Inhibitory effect of plasma obtained from hypophysectomized and control women on the assay of bioactive luteinizing hormone

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of components of female plasma on the value of bioactive luteinizing hormone (LH), especially in the presence of low immunological LH value. Using both an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and rat Leydig cell bioassay, immunoreactive (I) and bioactive (B) LH were assessed in plasma collected from women during a gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) test performed on day 7 of a spontaneous cycle. Two modes of response to an acute administration of GnRH were defined: normal production of gonadotrophins (group I) and excessive secretion (group II) associated with a significant difference in the B/I-LH ratio between the two groups. The B/I-LH ratio did not vary with sampling time during the test in either group. The addition of LH-free plasma collected from hypophysectomized women caused a 30% decrease in testosterone production compared to control values (in the presence or absence of hLH standard). A partial restoration of testosterone production was observed if plasma was first treated with PEG 12%. The inhibitory factor(s) was also present in plasma from ovulatory women, even after treatment by an antibody against the entire LH molecule. The effect of normal (A) or low I-LH plasma (B) on testosterone production varied strongly according to the plasma volume added to the bioassay, as well as to plasma treatments. Diethylether treatment caused a 50% decrease in testosterone secretion for plasma B (but not for A) whereas a diminution of the steroidogenesis is observed after a PEG treatment of plasma A (but not for B), suggesting that different inhibitory factors are present in plasmas A and B. Therefore the LH bioactivity measured in the rat Leydig cell assay, in terms of testosterone output, seems to represent a balance between the LH molecule and the presence of inhibitory factors in the plasma.     

Hypergonadotrophinaemia with reduced uterine and ovarian size in women born small-for-gestational-age

BACKGROUND: Fetal growth restraint has been associated with FSH hypersecretion in early infancy and in early post-menarche, and with reduced uterine and ovarian size in adolescence. It is unknown whether these reproductive anomalies persist, respectively, into late infancy and into the reproductive age range. METHODS: We report follow-up findings in two age groups of girls. A cohort of infants [n=26; n=10 born appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) and n=16 born small-for-gestational-age (SGA)], who had been studied at the age of approximately 4 months, was assessed again at the age of 12 months. A cohort of teenagers (n=28), who had been studied at the age of approximately 14 years, was assessed again at the age of approximately 18 years; this group was complemented by a transversal cohort of similar age (n=19) for a total of 47 young women (n=27 AGA; n=20 SGA). In infants, only serum FSH was measured; adolescents underwent endocrine-metabolic screening, ultrasound assessment of uterine-ovarian size, and evaluation of body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Serum FSH levels were higher in SGA than AGA infant girls at 4 and 12 months, and higher in SGA than AGA adolescents at 14 and 18 years (all P<0.01). Longitudinal ultrasound assessments disclosed a late-adolescent increment of uterine size that was less obvious in SGA than AGA girls. In contrast, ovarian volume remained stable in both subgroups. Compilation of longitudinal and transversal results at 18 years of age corroborated the persistent reduction in the uterine size of SGA girls (by approximately 20%; P<0.005) and in their ovarian volume (by approximately 40%; P<0.0001); moreover, SGA girls displayed not only a persistent elevation of FSH (by approximately 50%; P<0.001), but also a rise of LH and fasting insulin, as well as an excess of abdominal fat (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The gynaecology of young women born SGA was found to be characterized by hypergonadotrophinaemia and by a reduced uterine and ovarian size.     

Adrenaline turnover rates in the medial preoptic area and mediobasal hypothalamus in relation to the release of luteinizing hormone in female rats

The turnover rates of adrenaline in the medial preoptic area and mediobasal hypothalamus, areas which, respectively, include the cell bodies and terminals of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neurons, have been measured in female rats on pro-oestrus, the day of the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone, and on dioestrus, the preceding day. A rise in the rate of turnover was found in the medial preoptic area coinciding with the surge of luteinizing hormone in the late afternoon of pro-oestrus; the rate of turnover at this time was higher than at the same time on dioestrus. No changes in turnover rate were found in the mediobasal hypothalamus within either of these days.The results indicate that the adrenaline-containing projections to the preoptic area may be actively involved in the production of the spontaneous preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone in rats.     

