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Journal Article 2002; 23(2): 149-154 PubMed PMID: 12011801 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Cells, Cultured, Enzyme Inhibitors:pharmacology, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:blood, Leptin:pharmacology, Luteinizing Hormone:blood, Neuropeptide Y:pharmacology, Nitric Oxide:metabolism, Pituitary Gland:cytology, Rats, Rats, Inbred WKY, o.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of NMMA on the mechanism of leptin and NPY action in in vivo and in vitro on pituitary hormone release by female rats in diestrus.

METHODS: In vivo experiments based on four-day ip injections of: 1) murine recombinant leptin (mrLep); 2) human NPY; 3) saline; 4) NMMA (50 microg) was applied prior to administration of mrLep; 5) NMMA (50 microg) was applied prior to administration of NPY; 6) NMMA (50 microg); 7) NMMA (350 microg) was applied prior to administration of mrLep; 8) NMMA (350 microg). The blood samples for LH and FSH were collected after decapitation of animals on the fifth day of study. In vitro experiments studied the effects of these peptides on LH release from pituitary cell culture.

RESULTS: In vivo: Leptin+ NMMA (50 microg) stimulated LH. NPY+ NMMA (50 microg) increased LH. NMMA (350 microg) stimulated FSH release. In vitro: The stimulatory effect of leptin on LH release in vitro was observed after 120 min of incubation, but after 60 mins of incubation the inhibitory effect of leptin on LH release was increased by NMMA. Leptin +NMMA (vs NMMA) decreased LH release with highest statistical significance. NPY 10 nM 60 min after incubation decreased LH release. There was no effect of NMMA on LH release.

CONCLUSION: In vivo results show, that NO probably mediates in leptin action on LH release. Moreover, effects of leptin on LH release from cultured pituitary cells are dependent on time of incubation. NPY decreased LH release in vitro....

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Journal Article 2002; 23(2): 141-148 PubMed PMID: 12011800 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenergic alpha-Agonists:pharmacology, Adrenergic beta-Agonists:pharmacology, Animals, Cells, Cultured, Drug Synergism, Female, Fenoterol:pharmacology, Granulosa Cells:cytology, Neuropeptides:pharmacology, Phenylephrine:pharmacology, Pituitary Adenylate .   

OBJECTIVE: VIP and PACAP, two structurally related peptides, stimulate c AMP, steroidogenesis and progesterone (PROG) release from cultured rat granulosa cells. VIP and PACAP(38) are known to mimic the effects of beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation in the rat pinealocytes causing an increased melatonin synthesis. These effects were markedly potentiated by alpha(1) adrenergic receptor stimulation.

METHODS: We examined the influence of phenylonephrine (PHEN) (10(-4) M and 10(-5) M)-alpha(1) adrenergic receptor agonist and fenoterol (FEN) (10(-5) M)-beta(2) adrenergic receptor agonist on PROG accumulation stimulated by VIP (10(-6) M) and PACAP (10(-7) M) in cultured ovarian granulosa cells of cyclic rats (diestrus) after 2 h and 24 h incubation. The PROG concentrations in supernatants were measured with RIA tests.

RESULTS: VIP, PACAP(38), PHEN and FEN stimulated PROG accumulation after 2 h incubation. The PROG accumulation stimulated both by FEN and VIP, and by FEN and PACAP(38) was not additive. PROG accumulation stimulated by VIP and PACAP(38) was strongly potentiated by PHEN-alpha(1) adrenergic agonist.

CONCLUSION: The alpha(1) adrenergic potentiation of VIP and PACAP(38) stimulatory effects on PROG release from granulosa cells culture was found. VIP, PACAP(38) and beta(2) adrenergic receptors activation may share the same postreceptor mechanism. There exists simultaneous activation of different receptors -- peptidergic and adrenergic ones in cultured granulosa cells of adult cyclic rat....

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Journal Article 2002; 23(2): 121-132 PubMed PMID: 12011798 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Digestive System:cytology, Digestive System Physiological Phenomena, Enterochromaffin Cells:physiology, Humans, Melatonin:physiology,.   

: Melatonin, a pineal hormone, because of its wide activity spectrum, is a subject of much current interest for biologists and physicians. It has been demonstrated that pineal gland is not an exclusive source of melatonin synthesis. Melatonin synthesis has been found in different sites of the organism, and a major source of extrapineal melatonin is the gastrointestinal tract. The role of melatonin in gastrointestinal functions is considered in the present review....

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Clinical Trial 2002; 23(2): 109-113 PubMed PMID: 12011795 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic:administration & dosage, Depressive Disorder, Major:drug therapy, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Imipramine:administration & dosage, Inpatients, Male, Middle Aged, Phototherapy, Recurrence, Seasons, Treatment .   

