Characteristics of Radioimmunoassays for the α- and β-Subunits of Human Luteinizing Hormone

Abstract

The binding characteristics and specificities of the National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP) kits for the radioimmunoassay of the alpha- and beta-subunits of human luteinizing hormone (hLH-α and hLH-β) were studied, as well as the specificities of the anti-hLH and anti-human follicle stimulating hormone (anti-hFSH) antisera distributed by the same organization. The affinity constants of the anti-hLH-α and anti-hLH-β antisera were calculated at 157 ± 8.4 nM^?1 and 109 ± 7.4 nM^?1, respectively. Both antisera were highly specific with regard to the other subunit. However, in the homologous hLH-α RIA, native hLH cross-reacted at 21.9%, hFSH at 17.5% and hTSH at 7.9%. The alpha-subunit of the human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG-α, was equipotent with the hLH-α standard in this assay. In the homologous hLH-β RIA, hLH showed a cross-reactivity of 14.7% while the cross-reactivities of hCG-β, hFSH and hTSH were 3.5%, 1.2% and 0.6%, respectively. The anti-hFSH antiserum was highly specific, while the anti-hLH antiserum showed non parallel competition curves. With this knowledge of the specificity of each antiserum, corrections can be properly made for the assays of hLH, hLH-α and hLH-β while the hFSH RIA can be used without correction for the presence of the three other components.     

HP-hMG在卵巢次高反应患者体外受精周期中的临床应用效果

目的:探讨卵巢次高反应患者体外受精-胚胎移植(in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer,IVF-ET)周期应用高纯度尿促性素(HP-hMG,贺美奇)与重组人卵泡刺激素(r-FSH,果纳芬)促排卵的临床结局。方法:选择IVF-ET助孕的卵巢次高反应患者310例,随机分为A组和B组,分别给予r-FSH+HP-hMG(A组,n=124)和r-FSH(B组,n=186)促排卵,统计促性腺激素(Gn)总用量、Gn使用天数、获卵数、受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率、临床妊娠率以及因卵巢过度刺激综合征(OHSS)周期取消率及ET后OHSS发生率。结果:患者的基本情况组间无统计学差异(P0.05),B组Gn使用天数明显多于A组(P0.05),Gn总用量明显多于A组(P0.05),hCG注射日E_2、LH组间无统计学差异(P0.05),B组hCG注射日孕酮(P)值显著高于A组(P0.05);获卵数B组显著多于A组(P0.05),受精率、卵裂率、移植胚胎数组间无统计学差异(P0.05),但优质胚胎率B组却显著低于A组(P0.05),移植患者临床妊娠率组间差异无统计学意义(P0.05),A组仅稍高于B组。A组预防OHSS周期取消率较B组明显下降(P0.05),B组移植患者OHSS发生率略高于A组(P0.05)。结论:在卵巢次高反应患者人群中从启动日添加HP-hMG能改善胚胎质量,增加子宫内膜容受性,降低OHSS发生率。     

两种不同的促性腺激素用药方案在超长方案中的应用

目的比较IVF-ET周期中,两种不同的促性腺激素(Gn)用药方案在超长方案中的应用效果,探讨尿卵泡刺激素(u-FSH)联合人绝经期促性腺激素(HMG)方案在超长方案中的应用价值。方法回顾性分析2013年8月至2014年7月在我中心行超长方案的IVF-ET患者378周期,根据Gn方案的不同分为两组:A组:应用u-FSH+HMG启动;B组:在早卵泡期应用重组卵泡刺激素(r-FSH)启动,晚卵泡期加用HMG。比较两组患者的基础资料、超促排卵中Gn用量、天数、花费及妊娠结局。结果两组患者的基础资料比较无显著性差异(P0.05)。两组Gn总量及Gn天数比较,无显著性差异(P0.05),但A组Gn费用显著低于B组[(4 108.31±2 761.41)vs.(6 260.76±2 846.53)元](P0.05)。两组获卵数、优胚数比较,无显著性差异(P0.05)。两组取消周期原因比较亦无显著性差异(P0.05)。A组卵巢慢反应发生率(9.52%)显著低于B组(20.63%)(P0.05)。A组的临床妊娠率(57.63%)、着床率(37.74%)均显著高于B组(分别为44.51%、29.36%)(P0.05);两组流产率比较(11.76%vs.12.33%)无显著性差异(P0.05)。结论长效促性腺激素释放激素激动剂(GnRH-a)降调节后,应用u-FSH+HMG行控制性超排卵(COH)可有效减少卵巢慢反应的发生,提高临床妊娠率,同时减少患者的促排卵费用。     

