耳炎所占比例下降 ;全部病例经积极治疗基础疾病 ,用甘露醇及地塞米松降颅压均全部痊愈。结论 :婴幼儿良性颅内压增高症呈良性预后 ,临床医生在小儿用药上要重视药物的剂量及不良反应。     

Isolated human hepatocytes in culture display markedly different gene expression patterns depending on attachment status

In vitro human hepatocyte cultures are a key tool in the investigation of xenobiotic toxicity and metabolism. In most in vitro hepatocyte studies, the cells are allowed to adhere to an extracellular matrix, such as collagen. Unfortunately, the ability of freshly isolated hepatocytes to adhere to collagen varies from donor to donor. We used microarray analysis to determine what gene expression differences exist between hepatocytes in suspension and hepatocytes attached to collagen. Results from different donors showed a considerable difference in gene expression patterns between the two hepatocyte populations. In addition, we also compared the gene expression profiles of hepatocytes in culture with liver tissue. The results showed that both hepatocytes in suspension and hepatocytes attached to collagen display significant gene expression differences compared with liver tissue. Finally, we show that both populations of hepatocytes are responsive to dexamethasone and regulate some of the same genes. Overall, our results suggest that either significant gene expression changes occur in isolated hepatocytes or that suspended and attached cells represent different populations of hepatocytes found in intact livers.