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Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (human + chorionic_gonadotropin)
Selected AbstractsFunctional reconstruction and synthetic mimicry of a conformational epitope using CLIPSÔ technology,JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 5 2007Peter Timmerman Abstract This paper describes immunization studies with CLIPS-constrained peptides covering only the major part (,3-loop) of a structurally complex antigenic site on human Follicle Stimulating Hormone , -subunit (FSH- ,). In cases where linear and SS-constrained peptides fail, the CLIPS-constrained peptides generate polyclonal antibodies with high neutralizing activity for hFSH. The sera were shown to be specific for hFSH over human Luteinizing Hormone (hLH) and human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). ELISA-competition studies and circular dichroism (CD)-measurements illustrate clearly that activity of the peptides in antibody binding and generation relates directly to precise and appropriate fixation of the peptide conformation. Design of the CLIPS-peptides was entirely based on epitope mapping studies with two neutralizing anti-hFSH mAbs. Both mAbs were shown to bind to a conformational epitope located at the top of the ,1,,3-loop covering the amino acid sequences Y58 -P77 (,3-loop). The results described in this paper show that CLIPS-constrained peptides covering the Y58 -P77 sequence provide the minimally required structural entity necessary to generate reproducibly sera with high hFSH-neutralizing activity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Mechanism of malsegregations at meiosis: premature centromere separation and precocious division in female Chinese hamsters stimulated with gonadotropic hormonesCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 3 2000Shin-ichi Sonta ABSTRACT, Using female Chinese hamsters stimulated with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), we investigated the influence of hormonal stimulation upon meiotic segregation in oocytes. In 1,576 oocytes ovulated spontaneously from 197 non-treated mature females, the number (percentage) of hyperhaploid oocytes with more than 12 (12,14) chromosomes was 16 (1.0%). These cells had no extra single chromatids, but all had extra chromosomes. Single chromatids were seen in 7 (0.4%) cells with a haploid chromosome set. On the other hand, a total of 1,329 and 1,198 second meiotic (MII) oocytes from 64 mature females and 61 immature females stimulated with PMSG and hCG, respectively, were subjected to chromosomal analysis. Single chromatids were seen in 34 (2.6%) and 62 (5.2%) of these oocytes, respectively. Since these chromatids were mostly paired and the sister chromatids existed near each other in many cells, they may have separated from some chromosomes of haploid cells. Compared with the non-treated females, the frequency of cells with single chromatids was significantly greater in oocytes from both mature and immature females stimulated with PMSG and hCG. The number (percentage) of hyperhaploid cells from mature and immature PMSG-hCG-stimulated females, respectively, was 15 (1.1%) and 14 (1.2%), which was not significantly greater than that in non-treated females. Most of these cells had extra whole chromosomes but one oocyte from mature females and one from immature females had an extra single chromatid. These findings indicate that such hormonal stimulation induces premature centromere separation in MII oocytes and precocious division at anaphase I, which can be assumed by the presence of MII cells with extra single chromatids. Considering that no or less hyperhaploid MII oocytes with an extra single chromatid were seen in oocytes from spontaneous ovulation and from artificial ovulation on hormonal stimulation, these findings suggest that the major mechanism of malsegregations at first meiotic (MI) division is not a precocious division but rather, errors such as nondisjunction of homologous chromosomes (dyads). [source] Sex differences in and hormonal regulation of Kv1 potassium channel gene expression in the electric organ: Molecular control of a social signalDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007W. Preston Few Abstract Electric fish communicate with electric organ (EO) discharges (EODs) that are sexually dimorphic, hormone-sensitive, and often individually distinct. The cells of the EO (electrocytes) of the weakly electric fish Sternopygus possess delayed rectifying K+ currents that systematically vary in their activation and deactivation kinetics, and this precise variation in K+ current kinetics helps shape sex and individual differences in the EOD. Because members of the Kv1 subfamily produce delayed rectifier currents, we cloned a number of genes in the Kv1 subfamily from the EO of Sternopygus. Using our sequences and those from genome databases, we found that in teleost fish Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 exist as duplicate pairs (Kv1.1a&b, Kv1.2a&b) whereas Kv1.3 does not. