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Journal Article 2012; 33(2): 138-148 PubMed PMID: 22592194 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Body Weight:drug effects, Estradiol:blood, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone:blood, Gonadotrophs:drug effects, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone:blood, Growth Hormone:blood, Hypothalamus:drug effects, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:metabolism, Lept.   

OBJECTIVE: Available data suggest that estrogens and leptin play a role in the control of the pubertal process. In humans and some mammal species the increase of the activity of gonadotropic axis accompanies the decrease in the rate of growth at puberty. The effect of 17β-estradiol and/or leptin administration on the somatotropic and gonadotropic axes was studied using prepubertal female rats as an animal model.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prepubertal female rats received estradiol/saline, estradiol/leptin, oil/leptin or oil/saline (vehicles) respectively. The changes of growth rate, and serum 17β-estradiol, leptin, GH, IGF-I and gonadotropins levels as well as LHRH and estrogen receptor (ER) concentrations in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) and the pituitary were determined. All hormones concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and ER by radioligand methods .r />r /> RESULTS: In estradiol and/or leptin treated animals noticeable reduction of rate of growth was found. The decrease of growth in response to estradiol treatment accompanied the increase GH level and the decrease of IGF-I concentration in the circulation. Both hormones operating together activated reproductive axis, what was manifested by a significant increase of LHRH abundant in the hypothalamus as well as elevated LH and FSH levels in the circulation. In these rats a significant decrease of the estrogen receptor concentrations in the pituitary was observed.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The role of estradiol and leptin in the control of growth and reproduction seems to overlap only partially. Estradiol plays a significant role in the activation of the reproductive axis, and leptin takes part as a permissive factor in pubertal process....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(2): 133-137 PubMed PMID: 22592193 Citation  Keywords:  Anticarcinogenic Agents:pharmacology, Cell Movement:drug effects, Cells, Cultured, Female, Gene Expression:drug effects, Heat-Shock Proteins:biosynthesis, Humans, Indoles:pharmacology, Matrix Metalloproteinases:biosynthesis, Pregnancy, Trophoblasts:drug e.   

OBJECTIVES: During implantation, human trophoblastic cells have to proliferate, migrate and invade pregnant uterus. A natural product of cruciferous vegetables, 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), is known to induce some stress response genes (such as glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78)) and to have anti-invasive and pro-apoptotic effects on tumor cells. Therefore, we have investigated the potential effect of DIM on invasive extravillous cytotrophoblasts (evCTBs) cells.r />r /> MATERIALS AND METHODS: evCTBs were purified from first trimester trophoblasts and cultured in presence or not of DIM for 48h. In order to evaluate invasive properties of cells, they were seeded on collagen-coated insert following boyden chamber principle and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and GRP78 expression was evaluated by qPCR.r />r /> RESULTS: We showed that DIM decreases (p=0.013) invasive properties of evCTBs. In parallel, we determined that MMP-2, -7 and -9 which are involved in evCTBs invasion and known to be regulated by DIM, are not affected by DIM in evCTBs. In contrast, MMP-1 mRNA is induced (p=0.03) and MMP-12 is decreased (p=0.01) in DIM treated cells. Moreover, DIM treatment does not affect GRP78 mRNA expression in evCTBs.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, the present results provide evidence that DIM does not impact evenly on evCTBs and cancer cells....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(2): 124-132 PubMed PMID: 22592192 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Gene Expression:physiology, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiology, Male, Myocardium:cytology, Pituitary-Adrenal System:physiology, Protein Transport, Rats, Rats, Inbred Lew, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Rats, Wistar, Receptors, Oxytocin:biosynthesis.   

