Substance P given intrathecally at the spinal T9 level increases adrenal output of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the rat

Administration of 10 micrograms of substance P intrathecally to the spinal T9 level of the adult rat, anaesthetized with urethane, provoked an increase in free catecholamines in plasma taken from the inferior vena cava. Adrenaline levels at 1 min after administration were 154.8 +/- 10.8% (mean +/- SE; n = 11) of preadministration levels and noradrenaline levels were 153.5 +/- 11.8% of preadministration levels. Differences between the values of free catecholamines in animals given substance P vs those given vehicle only were statistically significant at 1 and 10 min postinjection, but not at 30 min. Administration of a substance P analogue with central antagonistic properties 15 min before substance P was given prevented expression of the effects of substance P. These results suggest that substance P may be an excitatory chemical mediator of synaptic transmission in spinal pathways controlling adrenal medullary output. Thus dysfunction of substance P mechanisms may underlie some animal models of hypertension and may be involved in some cases of essential hypertension in man as well as in autonomic dysfunction associated with some neurological entities.     

Mucosal bromodomain-containing protein 4 mediates aeroallergen-induced inflammation and remodeling

1. Download high-res image (248KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Fluid compartments of the embryonic environment

The exocoelomic cavity was probably the last remaining physiological body fluid cavity to be explored in the human embryo. Its unique anatomical position has enabled us to study the protein metabolism of the early placenta and secondary yolk sac and to explore materno-embryonic transfer pathways. The exocoelomic cavity forms inside the extraembryonic mesoderm alongside the placental chorionic plate and is now believed to be an important transfer interface and a reservoir of nutrients for the embryo. Maternal or placental proteins filtered in the extraembryonic coelomic cavity are probably absorbed by the secondary yolk sac which is directly connected with the primitive digestive system throughout embryonic development. Protein electrophoresis has shown that the coelomic fluid results from an ultrafiltrate of maternal serum with the addition of specific placental and secondary yolk sac bioproducts demonstrating that the exocoelomic cavity is a physiological liquid extension of the early placenta. The selective sampling of fluid from the exocoelomic cavity has also offered a novel approach to the study of drug and toxin transfer across the early human placenta and as a unique tool to explore embryonic physiology in vivo. Further investigation should include a comparison between the coelomic fluid values of a molecule and its quantifiable presence in decidual, placental and fetal tissues.     

Smoking induces oxidative stress inside the Graafian follicle

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence indicates that pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance inside ovarian follicles plays an important role in folliculogenesis. Over 20% of women of reproductive age in Europe and the USA regularly smoke cigarettes. The impact of tobacco smoking on the intrafollicular markers of oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that cigarette smoking affects the intrafollicular redox milieu. METHODS: In follicular fluid samples originating from 108 IVF patients, lipid peroxidation was assessed by the thiobarbituric reactive substances method and total antioxidative capacity was quantified by the luminol enhanced chemiluminescence method. The level of patients' exposure to the cigarette smoke was evaluated by measuring the follicular fluid cotinine concentration by means of radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Intrafollicular exposure to cigarette smoke metabolites was associated with a significant increase in follicular lipid peroxidation intensity (P < 0.001), which was accompanied by a significant decrease in the local antioxidative potential (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that active smoking affects the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance inside the pre-ovulatory ovarian follicle by inducing intrafollicular oxidative stress. This provides another possible explanation for impaired folliculogenesis in female smokers.     

Determination of bisphenol A concentrations in human biological fluids reveals significant early prenatal exposure

BACKGROUND: There is broad human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemical widely used for the production of plastic products. BPA is reported to affect preimplantation embryos or fetuses and alter their postnatal development at doses typically found in the environment. We measured contamination of BPA in various kinds of human biological fluids by a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from healthy premenopausal women, women with early and full-term pregnancy, and umbilical cord at full-term delivery. Ovarian follicular fluids obtained during IVF procedures and amniotic fluids obtained at mid-term and full-term pregnancy were also subject to BPA measurements. RESULTS: BPA was present in serum and follicular fluid at approximately 1-2 ng/ml, as well as in fetal serum and full-term amniotic fluid, confirming passage through the placenta. Surprisingly, an approximately 5-fold higher concentration, 8.3 +/- 8.7 ng/ml, was revealed in amniotic fluid at 15-18 weeks gestation, compared with other fluids. CONCLUSION: These results suggest accumulation of BPA in early fetuses and significant exposure during the prenatal period, which must be considered in evaluating the potential for human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.     

