Search NEL Online

Case Reports 2012; 33(3): 257-259 PubMed PMID: 22635079 Citation  Keywords:  Androgens:metabolism, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Middle Aged, Ovarian Neoplasms:complications, Ovary:pathology, Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor:complications, Testosterone:metabolism, Virilism:etiology,.   

: Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor is a rare and usually unilateral tumor of the ovary occurring in women's reproductive age. Only about 10% of these patients are over 50 years of age. One third of these patients are suffering from signs of virilisation. This work summarizes the morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of this tumor in a 56-year old woman with clinical signs of virilisation....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2011; 32(6): 836-840 PubMed PMID: 22286788 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior:metabolism, Loneliness, Neuropsychological Tests, Saliva:chemistry, Testosterone:metabolism,.   

OBJECTIVE: Adolescence is characterized by increases in loneliness, impulsiveness and circulating testosterone levels. We investigated the relationship between these characteristics in adolescent females.

METHODS: For this purpose, we measured impulsivity and loneliness by means of a Go/No-go task and the UCLA loneliness scale, respectively. Testosterone levels in saliva were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: The results showed that testosterone and loneliness have a positive relevance to impulsivity in adolescent females, whereas there was no relationship between loneliness and testosterone levels.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that testosterone and loneliness modulate impulsivity via distinctive pathways....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2011; 32(Suppl 1): 137-145 PubMed PMID: 22167219 Citation  Keywords:  Catalysis, Catechols:metabolism, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Cloning, Molecular, Comamonas testosteroni:enzymology, Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel, Extracellular Space:enzymology, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Mixed Function Oxygenases:geneti.   

OBJECTIVE: Comamonas testosteroni Pb50 is a microorganism that possesses high tolerance for phenol and shows strong phenol degrading activity. This bacterial strain is capable of utilizing phenol as the sole carbon and energy source. Although examples are known in which the C. testosteroni utilizes phenol for growth or metabolism, much less information are known on the nature of the phenol-oxidizing enzymes in this microorganism. Therefore, the occurrence and cellular location of phenol hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.7), the enzyme participating in the first step of phenol degradation, catalyzing its hydroxylation to catechol in a bacterial Comamonas testosteroni Pb50 strain grown in the presence of phenol as a sole carbon and energy source are the aims of this study.

METHODS: Combination of fractionation with polyethylene glycol 6000 and gel permeation chromatography on columns of Sepharose 4B and Sephacryl S-300 was used for isolation of phenol hydroxylase detectable in the medium in which C. testosteroni was cultivated. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-300 were used to evaluate the molecular mass of the enzyme. The enzyme activity was followed by HPLC (phenol consumption and/or catechol formation).

RESULTS: Whereas low activity of phenol hydroxylase was detected in cytosol isolated from C. testosteroni, more than 16-fold higher activity of this enzyme was found in the medium in which C. testosteroni was cultivated. The presence of phenol hydroxylase extracellular activity suggests that this microorganism may secrete the enzyme into the extracellular medium. Using the procedure consisting of fractionation with polyethylene glycol 6000 and gel permeation chromatography on columns of Sepharose 4B and Sephacryl S-300, the enzyme was isolated from the medium to homogeneity. The formation of catechol mediated by purified phenol hydroxylase is strictly dependent on the presence of NADPH, which indicates that this enzyme is the NADPH-dependent phenol hydroxylase. The enzyme is a homotetramer having a molecular mass of 240 000, consisting of four subunits having a molecular mass of 60 000. The optimum pH of the enzyme for the phenol oxidation is pH 7.6.

CONCLUSION: The results are the first report showing isolation and partial characterization of extracellular NADPH-dependent phenol hydroxylase of a bacterial C. testosteroni Pb50 strain capable of oxidizing phenol to catechol. The data demonstrate the progress in resolving the enzymes responsible for the first step of phenol degradation by bacteria....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2010; 31(6): 837-841 PubMed PMID: 21196912 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Attention, Autistic Disorder:diagnosis, Female, Humans, Japan, Male, Salivary Glands:metabolism, Sex Factors, Testosterone:metabolism,.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between salivary testosterone levels and autistic traits in adults.

METHODS: A total of 92 male and female adults participated in the present study. Their salivary testosterone level (T) and score of Japanese version of Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) were assessed to examine the relationship between salivary testosterone level and autistic traits in adults.

RESULTS: We observed a positive correlation between T and AQ in a group of both sexes. The correlation disappeared when we conducted correlation analysis by sex. However, although there was no sex difference in the score of the subscale of attention switching, attention switching was related to T.