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular system is regulated by a diverse array of hormones, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Oxytocin and its receptors (OTR) were also shown to regulate cardiovascular functions and this hormone was even called cardiovascular hormone. In recent publication, we demonstrated the expression of mRNA of OTR by real-time quantitative PCR (RT qPCR) in all rat heart compartments. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute restraint stress on OTR mRNA expression in two rat strains with different activity of HPA axis.r />r /> METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley and Lewis rats, the latter strain reported to have lower HPA activity, were used in RT qPCR studies and Wistar rats in immunofluorescent ones. Both acute restraint (IS) and this stress combined with the immersion of rats in water (ICS) lasted 60 min. Gene expression of OTR mRNA was estimated in all heart compartments after 1 or 3 hours after stress termination (IS1, IS3, ICS1, ICS3). The relative expression was calculated using 2(-ΔΔC)T method. In immunofluorescent studies we used commercial specific OTR antibodies.r />r /> RESULTS: In RT qPCR studies we found higher expression of OTR mRNA in atria than in ventricles and no statistical differences between Sprague-Dawley and Lewis rats under basal conditions. Relative expression of OTR mRNA after 60 min lasting stress exposure differed in dependence on the stress type and partly on the time interval after the stress termination. When compared to controls, in rat left atria both stressors caused inhibition of OTR mRNA expression in both rat strains. In rat ventricles, which have very low OTR mRNA expression, there was a significant difference in the effect of two stressors. In most groups ICS displayed the increase of OTR mRNA expression if compared to IS groups. Immunofluorescent studies revealed changes induced by acute restraint stress in all heart compartments. The immunofluorescent studies suggested that acute stress induces higher colocalization of OTR with the nuclei than it was observed in the controls.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The expression of OTR mRNA in all heart compartments of controls as well as after stress exposure in Sprague-Dawley and Lewis rats support the notion that OTR plays a regulatory role in the cardiovascular system and is also involved in the regulations in the heart after stress. The immunofluorescent observation that OTRs coexpress in areas of cell nuclei in certain heart compartments and after acute stress, compared to controls, requires further studies....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(2): 118-123 PubMed PMID: 22592191 Citation  Keywords:  Cybernetics, Female, Humans, Neoplasms:prevention & control, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic:prevention & control,.   

: Cancer appears in the new form of cell life as a direct consequence of self-organising pre-cancer cells (dissipathogenic systems), whose further existence is disabled by extreme impairment of their metabolism. Life itself is the highest value, since instead of necrosis or apoptosis, the cellular system in an unfavourable environment can change its genetic identity provided that the improvement in its own metabolism leads to increased chaos by higher dissipation of matter and energy in its environment. Prolongation of human life has resulted by a longer period of old age which is favourable for self-organisation of dissipative neoplastic cells. Modern medicine has explained the relation of the cervical cancer to preterm births and to inadequate use of oral contraceptives and/or replacement, instead of supplementary, neurohormonal therapy. Therefore, as early as in the period of pregnancy reproductive cells should be protected due to their prime importance in the intergenerational passage of life. Disturbance of systemic autoregulation causes development of dissipathogenic state of cells. A single zygote, whose environment is also important for the future development of the next two generations that are initiated with its formation, defines the unique identity of each person, whose life is determined by free will and neoplasms....

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Case Reports 2012; 33(2): 113-117 PubMed PMID: 22592190 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Insufficiency:blood, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Aged, Glucocorticoids:pharmacology, Humans, Hydrocortisone:pharmacology, Male, Pituitary Gland, Anterior:drug effects,.   

: A 78-yr-old man was admitted in emergency with fatigue, anorexia, vomiting, hypothermia (35.1 °C on a hot August day), hypotension (89/56 mmHg) and hyponatraemia (126 mEq/l). Plasma corticotropin and cortisol were severely depressed: 0.84 pmol/L and 33.1 nmol/L respectively (reference range, 1.5-13.9 pmol/L and 110-505 nmol/L, respectively). Thyroid stimulating hormone was low-normal and free-triiodothyronine and free-thyroxine were subnormal. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed swelling of the pituitary gland and the stalk. The patient recovered after glucocorticoid replacement (200 mg/day intravenous hydrocortisone on Day 1 followed by tapering). Central diabetes insipidus which had become apparent had been treated with 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin. A surge of corticotropin and cortisol, 19.4 pmol/L and 712.1 nmol/L respectively, was found on Day 5 when luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and testosterone were subnormal and prolactin was slightly elevated. Subsequently, corticotropin and cortisol levels normalized together with normalization of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, anti-diuretic hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, testosterone and thyroid hormone levels. Shrinkage of the pituitary gland occurred after one month. Serum immunoglobulin G4 was elevated (3.21 and 6.02 g/l at 1- and 3-month follow-ups respectively). In conclusion, a paradoxical surge of corticotropin after glucocorticoid replacement was observed in a patient with central adrenal insufficiency due to immunoglobulin G4-related hypophysitis. Surge of ACTH in central adrenal insufficiency after glucocorticoid replacement has rarely been reported, and this is the second such case report....

