Expression of erythropoietin messenger ribonucleic acid in wild-type MED12 uterine leiomyomas under estrogenic influence: new insights into related growth disparities.

Objective: To determine factors that impact erythropoietin (EPO) production in leiomyomas. We have previously implicated EPO production in promoting the growth of some leiomyomas.

Design: The relationship between EPO messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and MED12 gene mutations or mRNA expression levels of high-mobility group AT-hook (HMGA) 1 and HMGA2 were analyzed.

CYP17 and COMT gene polymorphisms can influence bone directly, or indirectly through their effects on endogenous sex steroids, in postmenopausal Japanese women.

We aimed to assess whether circulating sex steroids would influence bone density and bone loss, whether part of this influence could be explained by genetic variation measured as polymorphisms in candidate genes affecting circulating hormone levels, or whether gene polymorphisms would have direct effects on bone in 229 postmenopausal Japanese women aged 46 years and over who had been followed for eight years (Yokohama Cohort). Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine (L), femoral neck (FN), total hip (T) and distal radius (R) was measured every year, and endogenous sex steroid levels were determined at the start of the study. We investigated the polymorphisms of estrogen-metabolizing enzyme gene, CYP17; estrogen biosynthesis (high activity, A2/A2), CYP1A1; hydroxylation (high inducibility, vt/vt) and COMT; inactivation (low activity, L/L) with PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assays.

GnRH antagonist-induced down-regulation of the mRNA expression of pituitary receptors: comparisons with GnRH agonist effects.

In order to compare the mechanism for the down regulation of the mRNA expression of pituitary receptors induced by GnRH antagonist (GnRHant) to that by GnRH agonist (GnRHa), we examined the effects of GnRHant (Cetrorelix, 333 mug/kg/day), GnRHa (leuprolide depot, 333 microg/kg), and GnRHant combined with GnRHa on LH response to exogenous GnRH, pituitary LH content, LH beta subunit mRNA, and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) mRNA levels at 2, 5, 24, 72 hours, and 7 days after the treatment in ovariectomized rats. GnRHant significantly decreased serum LH, the LH response of the pituitary to exogenous GnRH, and the pituitary LH content compared to the control treatment, though GnRHa significantly increased serum LH. GnRHant with GnRHa significantly diminished the GnRHa-induced flare-up phenomenon.

Estrogen-metabolizing gene polymorphisms, but not estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphisms, are associated with the onset of menarche in healthy postmenopausal Japanese women.

Both onset and cessation of menstruation have strong genetic inclination. We aimed to identify genetic factors influencing the onset of menarche and natural menopause in a Japanese population by investigating the polymorphisms of estrogen receptor-alpha and estrogen-metabolizing enzyme genes. Three hundred seventeen postmenopausal Japanese women, aged 46 yr and over, were enrolled in this study under informed consent.