银杏叶提取物对在体缺血保存再灌注后肺组织ICAM-1和P-选择素基因mRNA表达的影响

目的 探讨银杏叶提取物对在体缺血冷藏再灌注后肺组织ICAM-1和P选择素基因mRNA表达的影响。方法 新西兰白兔30只。随机分为3组：对照组、LPD组和GBE组．建立兔在体缺血冷藏再灌注模型，对照组左肺不灌注肺保护液，阻断左肺门后直接将左肺下叶载体冷藏于10℃肺保存器内2h，再灌注2h；LPD组左肺门阻断后经肺动脉灌注LPD液，余同对照组；GBE组灌注液为合银杏叶提取物（Ginkgo Biloba Extract，GBE）的LPD液，余同LPD组。分别于左肺门阻断前、缺血2h、再灌注2h取左肺组织，RTPCR技术检测P-选择素和ICAM-1基因mRNA的表达；免疫纽化技术检测P-选择素和ICAM-1基因蛋白质产物量。结果 三组在缺血前及缺血2h再灌注前P—selectin基因mRNA表达量及其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分组间均未有显著性差异。再灌注2h后，GBE组P—selectin基因mRNA表达量厦其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分显著低于LPD组和对照组。，缺血前，所有三组ICAM—1基因mRNA表达量均未有显著性差异，在缺血2h后再难注前及再灌注2h后，ICAM—1基因mRNA表达量及其蛋白质产物免疫组化评分在GBE组均显著低于对照组和LPD组。结论 银杏叶提取物可抑制P—selectin和ICAM—1基因mRNA的表达上调，使肺组织P—selectin和细胞间粘附分子-1蛋白产物减少，从而减轻保存肺的缺血再灌注损伤。银杏叶提取物作为肺保护液添加剂，在进一步研究后可以试用于临床肺移植，为中药提取物的开发应用展示了光明的前景。     

两例补体第8成份β亚基缺陷家系患者的进一步分子遗传基础研究

目的　在白人群体中 ,导致人类补体第 8成份 β亚基缺陷的分子基础主要是在编码 β亚基基因的第 9外显子上发生碱基 C→ T的突变 ,从而形成终止密码 ,导致 C8β亚基不能完全合成。国外学者在两例 C8β亚基完全缺失的患者家系研究中 ,发现这两例β亚基缺失个体只是第 9外显子上碱基 C→ T突变的杂合子 ,现进一步寻找这两例 C8β亚基完全缺失的分子遗传学机理。方法　对两例 C8β亚基完全缺失患者的 C8β编码基因的全部 11个外显子的 PCR扩增产物进行 DNA测序分析并与正常人 DNA序列进行对比。结果　两例完全性 C8β亚基缺失患者的蛋白质编码基因中 ,分别在第 3外显子的 2 98和 388位置发现了 C→T突变 ,同时对这两个突变位点的家系分析也证实 ,位于第 3外显子上的这两个突变位点是独立于第 9外显子的突变而遗传。结论　所发现的两个突变位点均能形成终止密码而导致 C8β亚基合成提前终止 ,因此这两例患者 C8β亚基完全缺失的分子遗传学机理是由于编码 C8β亚基的基因在第 3和第 9外显子上同时发生了点突变 ,进而形成终止密码造成 C8β亚基合成终止所致。     

马桑内酯致痫后大鼠海马生长抑素mRNA表达的变化

为探讨马桑内酯致痫与生长抑素的关系，用原位杂交组织化学法研究了马桑内酯致痫后大鼠海马生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ阳性神经元的变化，结果表明：致痫组大鼠ＣＡ１，ＣＡ２区及齿状回生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ的反应明显增强，以上各区的中，小神经内生长抑素ｍＲＮＡ神经元的数目及强度明显高于正常对照组，两者有显著性差异。