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Case Reports 2012; 33(2): 107-112 PubMed PMID: 22592189 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Deamino Arginine Vasopressin:therapeutic use, Diabetes Insipidus:complications, Female, Humans, Pituitary Apoplexy:complications, Pituitary Neoplasms:complications, Postoperative Complications:drug therapy, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Neopl.   

BACKGROUND: Pituitary apoplexy during pregnancy is so rare that only 15 cases (12 pituitary adenomas, 2 lymphocytic neurohypophysitis, and 1 normal pituitary gland) have been published to date. Here, we report the case of a pregnant woman presenting with pituitary apoplexy from a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma and provide a possible mechanism and management option for postoperative diabetes insipidus (DI).r />r /> CASE PRESENTATION: A 26-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of headache and bitemporal hemianopsia in the 26th week of her first pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging clearly revealed an 18 mm pituitary mass with a fluid-fluid level component displacing the optic chiasma upward. Endonasal endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery was successfully carried out 7 days after the onset of symptoms. DI became apparent immediately after the operation and was not controllable by arginine vasopressin (AVP) but by 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) instead. This finding suggests an association between DI and vasopressinase secretion from the placenta, because vasopressinase can degrade AVP but not DDAVP. DI had diminished by the time the patient delivered a healthy girl at the 40th week of gestation.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Postoperative DI associated with pituitary apoplexy during pregnancy should be treated by DDAVP, which is not affected by placental vasopressinase secretion....

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Case Reports 2012; 33(2): 103-106 PubMed PMID: 22592188 Citation  Keywords:  Adenoma:blood, Adult, Female, Growth Hormone:adverse effects, Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma:blood, Humans, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:adverse effects, Moyamoya Disease:blood,.   

: We report a case of Moyamoya syndrome developing in association with growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma. A 31-year-old female presented with acromegalic features. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1 × 2 cm tumor in the sella turcica and MR angiography demonstrated unremarkable findings. Blood growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels were elevated to 74.1 ng/ml and over 1 575 ng/ml, respectively. The diagnosis was growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma, and the tumor was removed through a transsphenoidal approach. Four years after surgery, she visited the outpatient department due to left side weakness for 2 months. Magnetic resonance images showed acute and old infarcted lesions in the basal ganglia and subcortical area and residual small pituitary adenoma in the sellar area. MR angiography demonstrated stenosis of the bilateral distal internal carotid arteries with basal collateral vessels. Conventional cerebral angiography showed complete obstruction in the right internal carotid artery and severe stenosis of the left internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, and anterior cerebral artery with basal collateral vessels. Her blood growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels were 15.3 ng/ml and 1 055 ng/ml, respectively. We believe that excess systemic exposures of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I may participate in the development of Moyamoya syndrome....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(1): 98-101 PubMed PMID: 22467119 Citation  Keywords:  Abortion, Spontaneous, Delivery, Obstetric, Humans, Premature Birth, Prospective Studies, Twins,.   

OBJECTIVE: To examine the possibility of postponement of the delivery of fetus B after preterm delivery or late abortion of fetus A in multiple pregnancy.r />r /> METHODS: Between January 2000 and September 2010, we tried to delay delivery of the second twin in 18 cases. Group A includes women that experienced a preterm premature rupture of the membranes in fetus A (PPROM), group B includes women who presented with regular uterine activity and the vaginal finding indicated unavoidable late miscarriage or preterm delivery.r />r /> RESULTS: Thirteen (72.22%) of the 18 attempts were evaluated as unsuccessful. The interval of delay of delivery of fetus B ranged between 24 and 384 hours. Five cases were successful.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Indication for applying this therapeutic procedure to a pregnant woman must be strictly selective. The procedure will be also in future more or less reserved for women in which subsequent pregnancy is for different reasons highly improbable....

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