BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF ESTROGENS IN NON-REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS.

Biochemical processes initiated by estrogenic hormones in the organs which are not directly related to reproduction were described in the survey on the basis of literature and the authors' own studies. The importance of these compounds in the regulation of fundamental biological processes has been established in the last decades. The biochemical mechanisms of realization of estrogen effects may be considered as potential links of pathogenesis for a number of diseases and as targets of their therapy.

Effect of ions of potassium and lithium on NO synthase expression in the human adrenal cortex.

The expression of endothelial and inducible NO synthase in the human adrenal glands was studied under a change in the concentration of K(+), which plays a regulatory role in aldosterone secretion. K(+) ions stimulated the expression of both isoforms of NO synthase in the human adrenal cortex. A stimulatory effect of K(+) on NO synthase is probably related to activation of the calmodulin system and potassium-induced translocation of protein kinase C.

Effect of o,p'-DDD and Li+ on apoptotic DNA fragmentation in conventionally normal and tumour tissues of human adrenal cortex.

The actions of 1-(o-chlorophenyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethane (o,p'-DDD), potassium and lithium ions upon apoptotic processes in conventionally normal and tumour tissues of human adrenal cortex were studied. There was no effect of K+ on the apoptosis in tumour tissue. o,p'-DDD--the specific drug for conservative therapy of adrenocortical cancer--enhanced the apoptotic DNA fragmentation in all tested tissues.

[Effect of 17beta-estradiol on content of cyclic nucleotides and protein kinases A and C activity in human adrenal cortex].

The influence of 17beta-estradiol on cAMP and cGMP levels, protein kinases A and C activityand corticosteroids secretion was investigated in postoperative human adrenal cortex tissue. cAMP accumulation in adrenocorticocytes increased uiider the influence of 17beta-estradiol. In vitro estradiol raised the activities of protein kinases A and C in membrane fraction of adrenal cortex tissue.

Incorporation of labelled N-acylethanolamine (NAE) into rat brain regions in vivo and adaptive properties of saturated NAE under x-ray irradiation.

Regional distribution of exogenous N-palmitoylethanolamine in the rat brain was investigated in the study. Possible protective and adaptive effect of N-stearoylethanolamine under 2 Gy whole-body X-irradiation and changes of brain lipid composition were also studied. It was found that after per os administration to rats N-([9,10-3H]-palmitoyl)-ethanolamine was primarily accumulated in hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands and the label amount in brain was 0.