Metabolic clues regarding the enhanced performance of elite endurance athletes from orchiectomy-induced hormonal changes

This article examines the metabolic performance of an elite cyclist, Lance Armstrong, before and after his diagnosis with testicular cancer. Although a champion cyclist in 1-day events prior to his diagnosis of testicular cancer at age 25, he was not a contender in multi-day endurance cycle races such as the 3-week Tour de France. His genetic makeup and physiology (high VO2max, long femur, strong heavy build) coupled with his ambition and motivation enabled him at an early age to become one of the best 1-day cyclists in the world. Following his cancer diagnosis, he underwent a unilateral orchiectomy, brain surgery and four cycles of chemotherapy. After recovering, he returned to cycling and surprisingly excelled in the Tour de France, winning this hardest of endurance events 7 years running. This dramatic transformation from a 1-day to a 3-week endurance champion has led many to query how this is possible, and under the current climate, has led to suggestions of doping as to the answer to this metamorphosis. Physiological tests following his recovery indicated that physiological parameters such as VO2max were not affected by the unilateral orchiectomy and chemotherapy. We propose that his dramatic improvement in recovery between stages, the most important factor in winning multi-day stage races, is due to his unilateral orchiectomy, a procedure that results in permanent changes in serum hormones. These hormonal changes, specifically an increase in gonadotropins (and prolactin) required to maintain serum testosterone levels, alter fuel metabolism; increasing hormone sensitive lipase expression and activity, promoting increased free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization to, and utilization by, muscles, thereby decreasing the requirement to expend limiting glycogen stores before, during and after exercise. Such hormonal changes also have been associated with ketone body production, improvements in muscle repair and haematocrit levels and may facilitate the loss of body weight, thereby increasing power to weight ratio. Taken together, these hormonal changes act to limit glycogen utilization, delay fatigue and enhance recovery thereby allowing for optimal performances on a day-to-day basis. These insights provide the foundation for future studies on the endocrinology of exercise metabolism, and suggest that Lance Armstrong's athletic advantage was not due to drug use.     

Smoking, alcohol and caffeine in relation to ovarian age during the reproductive years

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether smoking, alcohol and caffeine are related to four indicators of ovarian age: antral follicle count (AFC), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B and estradiol. METHODS: Analyses drew on ultrasound scans and sera from 188 women, aged 22-49. We used least squares regression to estimate differences in AFC and hormone levels for women who smoke cigarettes or who drink alcohol or caffeine. RESULTS: Current smoking is related to elevated FSH (beta for ln(FSH) = 0.21, 95% CI 0.04, 0.39), but not to AFC, inhibin B or estradiol. Neither alcohol nor caffeine is related to any ovarian age indicator. Exploratory analyses suggest that the association of current smoking with FSH varies with age: comparing current with never smokers, at ages 30, 35, 40 and 45, estimated differences in mean FSH are 0.3, 1.3, 3.2 and 6.9 mIU/ml. CONCLUSIONS: The association of current smoking with FSH may reflect accelerated oocyte atresia, impaired follicle quality or dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Identification of the causal mechanism has implications for prevention or treatment of conception delay, infertility and morbidity associated with early menopause.     

Advances in computational modeling approaches of pituitary gonadotropin signaling

Introduction: Pituitary gonadotropins play an essential and pivotal role in the control of human and animal reproduction within the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. The computational modeling of pituitary gonadotropin signaling encompasses phenomena of different natures such as the dynamic encoding of gonadotropin secretion, and the intracellular cascades triggered by gonadotropin binding to their cognate receptors, resulting in a variety of biological outcomes.

Areas covered: The authors provide an overview of the historical and ongoing issues in modeling and data analysis related to gonadotropin secretion in the field of both physiology and neuroendocrinology. They mention the different mathematical formalisms involved, their interest and limits. They also discuss open statistical questions in signal analysis associated with key endocrine issues and review recent advances in the modeling of the intracellular pathways activated by gonadotropins, which yields promising development for innovative approaches in drug discovery.

