Characterization of anastrozole effects, delivered by an intravaginal ring in cynomolgus monkeys.

Study Question: Is it feasible to deliver anastrozole (ATZ), an aromatase inhibitor (AI), by a vaginal polymer-based drug delivery system in the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) to describe the pharmacokinetic profile?

Summary Answer: The present study showed the effective release of ATZ into the systemic circulation from intravaginal rings in cynomolgus monkeys.

What Is Known Already: ATZ is a marketed drug with well documented pharmacological and safety profiles for oral administration. Aromatase is the key enzyme catalyzing estrogen biosynthesis and is overexpressed in endometriotic lesions.

[Experience in establishing a certified endoprosthesis center].

Background: It is well known that morbidity rates of arthroplasties are inversely related to procedure volume. In the department of orthopaedics at a German medical school, a performance of certification of high-volume center for total hip and knee arthroplasties, called the EndoCert(®) Initiative, was started. This project was initiated by the German society of orthopaedic surgery (DGOOC) to secure the quality of total knee and hip arthroplasties.

A prostaglandin E2 receptor antagonist prevents pregnancies during a preclinical contraceptive trial with female macaques.

Study Question: Can administration of a prostaglandin (PG) E2 receptor 2 (PTGER2) antagonist prevent pregnancy in adult female monkeys by blocking periovulatory events in the follicle without altering menstrual cyclicity or general health?

Summary Answer: This is the first study to demonstrate that a PTGER2 antagonist can serve as an effective non-hormonal contraceptive in primates.

What Is Known Already: The requirement for PGE2 in ovulation and the release of an oocyte surrounded by expanded cumulus cells (cumulus-oocyte expansion; C-OE) was established through the generation of PTGS2 and PTGER2 null-mutant mice. A critical role for PGE2 in primate ovulation is supported by evidence that intrafollicular injection of indomethacin in rhesus monkeys suppressed follicle rupture, whereas co-injection of PGE2 with indomethacin resulted in ovulation.

Tissue remodeling and nonendometrium-like menstrual cycling are hallmarks of peritoneal endometriosis lesions.

We identified differentially expressed genes comparing peritoneal endometriosis lesions (n = 18), eutopic endometrium (n = 17), and peritoneum (n = 22) from the same patients with complete menstrual cycles using microarrays (54 675 probe sets) and immunohistochemistry. Peritoneal lesions and peritoneum demonstrated 3901 and 4973 significantly differentially expressed genes compared to eutopic endometrium, respectively. Peritoneal lesions significantly revealed no correlation with a specific menstrual cycle phase by gene expression and histopathology, exhibited low expressed proliferation genes, and constant levels of steroid hormone receptor genes.