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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 639-642 PubMed PMID: 17984948 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Depressive Disorder:blood, Dissociative Disorders:blood, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiopathology, Male, Middle Aged, Pituitary-Adrenal System:physiopathology, Prolactin:blood, Statistics, Nonparamet.   

OBJECTIVES: Usual neuroendocrinological manifestation of traumatic stress and dissociation is dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of the present study is to perform examination of HPA axis as indexed by basal serum prolactin and test its relationship to dissociative symptoms and symptoms of traumatic stress.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 inpatients treated at the university hospital with diagnosis of unipolar depression mean age 41.23 (SD=11.53) were assessed using psychometric measures of dissociation (DES) and traumatic symptoms (TSC-40), and using standard biochemical analytical methods basal serum prolactin levels were investigated.

RESULTS: Data show that prolactin manifests significant relationship to dissociative symptoms (r=0.52, p=0.004). Significant correlation was not found between prolactin and traumatic symptoms measured by TSC-40 (r=0.31, p=0.07).

CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that serum prolactin levels in unipolar depressive patients are related to dissociative symptoms that is likely caused by passive coping mechanisms leading to dissociation....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(4): 449-455 PubMed PMID: 17693983 Citation  Keywords:  5-Hydroxytryptophan:administration & dosage, Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation:administration & dosage, Autistic Disorder:blood, Case-Control Studies, Child, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Male, Prolactin:blo.   

: Some studies have suggested that disorders in the central serotonergic function may play a role in the pathophysiology of autistic disorder. In order to assess the central serotonergic turnover in autism, this study examines the cortisol and prolactin responses to administration of L-5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP), the direct precursor of 5-HT in 18 male, post-pubertal, Caucasian autistic patients (age 13-19 y.; I.Q.>55) and 22 matched healthy volunteers. Serum cortisol and prolactin were determined 45 and 30 minutes before administration of 5-HTP (4 mg/kg in non enteric-coated tablets) or an identical placebo in a single blind order and, thereafter, every 30 minutes over a 3-hour period. The 5-HTP-induced increases in serum cortisol were significantly lower in autistic patients than in controls, whereas there were no significant differences in 5-HTP-induced prolactin responses between both study groups. In baseline conditions, no significant differences were found in serum cortisol and prolactin between autistic and normal children. The results suggest that autism is accompanied by a central serotonergic hypoactivity and that the latter could play a role in the pathophysiology of autism....

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Case Reports 2007; 28(4): 518-523 PubMed PMID: 17693964 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Blood Coagulation:physiology, Female, Humans, Platelet Aggregation:physiology, Prolactin:physiology, Psychotropic Drugs:adverse effects, Thrombosis:etiology,.   

: Administration of antipsychotics appears to be related to increased risk of venous thromboembolism and cerebrovascular side effects. The biological mechanism responsible for this possible adverse drug reaction is unknown, but there is a growing number of elucidating hypotheses. Treatment with antipsychotics is associated with elevation of prolactin level. Prolactin has recently been recognized as potent platelet aggregation co-activator, and have therefore been postulated as an additional risk factor for both arterial and venous thrombosis. We briefly review the arguments for the role of hyperprolactinemia in pathogenesis of platelet aggregation....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(3): 289-294 PubMed PMID: 17627264 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Apoptosis, Cell Proliferation, Cells, Cultured, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases:physiology, Estradiol:biosynthesis, Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases:physiology, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:pharmacology, Granulosa Cells:phy.   

: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), including PPARalpha, PPARbeta/delta, and PPARgamma, are a family of transcription factors belonging to the steroid receptor superfamily. In rat ovary, PPARgamma is mainly expressed in granulosa cells of developing follicles, implying a possible role of PPARgamma in ovarian functions. In the present study, the role of PPARgamma and its gonadotrophic regulation in granulosa cells collected from diethylstilbestrol-treated immature rats were studied. The results showed that PPARgamma could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in primarily cultured granulosa cells. PPARgamma could also stimulate the biosynthesis of estradiol and progesterone after FSH pretreatment, and FSH could regulate the functions of PPARgamma through PKA, ERK1/2, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. These data suggested that PPARgamma may be involved in follicular atresia and FSH-stimulated steroidogenesis during follicle development....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(1): 45-51 PubMed PMID: 17277727 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate:blood, Disease Progression, Estradiol:blood, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:blood, Hormones:blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Luteinizing Hormone:blood, Male, Middle Aged, Prognosis, Prolactin:blood, Prostatectomy, Pr.   

OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer is now recognized as one of the principal medical problems facing male population and the commonest cancer in males in delevoped countries. The aim of this study was to find out whether serum hormone levels differ significantly in localized (pT2) and locally advanced (pT3-pT4 or N1) prostate cancer.

METHODS: In 250 men (mean age+/-SEM: 63.8+/-0.4) who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for histologically confirmed prostate cancer were analyzed serum samples for total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, cortisol, sex hormone-binding globulin, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. Free testosterone content was calculated from total testosterone and SHBG concentrations.