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR, we found that Kv1.1a and Kv1.2a, but not Kv1.2b, expression in the EO is higher in high EOD frequency females (which have fast EO K+ currents) than in low EOD frequency males (which have slow EO K+ currents). Systemic treatment with dihydrotestosterone decreased Kv1.1a and Kv1.2a, but not Kv1.2b, expression in the EO, whereas treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) increased Kv1.2a but not Kv1.1a or Kv1.2b expression in the EO. Thus, systematic variation in the ratios of Kv1 channels expressed in the EO is correlated with individual differences in and sexual dimorphism of a communication signal. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007 [source] Cerebral hemiatrophy with superficial siderosis and PLEDs due to a germ cell tumor of the basal gangliaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 8 2006N. Kumar The diagnosis of basal ganglia germ cell tumors may be delayed due to slow progression and minimal early changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The cystic nature of some tumors may lead to non-diagnostic biopsies. We describe the clinical, imaging, laboratory, and postmortem findings of a basal ganglia germ cell tumor in a 19-year-old man. Clues to an early antemortem diagnosis based on MRI findings and determination of tumor markers are discussed. An early diagnosis and accurate characterization of basal ganglia germ cell tumors is essential for optimal therapy. The presence of cerebral hemiatrophy and hemorrhagic or cystic components is suggestive. Measurement of serum and cerebrospinal fluid markers such as human chorionic gonadotropin may suggest the diagnosis. [source] Effects of supra-physiological changes in human ovarian hormone levels on maximum force production of the first dorsal interosseus muscleEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Kirsty Jayne Elliott The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supra-physiological changes in ovarian hormone levels on maximum force production in two conditions, one physiological (pregnancy) and one pseudo-physiological (in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment). Forty IVF patients were tested at four distinct stages of treatment and 35 women were tested during each trimester of pregnancy and following parturition. Maximum voluntary isometric force per unit cross-sectional area of the first dorsal interosseus muscle was measured. Plasma concentrations of total and bioavailable oestradiol and testosterone were measured, in addition to the total concentrations of progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin. Despite significant changes in the concentrations of total progesterone, 17,-oestradiol, bioavailable oestradiol and testosterone between phases, strength did not change significantly throughout IVF treatment (1.30 ± 0.29, 1.16 ± 0.38, 1.20 ± 0.29 and 1.26 ± 0.34 N mm,2, respectively, in the 4 phases of IVF treatment). Force production was significantly higher during the second trimester of pregnancy than following childbirth (1.33 ± 0.20 N mm,2 at week 12 of pregnancy, 1.51 ± 0.42 N mm,2 at week 20, 1.15 ± 0.26 N mm,2 at week 36 and 0.94 ± 0.31 N mm,2 at week 6 postnatal) but was not significantly correlated with any of the hormones measured. These data suggest that extreme changes in the concentrations of reproductive hormones do not affect the maximum force-generating capacity of young women. [source] Preoperative hCG, and CA 72-4 are prognostic factors in gastric cancerINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 6 2004Johanna Louhimo Abstract In gastric cancer, the role of tumour markers in assessment of prognosis is unconfirmed. In our study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of serum tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CA 242 and free , subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG,) in gastric cancer. Preoperative serum samples were obtained from 146 patients with gastric cancer, including 29 with stage I, 11 with stage II, 42 with stage III and 64 patients with stage IV cancer. Quantitation of CEA, CA 19-9, CA 72-4 and CA 242 in serum was performed with commercial assays. HCG, was measured with an in-house immunofluorometric assay based on monoclonal antibodies specific for the free ,-subunit of hCG. Survival analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier life-tables and log-rank test, and with multivariate Cox regression analysis. Disease-specific cumulative 2-year survival rate was 40%. Serum levels of CEA, CA 72-4, CA 242 and hCG, showed significant correlation with stage (p<0.027); for CA 19-9 the association was of borderline significance (p=0.056). Of the studied markers, CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CA 242 and hCG, were found to be prognostic factors in univariate analysis (p< 0.022). In multivariate analysis, stage had the statistically most significant association with prognosis followed by hCG,, tumour histology according to the Laurén classification and by CA 72-4. In gastric cancer, tumour markers hCG, and CA 72-4 are independent prognostic factors in addition to stage and histological type of the tumour. