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Serum Hormone Levels (serum + hormone_level)
Selected AbstractsPRECLINICAL STUDY: Changes in leptin, ghrelin, growth hormone and neuropeptide-Y after an acute model of MDMA and methamphetamine exposure in ratsADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Firas H. Kobeissy ABSTRACT Club drug abuse is a growing problem in the United States. Beyond addiction and toxicity are endocrine effects which are not well characterized. Specifically, the changes in appetite following exposure to drugs of abuse are an interesting but poorly understood phenomenon. Serum hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, growth hormone (GH), and neuropeptide-Y (NP-Y) are known to affect appetite, but have not been studied extensively with drugs of abuse. In this work, we examine the effects of club drugs 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (ecstasy) and methamphetamine (METH) (doses of 5, 20 and 40 mg/kg) on serum concentrations of these hormones in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after drug administration. In a dose-dependent manner, MDMA was shown to cause transient significant decreases in serum leptin and GH followed by a base line recovery after 24 hours. Conversely, serum ghrelin increased and normalized after 24 hours. Interestingly, serum NP-Y showed a steady decrease in both treatment of MDMA and METH at different time points and dosages. In humans, abuse of these drugs reduces eating. As evident from these data, acute administration of METH and MDMA had significant effects on different serum hormone levels involved in appetite regulation. Future studies should be performed to see how chronic, low dose drug administration would affect hormone levels and try to answer questions about the physiological mechanisms involved in the anorexic paradigm observed in drug use. [source] Role of transcription factors Ad4bp/SF-1 and DAX-1 in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in human testicular development and idiopathic azoospermiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 6 2006YOSHIYUKI KOJIMA Background:, Ad4bp/SF-1 and DAX-1 are orphan members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of transcription factors. In order to obtain better understandings of human testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis, we examined the expression levels of both factors in human normal and idiopathic azoospermic testes and investigated their physical meaning. Methods:, First, we examined the expression level of Ad4bp/SF-1 and DAX-1 by quantitative reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction (RT,PCR), immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis using eight normal human testicular tissues from infants to adults. Second, we performed quantitative RT,PCR using testicular biopsy samples obtained from 22 idiopathic azoospermic patients to examine the expression of Ad4bp/SF-1 and DAX-1, and analysed the correlation between the expression levels of both factors and the serum hormone levels or histological evaluation to study their potential correlation with steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis on idiopathic azoospermia. Results:, The expression levels of both factors in the normal testes increased with testicular development. Ad4bp/SF-1 was abundantly expressed in Leydig cell, whereas DAX-1 was expressed in Sertoli cells. The expression level of Ad4bp/SF-1 in idiopathic azoospermic patients testes positively correlated with serum testosterone (P < 0.05). The average expression levels of DAX-1 mRNA for patients with maturation arrest (0.39 ± 0.19) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (0.13 ± 0.08) were lower than that with hypospermatogenesis (1.60 ± 1.32) and normal spermatogenesis (1.30 ± 1.41). Conclusion:, Ad4bp/SF-1 is important for the maintenance of steroidogenesis in the human testis. DAX-1 plays a critical role in spermatogenesis in the human testis, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome and maturation arrest may result from abnormal Sertoli cell function that disrupts the normal progression of spermatogenesis. [source] Effectiveness of microlaparoscopy in the diagnosis of premature ovarian failureJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2006Noriko Abe Abstract Aim: Premature ovarian failure (POF) cases contain a mixture of cases possessing follicles (type A) and those depleted of follicles (type B). Differentiation between the two types is important because the treatment policy and pregnancy prognosis vary greatly. The objective of this study was to examine the usefulness of microlaparoscopy in the differentiation of types A and B. Methods: Among 66 patient with POF diagnosed at our department between May 1996 and April 2004, 47 patients who gave informed consent and underwent microlaparoscopy were studied. The cases were divided into four groups based on the laparoscopic ovarian morphology. These groups were analyzed with respect to patient background, blood hormone levels, antinuclear antibody positive rate, visualization of the ovary on transvaginal ultrasonography, presence or absence of follicles in biopsy specimen, and number of follicles. Result: No significant differences in patient background and serum hormone levels were observed between groups. There was a tendency of increase in antinuclear antibody positive rate, increase in proportion of cases with follicles, and increase in number of follicles as the ovarian morphology approached normal. Transvaginal ultrasonography failed to identify the ovary in all the patients. Conclusion: Microlaparoscopy is useful in the differentiation between type A and B POF, and is further expected to become an indicator of response to treatment. [source] Absolute serum hormone levels predict the magnitude of change in anterior knee laxity across the menstrual cycleJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006Sandra J. Shultz Abstract This study aimed to determine