RESULTS: Significantly lower serum level of FSH, i.e. 5.63+/-0.31 vs. 7.07+/-0.65 U/L was found in patients with localized prostate cancer than in locally advanced (p<0.05). Significant correlation was found between serum levels of DHEAS and cortisol in both groups (p<0.02), estradiol and prolactin in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, as well between LH and prolactin (p<0.05). No differences were found in other observed hormones.

CONCLUSION: The results point to importance of hormone status as possible additional prognostic marker for patients with prostate cancer. Considerable research is needed to further understand influence of hormones on prostate cancer....

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Clinical Trial 2006; 27(6): 833-838 PubMed PMID: 17187010 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Androgen Antagonists:therapeutic use, Autistic Disorder:drug therapy, Chelating Agents:therapeutic use, Child, Child Behavior:drug effects, Cognition:drug effects, Female, Humans, Leuprolide:therapeutic use, Male, Metals, Heavy:urine, Severity.   

BACKGROUND: A medical hypothesis has suggested that some autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may result from interactions between the methionine cycle-transsulfuration and androgen pathways following exposure to mercury.

METHODS: The IRB of the Institute for Chronic Illnesses approved the present study. A novel treatment was utilized combining LUPRON (leuprolide acetate, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and CHEMET (meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid--DMSA, McNeil Consumer Products Company) on 11 consecutive children with ASDs.

RESULTS: A significant (p<0.01) overall improvement from the 70-79th percentile of severity (median baseline score=87) at baseline to the 40-49th percentile of severity (median end of study period score=63) at the end of the study was observed for patients treated for a median of approximately 4 months. Significant improvements in sociability, cognitive awareness, behavior, and clinical symptoms/behaviors of hyperandrogenemia were also observed. Significant decreases in blood androgens and increases in urinary heavy metal concentrations were observed. Minimal drug adverse effects were found.

CONCLUSION: This study provides the first clinical evidence for the benefit that combined anti-androgen and anti-heavy metal therapy may have on some children with ASDs. Additional studies should examine androgen and heavy metal mechanisms of action in ASDs, and future ASD treatment protocols should consider androgens and heavy metals....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 795-798 PubMed PMID: 17187004 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Female, Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit:metabolism, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prolactin:metabolism, Reference Values, Stimulation, Chemical, Thyroid Function Tests, Thyrotropin:metabolism, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone:physiology,.   

OBJECTIVE: The alpha-subunit (Alpha-SU) response to TRH was studied to examine the response of alpha-SU under TRH stimulation in normal situation.

METHODS: Thirty seven healthy individuals were included in the study. They were divided into two groups according to the data taken: A with TSH equal or more than seven fold the basal values (0: 3.14+/-1.2 microU/ml., 30 after TRH: 20.22+/-4.6 microU/ml) and B with TSH 2 to 6 fold the basal values (0: 0.5+/-0.1 microU/ml., 30 after TRH: 2.9+/-0.5 microU/ml). Both groups exhibited similar FT3 and FT4 levels.

RESULTS: In group A, prolactin displayed a 3 fold increase from the basal values, whereas alpha-SU increased 4 fold with a difference being statistically significant (p<0.001). In contrast, in group B individuals neither prolactin nor alpha-SU exhibited any significant difference from the basal values.

CONCLUSION: The expression of alpha-SU upon TRH stimulation is dependent on the TSH basal values....

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Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 53-56 PubMed PMID: 17159779 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antimutagenic Agents:pharmacology, Antineoplastic Agents:pharmacology, Cell Proliferation:drug effects, Cell Survival:drug effects, Cisplatin:pharmacology, Cynara scolymus:chemistry, Drosophila melanogaster, Drug Synergism, Female, Male, Mice, Mu.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the extract isolated from the artichoke Cynara cardunculus L. (ECC) had antimutagenic effect and was able to enhance the therapeutic effect of cytostatic drug cis-platinum (cis-Pt).

METHODS: The potential antimutagenic activity of ECC was assayed by a test on sex-linked recessive lethal mutations detection in Drosophila melanogaster males treated with ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS). The possible enhancement of cytostatic/cytotoxic effect of cis-Pt by ECC was evaluated in the cell revitalization assay by measuring cell viability via Trypan blue exclusive assay using mouse leukemia cells L1210.

RESULTS: EMS was both toxic and genotoxic in D. melanogaster males. It statistically significantly increased the frequency of sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in comparison to the negative control. Furthermore, ECC statistically significantly reduced the genotoxic effect of EMS. It acted in a desmutagenic manner via EMS inactivation. In the cell revitalization assay, ECC enhanced the cytotoxic/cytostatic effect of cis-Pt. The therapeutic potential of ECC was established on the basis of statistically significantly lowered recovery of cis-Pt pre-treated mouse leukemia cells in the presence of ECC.

CONCLUSIONS: The results imply that the extract isolated from artichoke C. cardunculus L. has marked beneficial activities antimutagenic and therapeutic effect enhancing) and its potential biomedical application in the combination therapy of cancer and some neurodegenerative diseases may be suggested....

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