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Recent trends in the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndromeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 11 2007Bum Sik Hong Abstract: Testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is defined as a clinical and biochemical syndrome associated with advancing age and is characterized by typical symptoms and deficiency in serum testosterone levels. TDS is a result of the interaction of hypothalamo-pituitary and testicular factors. Now, treatment of TDS with testosterone is still controversial due to a lack of large, controlled clinical trials on efficacy. The risks of treatment with testosterone appear to be minimal, although long-term studies on the safety of testosterone therapy are lacking. The aim of the therapy is to establish a physiological concentration of serum testosterone in order to correct the androgen deficiency, relieve its symptoms and prevent long-term sequelae. All of the available products, despite their varying pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles, are able to reach this goal. Newer testosterone patches seem not to cause severe skin irritation. Testosterone gels minimize the skin irritation while providing flexibility in dosing and a low discontinuation rate. Oral testosterone undecanoate (TU) is free of liver toxicity. Recent formulation of oral TU markedly increased shelf-live, a major drawback in the older preparation. Producing swings in testosterone levels rising rapidly to the supraphysiological range is not the case with the new injectable long-acting preparation of TU. To be able to rapidly react and stop treatment in cases where side-effects and contraindications are detected, the short-acting transdermal and oral delivery modes have certain advantages. However, there is no evidence that the use of an injectable long-acting TU in men with TDS has limitations in clinical application for this reason. The use of dehydroepiandrosterone is still controversial because of a lack of well designed long-term trials, although some recent studies suggest positive effects on various body systems. Only a few studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in TDS with some positive results on various body systems. [source] Risk prediction for Down's syndrome in young pregnant women using maternal serum biomarkers: determination of cut-off risk from receiver operating characteristic curve analysisJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2007Hsiao-Lin Hwa MD PhD Abstract Objective, The aim of this study was to establish a predictive model for Down's syndrome using maternal age as well as maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and to identify an optimal cut-off risk in women under the age of 35 years to improve sensitivity. Methods, Logistic regression models were utilized to predict fetal Down's syndrome as a function of maternal age and logarithm of levels of AFP as well as hCG using training data of 20 pregnancies with fetal Down's syndrome and 9730 unaffected pregnancies. Validation was performed using data of another nine affected pregnancies and 3496 unaffected pregnancies. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. Results, Based on the newly established logistic regression equations, the optimal cut-off risk from the ROC curve analysis was at 1:499, with a 17.8% false-positive rate and a 90.0% sensitivity. A suboptimal cut-off risk was estimated at 1:332, with a 12.0% false-positive rate and an 80% sensitivity. Conclusion, A predictive model for Down's syndrome was developed using logistic regression. By ROC curve analysis and clinical consideration, the cut-off risk for young pregnant women could be determined. [source] Surgery-related shedding of breast cancer cells as determined by RT-PCR assayJOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Xi-Chun Hu MD Abstract Background and Objectives Surgery could result in the shedding of cancer cells into the circulation. These cells were investigated with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and ,-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (,-hCG). Patients and Methods Peripheral blood was sampled from 49 patients with breast cancer before operation (d,1), 1 day after operation (d1), and 7 days after operation (d7). Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, followed by RT-PCR assay. The products for ,-hCG were digested with Sty I endonuclease. The patients were followed up for a median of 33 months for signs of recurrence and metastasis. Results The results for CK19 at d,1, d1, and d7 were 8.2, 20.4, and 10.2%, respectively. For ,-hCG, the corresponding results were 12.2, 26.5, and 16.3%, respectively. There was a higher positive rate in d1 samples than in d,1 samples for CK19 and ,-hCG (P,<,0.05 and P,=,0.092, respectively). Conversions of signals from being negative to positive were found in all stages. These did not demonstrate a statistical correlation with prognostic factors associated with a poor prognosis. Only two of the five recurrence occurred in the 15 patients with the signal conversions, while the other three occurred in the patients showing no signals in all samples. Conclusions Cancerous breast cells that enter into the blood circulation as a result of an operation are unlikely to be involved in the formation of metastatic deposits. J. Surg. Oncol. 