INTRODUCTION: The aim of a double-blind study was to assess the efficacy of bright light therapy and/or imipramine in the treatment of inpatients suffering with recurrent non-seasonal major depressive disorder.

METHOD: 34 in-patients with DSM-III-R diagnosis of major depressive disorder, recurrent type, were randomly allocated into 3 treatment groups. After 4-day washout period with baseline assessment they underwent 3 weeks of different types of treatment: a) Group A: bright light therapy (5000 lux from 6-8 a.m.) and imipramine 150 mg/day. b) Group B: bright light therapy (5000 lux from 6-8 a.m.) and imipramine-like placebo. c) Group C: dim red light (500 lux from 6-8 a.m.) and imipramine 150 mg/day. Outcome measures included weekly Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Depression, Clinical Global Impression Scale, Montgomery and Asberg Psychiatric Rating Scale for Depression and Beck Depression Inventory.

RESULTS: Patients of all three groups improved significantly. The improvement of the patients of group B treated with bright light therapy plus placebo was superior to the other two groups, but not significantly.

CONCLUSION: Bright light therapy can be effective in the treatment of non-seasonal major depressive disorder....

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Journal Article 2002; 23(2): 105-108 PubMed PMID: 12011794 Citation  Keywords:  Acetylglucosaminidase:metabolism, Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents:pharmacology, Antigens, CD13:metabolism, Cathepsin D:metabolism, Cathepsin L, Cathepsins:metabolism, Cysteine Endopeptidases, Enzyme Activation:drug effects, Homeostasis:drug effects, Hyd.   

OBJECTIVES: Changes in the activity of cathepsin D and L, alanine aminopeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, lysosomal arylesterase and lysosomal lipase in the liver and kidney of unselected and selected mice, subjected to 7.5 mg/kg b.w. of hydrocortisone injection for 4 and 8 days.

METHODS: The homogenates of the liver and kidney were subjected to differentiated centrifuging and determination of studied enzymes.

RESULTS: Injection of hydrocortisone caused an increase in the activity of all investigated lysosomal enzymes in the liver and kidney of mice.

CONCLUSION: The reactions of selected mice were stronger in comparison with unselected ones. The highest increase in the activity investigated enzymes was observed after 8 days of hydrocortisone injection....

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Comment 2002; 23(1): 10-12 PubMed PMID: 11880856 Citation  Keywords:  Cytokines:physiology, Epilepsy:physiopathology, Humans,.   

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Letter 2002; 23(1): 8-9 PubMed PMID: 11880855 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Biomarkers, Endocrine Glands:metabolism, Humans, Immune System:cytology,.   

: Evidence are now given that immune cells expressed endocrine markers like neuropeptides, biogenic amine, neuropeptide processing enzymes, regulated secretion pathway. In clear, immune cells expressed like the nervous system an endocrine phenotype. This give the following question: what can we now consider as immune or endocrine?...

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Journal Article 2001; 22(5): 337-341 PubMed PMID: 11600875 Citation  Keywords:  Aging, Animals, Apoptosis, Cell Count, Cell Division, Duodenum, Epithelial Cells, Gastric Mucosa:cytology, Histocytochemistry, Immunohistochemistry, Intestinal Mucosa:cytology, Male, Melatonin:biosynthesis, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Nude, Neurosecr.   

OBJECTIVES: Diffuse neuroendocrine system (DNES) cells regulate homeostasis via neurocrine, endocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Extensive effects of peptide hormones and biogenic amines necessitate studying of DNES cell biology in aging. In this connection, the functional morphology of gut neuroendocrine cells (NEC), proliferative activity and apoptosis of mucous epithelial cells in aging have been studied.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed on BALB/c-nu mice of 4, 21 and 34 months of age. NEC, proliferative activity and apoptosis of mucous epitheliocytes in stomach and duodenum have been studied by histochemical, immunohistochemical and morphometrical methods.

RESULTS: The total number of NEC shows an increasing trend with advancing age. However, the different types of NEC elicit differential patterns. The total number of epithelial cell nuclei does not show any statistically significant difference during aging. The proliferative activity of mucous epitheliocytes also shows no difference among the three animal groups studied. On the contrary, the apoptotic index increases with advancing age.

CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that various gut NEC show differential behavior with age and their time-courses are dependent on the site of location (stomach or duodenum). The picture seems quite complex to allow a comprehensive interpretation, nonetheless it gives us some useful indications for further investigation. In fact, since the gut does not show evident gross age-related physiological changes, modifications with age in specific biological parameters can suggest the key mechanisms of compensative regulatory processes possibly acting during aging....

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