CONCLUSIONS: Although the relationship between T and AQ may mainly result from sex differences, the subscale of attention switching may be modulated by testosterone....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2010; 31(4): 483-488 PubMed PMID: 20802443 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Analysis of Variance, Autistic Disorder:blood, Body Mass Index, Child, Humans, Male, Testosterone:blood, Young Adult,.   

OBJECTIVE: Research on the biological pathophysiology of autism has found some evidence that alterations in androgenic hormones may play a role in the pathophysiology of that disorder. We studied morning concentrations of serum testosterone in a very homogenic group of postpubertal youngsters with autism and a group of normal controls.

METHODS: This study examines the serum testosterone concentration on 9 consecutive time points between 08.00 AM and 12.00 AM in 18 high- functioning male youngsters with autism (age 12-18) and 22 healthy volunteers participated in this study. All subjects passed the onset of puberty (Tanner-stage III-IV) and were of the Caucasian race.

RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant time effect, with a decline in the testosterone concentration during the test and time X diagnosis interaction.The total testosterone concentration was significantly lower in the autism group compared to the group of normal controls.

CONCLUSIONS: The significant decrease in serum testosterone concentration in male youngsters with autism suggest that the turnover of testosterone may take part in the pathophysiology of autism. Suggestions for further research are discussed....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2010; 31(4): 577-581 PubMed PMID: 20802442 Citation  Keywords:  Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Male, Radioimmunoassay, Statistics, Nonparametric, Students, Testosterone:blood, Universities,.   

OBJECTIVES: After dominance-related encounters, testosterone levels increase in winners and decrease in losers. In humans, many exceptions have been described. It is possible that the complicated patterns in humans result from the methods limitations--measurement of hormone concentrations in simulated competitive events or sport instead in real-life situations.

METHODS: Here we studied changes in hormonal levels and self-estimated attractivity in real situations, namely in students after written exams.

RESULTS: We observed that the testosterone and cortisol increased or decreased in relation to the number of wrong answers on the exam. The number of wrong answers was a better predictor of the hormonal changes (increase of both testosterone and cortisol in successful, decrease in unsuccessful students) than the self-estimated number of wrong answers or a subjectively opinionated impression from the exam. On the contrary, the concentration of hormones before the exam and self-estimated attractivity were better predictors of the subjective impression from the exam than the number of wrong answers.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the students' subconsciousness, which directly influences the concentration of hormones, is able to objectively estimate results of an exam better than their consciousness....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Comparative Study 2009; 30(1): 46-50 PubMed PMID: 19300398 Citation  Keywords:  Amyloid beta-Peptides:blood, Animals, Brain:metabolism, Guinea Pigs, Kidney:metabolism, Male, Orchiectomy, Testosterone:metabolism, Time Factors,.   

OBJECTIVES: The association between low testosterone levels and Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) metabolism was investigated in brain and kidney of guinea pigs.

METHODS: The expression of Abeta peptide in the brain and kidney was assessed by using the immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTS: No expression of Abeta was seen in both groups of animals. This negative staining was found until the fourth week following castration. The formation of Abeta in guinea pigs is perhaps not a short duration process and may undergo different metabolic pathway compare to humans.

CONCLUSION: castration was not associated with the formation of Abeta in the brain and kidneys during a 1-month period and might require a longer period of time....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2009; 30(Suppl 1): 225-229 PubMed PMID: 20027175 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Cyprinidae:blood, Endocrine Disruptors:toxicity, Estradiol:toxicity, Female, Male, Oocytes:drug effects, Ovary:drug effects, Sex Characteristics, Testis:drug effects, Testosterone:toxicity, Vitellogenins:blood,.   

OBJECTIVES: A controlled laboratory study was carried out to quantify vitellogenin (VTG) concentrations in a common cyprinid freshwater fish, the chub (Leuciscus cephalus L.), exposed to steroid hormones.

DESIGN: The effect of 17betaestradiol, testosterone and testosterone-estradiol mixture was investigated on vitellogenin induction. Gonad status was also determined.

RESULTS: Oral exposure to estradiol and a testosterone-estradiol mixture increased (p < 0.01) blood plasma concentrations of VTG in blood plasma of both sexes. The testosterone-estradiol mixture had a negative effect on the investigated chub gonads. The effects were signified by histological changes when compared to control fish.

CONCLUSION: Our results showed a significant VTG increase in blood plasma of both sexes, indicating that vitellogenic response in the chub is sensitive to steroid hormones....

Read abstract  Full text PDF