2003;82:228,232. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Regulation of prostaglandin synthesis in ovaries of sexually-mature zebrafish (Danio rerio)MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 11 2009Andrea L. Lister This study investigates the regulation of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in the ovaries of sexually-mature zebrafish (Danio rerio). We examined the ovarian expression of genes within the arachidonic acid (AA) pathway, and the ovarian levels of 17,,20,-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,,20,-P), 17,-estradiol (E2), and PGF2, in spawning and nonspawning fish during the ovulatory cycle. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cpla2) and cyclooxygenases (COX)-2 (ptgs2) in ovarian fragments and in isolated full-grown follicles of spawning fish were highest at 6:00 when ovulation was expected to occur. In nonspawning fish, cpla2 expression levels declined over time while ptgs2 expression displayed the same temporal pattern as in spawning fish. Elevated levels of 17,,20,-P in the spawning fish occurred at 3:30, but there were no changes in the nonspawning fish. In other studies conducted to investigate the hormonal regulation of AA pathway genes, fish exposed via the water for 24 or 96,hr to 17,,20,-P or E2 exhibited reduced ovarian expression levels of COX-1 (ptgs1) and PG E synthase-2 (ptgsl), and E2 reduced the expression of cpla2. Injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (100,IU) led to increased expression levels of cpla2 and ptgs2 at 2 and 18,hr post-treatment, but consistently reduced ptgs1 and ptgsl expression. In these fish, ovarian levels of 17,,20,-P were elevated at all time points and PGF2, levels in the hCG-treated group were significantly higher than the control fish at 18,hr. Collectively, these in vivo results suggest that gonadotropins and steroids are involved in the regulation of the AA pathway in ovarian follicles of zebrafish. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 1064,1075, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Impaired cytotrophoblast cell,cell fusion is associated with reduced Syncytin and increased apoptosis in patients with placental dysfunctionMOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2008Manuela Langbein Abstract Preeclampsia (PE), Hemolysis Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP)-syndrome, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are associated with abnormal placentation. In early pregnancy, placental cytotrophoblasts fuse and form multinuclear syncytiotrophoblasts. The envelope gene of the human endogenous retrovirus-W, Syncytin, is a key factor for mediating cell,cell fusion of cytotrophoblasts. This study investigated clinical parameters of PE and HELLP-associated IUGR and analyzed the cell,cell fusion index and ,-human chorionic gonadotropin (,-hCG) secretion of cytotrophoblasts isolated and cultured from placentas of these patients. In addition, we performed absolute quantitation of Syncytin and determined the apoptosis rate in both cultured cytotrophoblasts and placental tissues. Cultured cytotrophoblasts from PE and HELLP-associated IUGR correlated with a pronounced lower cell,cell fusion index, 1.8- and 3.6-fold; less nuclei per syncytiotrophoblast, 1.4- and 2.0-fold; a significantly decreased ,-hCG secretion, 4.3- and 17.2-fold and a reduction of Syncytin gene expression, 8.1 (P,=,0.019) and 222.7-fold (P,=,0.011) compared with controls, respectively. In contrast, a significantly 2.3-fold higher apoptosis rate was observed in cultured PE/IUGR cytotrophoblasts (P,=,0.043). Importantly, Syncytin gene expression in primary placental tissues of PE/IUGR was 5.4-fold lower (P,=,0.047) and in HELLP/IUGR 10.6-fold lower (P,=,0.019) along with a 1.8- and 1.9-fold significant increase in the apoptosis rate compared with controls, respectively. Low Syncytin expression in both cultured cytotrophoblasts and primary tissues from pathological placentas supports an intrinsic placenta-specific deregulation of cell,cell fusion in the formation of syncytiotrophoblasts leading to increased apoptosis. These processes could contribute to the development and severity of PE and HELLP-associated IUGR. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 175,183, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Induction of alpha-caveolin-1 (,CAV1) expression in bovine granulosa cells in response to an ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotropinMOLECULAR REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 11 2006Mame Nahé Diouf Abstract Caveolins are implicated in endocytosis, cholesterol trafficking and signal transduction. A cDNA fragment corresponding to caveolin-1 (CAV1) was identified in a mRNA profiling expression study in bovine granulosa cells (GC) following human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced ovulation. Thus, we have characterized CAV1 cDNA and studied its spatio-temporal expression pattern in bovine ovarian follicles. The full-length bovine ,CAV1 cDNA was cloned and encodes a putative 22 kDa protein. Expression of ,CAV1 was studied in bovine GC obtained from follicles at different developmental stages: small follicles (SF: 2,4 mm), dominant follicles (DF), ovulatory follicles (OF: 24 hr post-hCG), and corpus luteum (CL). Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis showed a 6.5-fold increase in ,CAV1 mRNA in GC of OF versus DF (P,<,0.0001), whereas CAV2 mRNA was increased by only twofold (P,<,0.0007). Temporal expression of ,CAV1 mRNA from OF recovered at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hr after hCG injection showed an 8.5-fold increase of ,CAV1 mRNA after 24 hr compared to 0 hr (P,<,0.0018) whereas no significant variation was detected for CAV2. Immunoblot demonstrated an initial increase in ,CAV1 protein level 12 hr post-hCG, reaching a maximum at 24 hr. Immunohistochemical localization of CAV1 was observed in GC of OF isolated 18 and 24 hr after hCG injection, whereas no signal was detected in GC of DF and SF. The induction of ,CAV1 in GC of OF suggests that ,CAV1 likely contributes to control the increase in membrane signaling that occurs at the time of ovulation and luteinization. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 73: 1353,1360, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor of the uterus: Cytological and immunohistochemical observation of a casePATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2002Seiryu Kamoi Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a new entity of trophoblastic tumor and 14 such cases were reported by Shih and Kurman in 1998. However, only three subsequent cases supporting ETT have been reported. Recently, we experienced a case of ETT in a 37-year-old woman whose preoperative endometrial brushings showed atypical mononucleate giant cells and who underwent hysterectomy with the diagnosis of a uterine fibroid. The specimens revealed a 2.5 × 3.0 cm yellow,tan intramural nodule located in the lower uterine segment, which was composed of a neoplastic proliferation of intermediate trophoblasts in epithelioid arrangements. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for cytokeratin and inhibin- ,, and focally positive for human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen. She presented an uneventful clinical course as of September 2001. [source] Effect of adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf.) hull extracts on testosterone release from rat Leydig cellsPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009Shih-Min Hsia Abstract Adlay has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of many diseases. However, few studies have reported the effects of adlay seeds on the endocrine system. In the present study, the effects of methanol extracts of adlay hull (AHM) on testosterone synthesis were studied. Rat Leydig cells were incubated with different reagents including human chorionic gonadotropin, 8-bromo-adenosine-3,,5,-cyclic monophosphate, forskolin, A23187, progesterone and androstenedione in the presence or absence of AHM. The rat anterior pituitary (AP) gland was treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in vitro in the presence or absence of AHM, and the concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the media were measured. AHM decreased testosterone release via the inhibition of (1) the PKA and PKC signal transduction pathways, (2) 17, -HSD enzyme activity in rat Leydig cells, and (3) in vitro GnRH-induced LH secretion. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Recombinant anti-hCG antibodies retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of transformed plants lack core-xylose and core-,(1,3)-fucose residuesPLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2004Rajan Sriraman Summary Plant-based expression systems are attractive for the large-scale production of pharmaceutical proteins. However, glycoproteins require particular attention as inherent differences in the N-glycosylation pathways of plants and mammals result in the production of glycoproteins bearing core-xylose and core-,(1,3)-fucose glyco-epitopes. For treatments requiring large quantities of repeatedly administered glycoproteins, the immunological properties of these non-mammalian glycans are a concern. Recombinant glycoproteins could be retained within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to prevent such glycan modifications occurring in the late Golgi compartment. Therefore, we analysed cPIPP, a mouse/human chimeric IgG1 antibody binding to the ,-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), fused to a C-terminal KDEL sequence, to investigate the efficiency of ER retrieval and the consequences in terms of N-glycosylation. The KDEL-tagged cPIPP antibody was expressed in transgenic tobacco plants or Agrobacterium -infiltrated tobacco and winter cherry leaves. N-Glycan analysis showed that the resulting plantibodies contained only high-mannose (Man)-type Man-6 