Expert opinion: The greatest challenge to be tackled in computational modeling of pituitary gonadotropin signaling is the embedding of gonadotropin signaling within its natural multi-scale environment, from the single cell level, to the organic and whole HPG level. The development of modeling approaches of G protein-coupled receptor signaling, together with multicellular systems biology may lead to unexampled mechanistic understanding with critical expected fallouts in the therapeutic management of reproduction.     

止痛化癥胶囊联合亮丙瑞林治疗子宫内膜异位症的疗效观察

目的 探究止痛化癥胶囊联合亮丙瑞林治疗子宫内膜异位症的临床疗效。方法 选取2014年1月-2014年7月鄂州市中医医院妇产科收治的子宫内膜异位症患者98例,随机分为对照组和治疗组,每组各49例。对照组皮下注射注射用醋酸亮丙瑞林微球,3.75 mg/次,4周/次,若患者体质量<50 kg,则注射剂量减少50%。治疗组在对照组基础上口服止痛化癥胶囊,4粒/次,2次/d,月经期间停止服用。3个月为1个疗程,连续治疗2个疗程。观察两组的临床疗效,同时比较两组治疗前后促卵泡生成素(FSH)、黄体生成激素(LH)、雌二醇(E₂)、子宫体积、CA₁₂₅、Kupperman评分的变化。比较两组患者绝经症状发生情况。结果 治疗后,对照组和治疗组的总有效率分别为77.55%、91.84%,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。治疗后,两组FSH、LH、E₂、子宫体积、CA₁₂₅水平、Kupperman评分均显著降低,同组治疗前后差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05);且治疗组这些指标的降低程度优于对照组,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。治疗组潮热出汗、感觉异常、失眠、情绪波动、抑郁、眩晕、疲乏、骨关节痛、头痛、心悸、皮肤蚊走感、泌尿感染、性生活障碍发生例数均显著低于对照组,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。治疗后,两组患者痛经、盆腔痛、性交痛的VAS评分均显著降低,同组治疗前后差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05);且治疗后,治疗组痛经、盆腔痛的VAS评分低于对照组,两组比较差异具有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。结论 痛化癥胶囊联合亮丙瑞林治疗子宫内膜异位症具有较好的临床疗效,可降低患者FSH、LH、E₂水平和VAS评分,改善患者绝经症状,具有一定的临床推广应用价值。     

Effects of porcine follicle-stimulating hormone on the reproductive performance of female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

It has been suggested that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) may play a role in egg size/number trade-offs in oviparous vertebrates. We tested this hypothesis in an avian species by administering porcine FSH (pFSH) to intact, captive female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) during egg formation. We predicted that (1) pFSH would increase the number of ovarian follicles recruited into rapid yolk development and so increase clutch size, (2) an increase in clutch size would lead to a reduction in egg size, and (3) doses of pFSH that were not sufficient to increase clutch size would increase yolk deposition and so increase egg mass. Although a range of pFSH doses decreased egg mass by ca. 10% in three separate experiments, the reduction in egg mass occurred in the absence of an increase in the number of eggs laid. Porcine FSH decreased mean clutch size significantly in one experiment and reduced median clutch size significantly in the other two experiments. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that FSH mediates a trade-off between egg size and clutch size in birds.     

Central body fat changes in men affected by post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism undergoing testosterone replacement therapy are modulated by androgen receptor CAG polymorphism

Background and aimsLittle is known about the effect of androgen receptor (AR) gene CAG repeat polymorphism in conditioning body composition changes after testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). In this study, we aimed to clarify this aspect by focussing our attention on male post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a condition often associated with partial or total hypopituitarism.Methods and resultsFourteen men affected by post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and undergoing several replacement hormone therapies were evaluated before and after TRT. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)-derived body composition measurements, pituitary-dependent hormones and AR gene CAG repeat polymorphism were considered. While testosterone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels increased after TRT, cortisol concentration decreased. No anthropometric or body composition parameters varied significantly, except for abdominal fat decrease. The number of CAG triplets was positively and significantly correlated with this abdominal fat decrease, while the opposite occurred between the latter and Δ-testosterone. No correlation of IGF-1 or cortisol variation (Δ-) with Δ-abdominal fat was found. At multiple linear regression, after correction for Δ-testosterone, the positive association between CAG triplet number and abdominal fat change was confirmed.ConclusionsIn male post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, shorter length of AR CAG repeat tract is independently associated with a more marked decrease of abdominal fat after TRT.