whether absolute sex hormone concentrations predict the magnitude of knee joint laxity changes across the menstrual cycle. Twenty-two females (18,30 years, body mass index ,30), who reported normal menstrual cycles for the previous 6 months were tested daily across one complete menstrual cycle for serum levels of estradiol (E,=,pg/mL), progesterone (P,=,ng/mL), and testosterone (T,=,ng/dL), and knee joint laxity (KLax,=,mm displacement at 134N) measured with a standard knee arthrometer. The change in KLax across the cycle (maximum,minimum), and minimum (early follicular) and peak (postovulatory) hormone concentrations were recorded for each subject. A stepwise linear regression determined if the minimum, peak, or absolute change in hormone concentrations would predict the magnitude of change in KLax across the cycle. KLax changed on average 3.2,±,1.1 mm across the menstrual cycle (range, 1.5,5.3 mm). Minimum levels of E (39.9,±,11.8 pg/mL) and P (0.61,±,0.27 ng/mL), coupled with peak concentrations of E (199.6,±,54.9 pg/mL) and T (22.5,±,10.5 ng/dL) explained 57.6% of the change in KLax across the cycle. Greater absolute changes in KLax were observed in response to peak E and T levels when minimum E concentrations were lower and minimum P concentrations were higher in the early follicular phase. The absolute minimum concentrations of E and P in the early follicular phase appear to be important factors in determining the sensitivity of the knee joint's response to changing hormone levels. © 2005 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res [source] Short-Term Alcohol Administration Alters KiSS-1 Gene Expression in the Reproductive Hypothalamus of Prepubertal Female RatsALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009Vinod K. Srivastava Background:, Kisspeptins bind to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPR54) to activate hypothalamic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) secretion at the time of puberty. Alcohol (ALC) causes depressed prepubertal LHRH release, resulting in depressed luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and delayed puberty. Because KiSS-1 and GPR54 are important to the onset of puberty, we assessed the effects of chronic ALC administration on basal expression of these puberty-related genes within the reproductive hypothalamus, as well as hormones and transduction signaling pathways contributing to their activity. Methods:, Immature female rats were fed a liquid diet containing ALC for 6 days beginning when 27 days old. Controls received either companion isocaloric liquid diet or rat chow and water. Animals were decapitated on day 33, in the late juvenile stage of development. Blood was collected for the assessment of serum hormone levels. Brain tissues containing the anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) and arcuate (ARC) nuclei were obtained for assessing expression of specific puberty-related genes and proteins. Results:,KiSS-1 mRNA levels in the AVPV and ARC nuclei were suppressed (p < 0.001) in the ALC-treated rats. GPR54 gene and protein expressions were both modestly increased (p < 0.05) in AVPV nucleus, but not in ARC nucleus. Alcohol exposure also resulted in suppressed serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), LH, and estradiol (E2). As IGF-1, in the presence of E2, can induce expression of the KiSS-1 gene, we assessed the potential for ALC to alter IGF-1 signaling in the reproductive hypothalamus. IGF-1 receptor gene and protein expressions were not altered. However, protein expression of phosphorylated Akt, a transduction signal used by IGF-1, was suppressed in the AVPV (p < 0.05) and ARC (p < 0.01) nuclei. Conclusions:, Alcohol causes suppressed KiSS-1 gene expression in the reproductive hypothalamus; hence, contributing to this drug's ability to cause suppressed LHRH secretion and disruption of the pubertal process. We suggest that this action, at least in part, is through altered IGF-1 signaling. [source] Serum concentrations of 17,-E2 and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD) in relation to all-cause mortality in older men , the MINOS studyCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Pawel Szulc Summary Objective, To examine the association of serum hormone levels with all-cause mortality in older community-dwelling men. Design, Single centre cohort study. Subjects, Men aged 50 and older, insured by Société de Secours Minière de Bourgogne (Montceau les Mines, France). Among 3400 men invited to participate, 782 volunteers had serum hormone measurements and were followed up for 10 years. No exclusion criteria were used. Results, Nonsurvivors (n = 182) were older, had more comorbidities and lower physical performance. The lowest quartile of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD) level predicted mortality [HR = 1·44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1·03,2·03, P < 0·05] regardless of age, BMI, smoking, physical activity, vitamin D supplementation, and health status; mainly for the first 3 years. The 17,-E2 level predicted mortality independent of confounders after the third year (HR = 1·21 per 1 SD increase, 95% CI: 1·09,1·35, P < 0·001). In the fully adjusted models, risk of death increased per quartiles of 17,-E2 (trend ,P < 0·001) and was higher in the third and the fourth quartiles compared with the lowest quartile (HR = 1·80, 95% CI: 1·09,2·98, P < 0·05 and HR = 2·83, 95% CI: 1·71,4·67, P < 0·001). Concentrations of testosterone and PTH did not predict mortality independent of the model. Conclusions, In older men, increased 17,-E2 level predicted mortality after 3 years of follow-up. Thus, high 17,-E2 level may reflect presence of risk factors precipitating development of diseases. Low 25OHD level predicted mortality more weakly, mainly for the first 3 years of the follow-up, and was strongly influenced by the confounding variables. Thus, low 25OHD level may reflect poor current health status and unhealthy lifestyle. [source] | |||||||||||||