Effect of ovariectomy in heart failure-prone SHHF/Mcc-facp rats.

The importance of the loss of ovarian function to the progression of hypertension and heart disease in women is controversial. We investigated whether ovariectomy would accelerate development of hypertension, congestive heart failure, and neurohumoral activation in adult spontaneous hypertension heart failure (SHHF) rats, a genetic model of heart failure. Six months after ovariectomy, no significant differences between control and ovariectomized rats were seen in systolic or diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular fractional shortening by echocardiography, or heart weight.

17 beta-estradiol treatment increases the levels of estrogen receptor and its mRNA in male rat liver.

This study examined estrogen receptor dynamics in the livers of male obese rats (SHHF/Mcc-cp) treated for two weeks with a continuous, low dose of 17 beta-estradiol compared with untreated controls. An increased binding capacity for tritiated 17 beta-estradiol in the cytosol, consistent with binding to the estrogen receptor, was demonstrated in treated males relative to control males (P < 0.01).

Pregnancy-associated, lymphocyte-derived suppressor factor inhibits protein kinase C activity.

For successful allogenic pregnancy to occur, suppression of maternal defense responses toward the fetus are vital. Suppressor factors elaborated by decidual cells or immune cells may facilitate this suppression. In order for appropriate cellular responses to occur an intact signal transduction/second messenger system must be present.

Onset of obesity and puberty in genetically obese SHHF/Mcc-cp rats.

SHHF/Mcc-cp rats, as a model of obesity and diabetes, were followed through breeding and throughout development to determine timing of obesity and sexual development. The obesity or corpulency gene (cp) follows recessive transmission characteristics with no segregation between sexes. Although the frequency of litter sizes was different, the mean litter size of heterozygous mating (8.

The lack of direct effects of a monoclonal antibody against murine T-cell suppressor factor on murine embryo development in vitro.

In previous studies, we reported that the injection of monoclonal antibody 14-30, specific for a T-cell suppressor factor (TSF), into mice during early stages of pregnancy could decrease the percentage of females that maintained pregnancy. In addition, further work has demonstrated the presence of an immunoreactive protein in fetal and maternal tissues with physiochemical properties similar to TSF. However, one alternate explanation for the antipregnancy effects of the injections of monoclonal antibody, not related to a specific role for TSF in early pregnancy, is the possibility of direct effects upon the embryo or embryonic antigens that prevent continued embryonic development.