to Man-9 oligosaccharides. In contrast, the cPIPP antibody lacking the KDEL sequence was found to carry complex N-glycans containing core-xylose and core-,(1,3)-fucose, thereby demonstrating the secretion competence of the antibody. Furthermore, fusion of KDEL to the diabody derivative of PIPP, which contains an N-glycosylation site within the heavy chain variable domain, also resulted in a molecule lacking complex glycans. The complete absence of xylose and fucose residues clearly shows that the KDEL-mediated ER retrieval of cPIPP or its diabody derivative is efficient in preventing the formation of non-mammalian complex oligosaccharides. [source] Population screening for fetal trisomy 21: easy access to screening should be balanced against a uniform ultrasound protocolPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 11 2005Wilfried J. A. Gyselaers Abstract Objectives To evaluate the performance of a first-trimester fetal aneuploidy screening program, with a documented underestimation of nuchal translucency thickness measurements (NT) compared to the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) reference range. Methods We analysed the data of Algemeen Medisch Laboratorium (AML) in Antwerp, Belgium, on combined screening with pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), free ,-human chorionic gonadotropin (FB-hCG) and NT. NT-multiples of the median (MoM), relative to the FMF reference range, were used for risk calculations. Results The proportion of first-trimester screening tests in the total of serum screening tests increased from 1.3% (125/9424) in 2000 to 53.1% (6577/12 377) in 2003. Only 11.4% (1514/13 267) of NT measurements were performed according to FMF criteria. The 80.8% (21/26) trisomy 21 (T21) detection rate (DR) at cut off 1:300 resulted from maternal serum screening. NT measurements did not add to this DR, but reduced the false-positive rate from 16.8% (2212/13181) to 8.6% (1130/13181). Only 23.8% (5/21) of T21 detections were by FMF trainees. Conclusion Easy access to screening and maternal serum parameters accounted for the majority of T21 detections in our first-trimester combined screening program. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Maternal serum,integrated screening for trisomy 18 using both first- and second-trimester markersPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 3 2003Glenn E. Palomaki Abstract Objectives To estimate the prenatal screening performance of an integrated serum test for detecting trisomy 18, which combines measurements of first- and second-trimester markers with maternal age to assign patient-specific risks. Methods Published and new observations of maternal serum marker levels in trisomy 18 and unaffected pregnancies are used to derive population parameters. These parameters are then combined in a multivariate Gaussian model to assign patient-specific risks for trisomy 18. Results The best combination of serum markers includes pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in the first trimester and alpha-fetoprotein, unconjugated estriol and human chorionic gonadotropin in the second trimester. At a second-trimester risk cutoff of 1 : 100, these 4 markers, in combination with maternal age, detect 90% of trisomy 18 pregnancies at a false-positive rate of 0.1%. The odds of a trisomy 18 pregnancy among screen-positive women are 1 : 4. Without the first-trimester marker, detection is reduced to 67% at about the same false-positive rate. Conclusion The algorithm described here is highly efficient for detecting trisomy 18 and should be considered by programs that offer serum-integrated screening for Down syndrome. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Litter Size and Vagina,cervix Catheter Penetration Length in GiltsREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 6 2001S Martín Rillo As in other species, the reproductive tract in pigs increases in size with age and body weight, and the development of the reproductive tract depends on a balance between development of the pituitary,ovarian axis and the influence of metabolic hormones. Two experiments were conducted in prepubertal Duroc gilts, 150,180 days of age, to determine whether litter size is related to vaginal,cervix catheter penetration length during insemination. In experiment 1, oestrus was induced in 452 gilts with a combined dose of 400 IU Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophine (PMSG) + 200 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The gilts were classified into three catheter penetration length groups: Ih, , 21 cm; IIh, > 21 and < 28 cm; IIIh, > 28 cm. The litter size was lowest in group Ih (7.35 ± 0.15) compared with groups IIh (7.81 ± 0.12; p < 0.05) and IIIh (10.0 ± 0.36; p < 0.001). In experiment 2, first oestrus was induced in 162 gilts by boar exposure. The gilts were classified into three catheter penetration length groups at insemination during their second oestrus: In, , 24 cm; IIn, > 24 and < 26 cm; IIIn, > 26 cm. As in experiment 1, the litter size was lowest in the group with the shortest catheter penetration length (8.32 ± 0.19). The