Evaluation of encephalic ventricular volume from the magnetic resonance imaging scans of thirty-eight human subjects

Summary Accurate volume determination of the encephalic ventricles is of importance in several clinical conditions, including Alzheimer's presenile dementia, schizophrenia, and benign intracranial hypertension. Previous studies have investigated the accuracy with which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used in clinical practice to evaluate the encephalic ventricles. However, adequate evaluation of pathological conditions depends on a sufficient amount of morphometric data from normal subjects. To begin establishing this data base for normal subjects, we evaluated the MRI scans of 38 subjects found to have no apparent pathology and calculated the ventricular volume in each case by using methods previously developed in our laboratory. The results were then compared with published volumes determined from studies that used either ventricular casts or computerized tomographic scans. The average total ventricular volume for all 38 subjects was 17.4 cm³, while that for males was 16.3 cm³ and that for females was 18.0 cm³. A small but significant correlation was found between age of subject and ventricular volume, with ventricular size increasing with age.

---

Evaluation du volume des ventricules cérébraux à partir des images obtenues en résonance magnétique nucléaire chez 38 sujets humains

Résumé La détermination exacte du volume des ventricules cérébraux est importante en clinique comme par exemple dans la démence présénile d'Alzheimer, la schizophrénie et l'hypertension intracrânienne bénigne. Des études antérieures ont étudié la fiabilité de la résonance magnétique nucléaire en pratique clinique pour évaluer le volume des ventricules cérébraux. Toutefois une évaluation correcte dans les conditions pathologiques implique une bonne connaissance des données morphométriques du sujet normal. Pour établir ces données sur « le sujet normal », nous avons étudié les coupes obtenues en IRM chez 38 sujets apparemment indemnes de toute pathologie; nous avons calculé le volume ventriculaire dans chaque cas en utilisant des méthodes mises au point auparavant dans notre laboratoire. Les résultats ont été ensuite comparés avec ceux obtenus par d'autres études utilisant soit des moules ventriculaires, soit des coupes tomographiques computérisées. Le volume ventriculaire total moyen chez 38 sujets est de 17,4 cm³, mais il est chez les sujets masculins de 16,3 cm³ et chez les sujets de sexe féminin de 18 cm³. Une corrélation faible mais significative a été trouvée entre l'âge du sujet et le volume ventriculaire, étant entendu que la taille du ventricule augmente avec l'âge.

     

围产儿羊水吸入性肺炎发病学探讨：172例多因素逐步回归研究

对1980.9～1982.8江苏省6个城市172例围产儿羊水吸入性肺炎临床病理多因素回归分析研究,以探讨其发病机制。目的是筛选能影响肺炎和羊水吸入的临床参数。结果:(1)男婴占52.91%,女婴47.09%。(2)组织学:肺的炎症和羊水大多数是混合性、弥漫性分布,病变较一致,纤维素渗出很少,这说明本病可能是在出生前或分娩过程中吸入感染的羊水所致。(3)影响本病发生的主要因素为剖腹产、胎吸术、羊水吸入以及胎龄。(4)影响羊水吸入性的因素为胎儿体重(4000g以上)和胎龄(42周以上)。而体重、胎龄和胎吸术又和产程延长有关。     

Tissue cages for study of experimental streptococcal infection in rabbits. II. Humoral and cell-mediated immune response to erythrogenic toxins

Infection of rabbits with erythrogenic toxin producing streptococcal strains caused a marked increase of humoral antibodies, which was detected by immunoprecipitation and ELISA. An antibody response directed towards the erythrogenic toxin type A was demonstrated by fused rocket immunoelectrophoresis. All toxinogenic reference strains produced ET type A under in vivo conditions despite that this toxin was not always demonstrated under in vitro conditions. The infection resulted in an increase of mitogenic response of peripheral lymphocytes to the initial nonspecific mitogenic erythrogenic toxins, whereas the Con A stimulation was depressed starting 14 days after infection and lasting during a period of 90 days. Since a normal antibody response was evoked, it seems likely that the T helper cell function was not affected.     

Tissue cages for study of experimental streptococcal infection in rabbits. I. Production of erythrogenic toxins in vivo

Tissue cages implanted subcutaneously were used to infect rabbits with erythrogenic toxin (ET) producing streptococci. The in-vivo production of ET was followed during the infection by immunoprecipitation analyses of the tissue cage fluid (TCF). ET types A and C were mainly detected during the first week of infection, but, as late as 4 weeks after the inoculation, ET was occasionally found in TCF. The nonspecific mitogenic activity of ET on human lymphocytes was also used as a biological marker to recognize ET in TCF. Mitogenic activity was detected in 90% of samples during the first week. In order to characterize the mitogenic material released by growing streptococci, TCF was electrofocused in polyacrylamide gel. The eluates of sliced gels were checked for mitogenic activity and compared with a purified ET preparation containing ET types A and C. It could be verified that ET type A was produced under in-vivo conditions by strains NY-5 and SF130, while ET type C was produced by strain T18. Differences between production of toxins in vitro and in vivo might be of significance for the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms in streptococcal infection.