Cryptococcal prostatitis in an immunocompromised patient with tocilizumab and glucocorticoid therapy: A case report.

Cryptococcus prostatitis is an uncommon manifestation of cryptococcal infection that occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients. Tocilizumab, an anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, has been associated with an increased risk of cryptococcal infections. However, there have been no documented cases of cryptococcal prostatitis in patients receiving tocilizumab therapy.

Trends of correlations between serum levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I in general practice.

Serum levels of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I are crucial in the diagnosis and management of GH-related diseases. However, these levels are affected by nutritional and metabolic status. To elucidate the correlations between GH and IGF-I in various conditions, a retrospective analysis was performed for adult patients in which GH levels were examined by general practitioners during the period from January 2019 to December 2021.

Functional interaction of Clock genes and bone morphogenetic proteins in the adrenal cortex.

The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) system in the adrenal cortex plays modulatory roles in the control of adrenocortical steroidogenesis. BMP-6 enhances aldosterone production by modulating angiotensin (Ang) II-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, whereas activin regulates the adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-cAMP cascade in adrenocortical cells. A peripheral clock system in the adrenal cortex was discovered and it has been shown to have functional roles in the adjustment of adrenocortical steroidogenesis by interacting with the BMP system.

Interaction of Orexin and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in Steroidogenesis by Human Adrenocortical Cells.

Orexins are neuropeptides that play important roles in sleep-wake regulation and food intake in the central nervous system, but their receptors are also expressed in peripheral tissues, including the endocrine system. In the present study, we investigated the functions of orexin in adrenal steroidogenesis using human adrenocortical H295R cells by focusing on its interaction with adrenocortical bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) that induce adrenocortical steroidogenesis. Treatment with orexin A increased the mRNA levels of steroidogenic enzymes including StAR, CYP11B2, CYP17, and HSD3B1, and these effects of orexin A were further enhanced in the presence of forskolin.

Oxytocin enhances progesterone production with upregulation of BMP-15 activity by granulosa cells.

To elucidate the reproductive role of oxytocin (OXT) in ovarian steroidogenesis and its functional interaction with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), the effects of OXT on ovarian steroidogenesis were investigated by utilizing primary culture of rat granulosa cells and human granulosa KGN cells. Here we revealed that the OXT receptor was expressed in both rat and human granulosa cells and that OXT treatment significantly increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)- and forskolin (FSK)-induced progesterone production, but not estradiol production, by rat and human granulosa cells, respectively. In accordance with the effects of OXT on progesterone production, OXT enhanced mRNA expression of CYP11A1 and HSD3B2 induced by FSK in human granulosa cells.

Acute Hemorrhagic Rectal Ulcer Complicated by Cytomegalovirus Enteritis following Steroid Pulse Therapy for Acute Exacerbation of Interstitial Pneumonia.

We herein report a rare case of acute hemorrhagic rectal ulcer (AHRU) complicated by cytomegalovirus enteritis following steroid pulse therapy for interstitial pneumonia. An 86-year-old woman underwent steroid pulse therapy for interstitial pneumonia. She was bedridden with dyspnea and suddenly developed melena.

Biphasic Roles of Clock Genes and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in Gonadotropin Expression by Mouse Gonadotrope Cells.

Roles of Clock genes and the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) system in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were investigated using mouse gonadotropin LβT2 cells. It was found that luteinizing hormone (LH)β mRNA expression level in LβT2 cells changed gradually over time, with LHβ expression being suppressed in the early phase up to 12 h and then elevated in the late phase 24 h after GnRH stimulation. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of Clock genes, including Bmal1, Clock, Per2, and Cry1, also showed temporal changes mimicking the pattern of LHβ expression in the presence and absence of GnRH.

Roles of NR5A1 and NR5A2 in the regulation of steroidogenesis by Clock gene and bone morphogenetic proteins by human granulosa cells.

The functional role of the transcription factors NR5A1 and NR5A2 and their interaction with Clock gene and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were investigated in human granulosa KGN cells. Treatment with BMP-15 and GDF-9 suppressed forskolin (FSK)-induced steroidogenesis as shown by the mRNA expression levels of StAR and P450scc but not the mRNA expression level of P450arom. Of interest, treatment with BMP-15 and GDF-9 also suppressed FSK-induced NR5A2 mRNA expression.

Involvement of clock gene expression, bone morphogenetic protein and activin in adrenocortical steroidogenesis by human H295R cells.

Functional interactions between the levels of clock gene expression and adrenal steroidogenesis were studied in human adrenocortical H295R cells. Fluctuations of Bmal1, Clock, Per2 and Cry1 mRNA levels were found in H295R cells treated with forskolin (FSK) in a serum-free condition. The changes of clock gene expression levels were diverged, with Clock mRNA level being significantly higher than Cry1 and Per2 mRNA levels after 12-h stimulation with FSK.