litter size was not different among gilts of groups IIn and IIIn (8.84 ± 0.35 and 9.56 ± 0.46, respectively), but litter size was lower (p < 0.05) in group In than in group IIn. Based on the combined data from both experiments, the correlation between the catheter penetration length and total number of piglets born was expressed as: y=5.346 ± 0.104x; r=0.361 (p < 0.05). Fertility rate was not different among the groups of gilts induced into oestrus by hormone treatment or inseminated in the second oestrus; however, the total fertility rate of boar-exposed gilts was higher (p < 0.0001) than PMSG/hCG treated animals. Thus, it is possible to conclude that litter size at first farrowing is associated with vaginal,cervix catheter penetration length during insemination of the gilt. [source] Breast Carcinomas With Choriocarcinomatous Features: Case Reports and Review of the LiteratureTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 4 2002Yildiz Erhan MD Breast cancer with choriocarcinomatous features is rare. This report describes four cases of breast cancer with choriocarcinomatous features. The tumor cells were positive for human placental lactogen (hPL) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) by immunohistochemistry. The cases reported in the literature had a poor prognosis and the patients died within a few months after the diagnosis. In this series, two cases were lost to follow-up, but the other two have had disease-free survival for 2 and 4 years, respectively. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Impact of Female Sex Hormones on the Maturation and Function of Human Dendritic CellsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Sabine E. Segerer Problem, During pregnancy, the immune and the endocrine system cooperate to ensure that the fetal allograft develops without eliciting a maternal immune response. This is presumably in part achieved by dendritic cells (DCs) that play a dominant role in maintaining peripheral tolerance. In this study, we investigated whether female sex hormones, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), progesterone (Prog), and estradiol (E2), which are highly elevated during pregnancy, induce the differentiation of DCs into a tolerance-inducing phenotype. Methods/Results, Immature DCs were generated from blood-derived monocytes and differentiated in the presence of hCG, Prog, E2, or Dexamethasone (Dex) as a control. Unlike Dex, female sex hormones did not prevent the upregulation of surface markers characteristic for mature DCs, such as CD40, CD83, and CD86, except for hCG, which inhibited HLA-DR expression. Similarly, hCG, Prog, and E2 had any impact on neither the rearrangement of the F-actin cytoskeleton nor the enhanced chemokine secretion following DC maturation, both of which were strongly altered by Dex. Nevertheless, the T-cell stimulatory capacity of DCs was significantly reduced after hCG and E2 exposure. Conclusion, Our findings suggest that the female sex hormones hCG and E2 inhibit the T-cell stimulatory capacity of DCs, which may help in preventing an allogenic T-cell response against the embryo. [source] SHORT COMMUNICATION: Interleukin-17 Increased Progesterone Secretion by JEG-3 Human Choriocarcinoma CellsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Sutatip Pongcharoen Problem, JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cell line has previously been reported to express a receptor for interleukin (IL)-17. The involvement of IL-17 in the production of progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin by placental trophoblast has not been investigated. Method of study, The present study investigated the in vitro effect of IL-17 on progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) secretion by JEG-3 cells. Both hormones were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results, The results showed that IL-17 significantly increased progesterone secretion at 6 (P < 0.001) and 24 (P < 0.01) hr, while this cytokine had no effect on hCG secretion. Conclusion, Interleukin-17 may regulate the function of JEG-3 cells through increased progesterone secretion. [source] Effect of partial or total replacement of forage fish by a dry diet on the quality of reproduction in pikeperch, Sander luciopercaAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009Neil Wang Abstract The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the influence of different feeding regimes on the quality of reproduction in pikeperch. Three diets were tested: forage fish (FF), a commercial dry feed (DD) and a mix of both (FD). The diets were given to fish throughout a complete reproductive cycle. During the spawning season, couples were injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and let to spawn on nests. Proportion of running males, spawning and hatching success and larval quality (weight, length, body protein, total lipid, fatty acid and lipid class compositions and resistances to osmotic shock and starvation stress tests at hatching) were evaluated. The proportion of running male was lower in the DD group than in the FF and FD groups (54% for DD against 76,89% for FF and FD). In addition, 25%, 62.5% and 75% of injected couples gave spawning that hatched in DD, FF and FD groups respectively. Larval quality parameters were not significantly different between treatments. The results indicate that overall quality of reproduction was higher in FF and FD treatments than in DD. It suggests that the dry feed used was not totally adequate for pikeperch reproduction. Relations between breeder reproductive performances and the feed compositions are discussed. [source] Increase in milt production by hormonal treatment in the pejerrey fish Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes 1835)AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 15 2005Leandro A Miranda Abstract In spite of interest in the cultivation of the pejerrey fish Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes 1835), there are few studies on subjects required to advance this activity. One of the problems is the synchronization of female and male maturation to provide eggs and sperm for larval production. The low volume of expressible milt, either in wild or culture fish, is a major problem. The aim of this work was to study the effectiveness of the administration of different hormones on sperm production in pejerrey. Milt production was enhanced by the injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (16.7-fold increase, 625 IU kg,1), carp pituitary extracts (13.5-fold increase, 30 mg kg,1), salmon pituitary extracts (12.8-fold increase, 30 mg kg,1), salmon-type gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH) (16.7-fold increase, 10 ,g kg,1) and mammalian-type GnRH analogue (10.8-fold increase, 20 ,g kg,1). Sperm concentration, motility and the fertilization rate were not statistically different compared with control groups. It was also demonstrated that sperm could be obtained off-season. Taken together, hCG is recommended to stimulate pejerrey spermiation because it is effective in low doses is inexpensive and is widely available. [source] Effect of different methods for the induction of spermiation on semen quality in European eelAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 15 2005Juan F Asturiano Abstract Five hormonal treatments with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were tested for the induction of maturation and spermiation in male farmed eels. The main aim was to optimize previously used hormonal treatments to achieve shorter induction treatments, longer spermiation periods and/or higher sperm quality. Fish treated for just 3 weeks (treatment E) or until the onset of spermiation (treatment C) showed the worst results, while the treatment consisting of weekly administration of 1.5 IU hCG g,1 fish (treatment A) induced the highest percentage of spermiating males, the highest number of sperm samples and sperm volumes and densities similar to the rest of the treatments (B: half hormone dosage, or D: biweekly administration). Evaluation of the sperm quality was performed by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), considering the percentage of total motile spermatozoa, the percentage of fast and medium-velocity spermatozoa, as well as different motility parameters. Sperm samples from A-D groups showed between 44% and 54% motile spermatozoa, and between 10% and 15% fast spermatozoa, while samples from E-treated males showed 0% motile cells. No significant differences were found in the spermatozoa straight line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL) or the angular velocity (VAP), neither spermatozoa beating cross frequency (BCF) between A,D groups. [source] Capture and handling stress affects the endocrine and ovulatory response to exogenous hormone treatment in snapper, Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider)AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 11 2002J J Cleary Abstract Sexually mature female hatchery-reared snapper, Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider) were captured from sea cages by handline and injected at first capture (control) or 24 h after capture, transport and subsequent confinement (delayed injection) with either saline, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue, human chorionic gonadotropin, or 17,-hydroxyprogesterone. Blood was sampled before hormone treatment and again after 168 h, and fish were checked daily for ovulation. Plasma levels of 17,-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), 17,, 20, dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17, 20,P) and cortisol were determined by radioimmunoassay. The ovulatory response was assessed from the proportion of fish ovulating, ovulation volume, egg quality and fertility. A delay in injection resulted in significantly lower plasma E2 and T levels in response to hormone treatment, smaller ovulation volumes, and poorer egg quality than in control fish. The results are consistent with the generally inhibitory effects of stress on reproduction in fish, and confirm the requirement to treat fish with hormones designed to induce ovulation, as soon as possible after capture and disturbance. [source] | |||||||||||||