Effects of 2-methoxyestradiol on endometrial carcinoma xenografts.

Purpose: We have previously demonstrated that 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) inhibits the growth of human endometrial cancer HEC-1-A and RL-95-2 cells in vitro. In this study, we examined the effects of 2-ME on human endometrial carcinoma in severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice. The potential side effects of 2-ME on SCID mice were also investigated.

Antiproliferative activity and toxicity of 2-methoxyestradiol in cervical cancer xenograft mice.

2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) is considered to be an effective anticancer compound for many types of tumors. We have previously demonstrated that 2-ME inhibits the growth of human cervical cancer HeLaS3 cells in vitro. In this study, we investigated the antitumoral effects of 2-ME on human cervical carcinoma in severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice.

Induction of apoptosis or necrosis in human endometrial carcinoma cells by 2-methoxyestradiol.

Background: We investigated the effects of 2methoxyestradiol (2-ME), an endogenous estrogenic metabolite, on human endometrial cancer HEC-1-A and RL-95-2 cell lines.

Materials And Methods: After exposure of HEC-1-A and RL-95-2 cells to 2-ME, the morphological changes were evaluated by acridine orange staining and transmission electron microscopy. Cell cycle progress, apoptosis and necrosis were assessed by flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation and Western blot.

Induction of apoptosis and G2/M arrest by 2-methoxyestradiol in human cervical cancer HeLaS3 cells.

Background: It has been demonstrated that 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME), one of the estrogen metabolites, induces apoptosis in many different tumor cell lines. In the present study, the effects of 2-ME on human cervical cancer HeLaS3 cells and on normal cervical epithelial cells were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Acridine orange staining, DNA fragmentation arrays and flow cytometry were used to measure the apoptosis and cell cycle progression.

Expression of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta in anterior vaginal walls of genuine stress incontinent women.

Our objective was to study the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) isoforms, ER-alpha and ER-beta, in the anterior vaginal wall of menopausal and fertile women with genuine stress incontinence (SI) by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Eighteen menopausal women with SI who either were or were not taking estrogen/progestin replacement therapy and 14 fertile women with SI who either were or were not taking contraceptives were enrolled in the study. Biopsies from the suburethral anterior vaginal wall were obtained at tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) operation.

Pre-pubic TVT: an alternative to classic TVT in selected patients with urinary stress incontinence.

Objectives: To evaluate in a prospective open study a pre-pubic route of TVT for surgical treatment of female stress incontinence.

Study Design: Consecutively, 74 patients were operated using a pre-pubic TVT tape application. All women were suffering subjectively and objectively from female stress urinary incontinence.

The basic understanding and clinical results of tension-free vaginal tape for stress urinary incontinence.

Since 1994, over 100,000 surgical reconstructions of the female lower urinary tract have been performed worldwide using tension-free vaginal tape (TVT). This technique, which differs from traditional methods, is effective against symptoms of stress urinary incontinence and may be performed as an ambulatory procedure with no need of indwelling catheterization. The primary indication is genuine stress incontinence, but it is also effective as a secondary procedure for relapse after other anti-incontinence measures such as the Burch procedure.

Multiple connexins localized to individual gap-junctional plaques in human myometrial smooth muscle.

The synchronous contractions of the uterus in labour depend on electrical coupling of myometrial smooth muscle cells by gap junctions. In the human myometrium, gap junctions are scarce in the non-pregnant uterus, but become abundant at term in preparation for labour. We have previously demonstrated that in the human myometrium at term, three different gap-junctional proteins are expressed, connexins 43, 45, and 40.

Tension-Free vaginal tape (TVT) in women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence--a long-term follow up.

In a prospective long-term follow-up study we evaluated the results of TVT surgery in 34 women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence in whom previous traditional surgical procedures had failed. The women were followed for a mean of 4 years (range 3-5) after TVT surgery. The mean age was 58.

Long-term results of the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure for surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.

In a prospective long-term Nordic multicenter study, 90 consecutive patients who had a tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) operation performed because of stress urinary incontinence were evaluated according to a strict protocol after approximately 5 years (range 48-70 months). Eighty-five patients could be evaluated according to the protocol. Another 5 elderly patients had to be interviewed by telephone at the final check-up after 5 years.

Influence of different sling materials on connective tissue metabolism in stress urinary incontinent women.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence on the paraurethral connective tissue of different sling materials used in incontinence surgery. Biopsies from the paraurethral connective tissue were obtained intraoperatively from 16 women with stress urinary incontinence; all were operated on with the TVT procedure, 6 with Mersilene as the sling material and 10 with Prolene. Biopsies from 4 continent women with uterine bleeding irregularities, matched for age and parity, served as controls.

Tension-Free vaginal tape (TVT) in women with mixed urinary incontinence--a long-term follow-up.

In a prospective long-term study we evaluated the effect of TVT surgery in 80 women suffering from mixed urinary incontinence. Their mean age was 59 +/- 11 years with a mean parity of 2 (range 0-6). Mean follow-up was 4 years (range 3-5).

Tension-Free vaginal tape (TVT) in stress incontinent women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD)--a long-term follow-up.

In a prospective long-term study 49 women with stress incontinence and ISD (intrinsic sphincter deficiency) were followed for a mean of 4 years (range 3-5) after TVT operation. Preoperatively all patients underwent urodynamic investigations, quality of life evaluation, a 24-hour pad test and a gynecologic examination to properly verify the incontinence symptoms. The same protocol was used for postoperative evaluation.

In vivo controlled release of PGE2 from a vaginal insert (0.8 mm, 10 mg) during induction of labour.

Objective: To measure the release rate of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in vivo from a controlled-release vaginal insert used for cervical ripening and induction of labour at term in women with intact membranes or pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM).

Design: Open-label, single centre study.

Population: Women at term (> or = 37 gestational weeks) with unripe cervices (Bishop score < or = 6) scheduled for labour induction for mainly medical reasons.

The safety and efficacy of MenoTreat, a new balloon device for thermal endometrial ablation.

Background: An evaluation of the performance and safety of the prototype of a new device, MemoTreat (Atos Medical) for thermal endometrial balloon ablation in patients with menorrhagia. The evaluation was performed at four Swedish hospitals.

Methods: In total 51 consecutive, premenopausal patients, suffering from menorrhagia due to benign causes and not responding to conventional treatment, were treated between March 1997 and March 1998.

Presence and localization of connexins 43 and 26 in cell cultures derived from myometrial tissues from nonpregnant and pregnant women and from leiomyomas.

Objective: Our objective was to study the appearance and distribution of connexins 43 and 26 in various human myometrial cell cultures.

Study Design: Scrape loading, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical techniques were applied to cultured cells derived from myometrial tissues obtained from nonpregnant and pregnant women (upper and lower uterine segments) and from leiomyomas (tumor and analogous myometrial tissues).

Results: Scrape loading revealed the presence of metabolic coupling in all tissues.

Symphyseal distention in relation to serum relaxin levels and pelvic pain in pregnancy.

Objective: To elucidate whether there is an association between symphyseal distention, circulating relaxin levels and pelvic pain in pregnancy.

Methods: Serum relaxin and symphyseal width were assessed in 19 consecutive referral cases with severe pelvic pain at 35 weeks of pregnancy and in a cohort of 49 women at 12 and 35 weeks of pregnancy. The referral cases were received over a period of two years and four months and the cohort was recruited over a period of two months.

Prostaglandin F2alpha-induced Ca++ oscillations in human myometrial cells and the role of RU 486.

Objective: We sought to examine the change of cytosolic calcium concentration caused by prostaglandin F(2)(alpha) and RU 486 in cultured human myometrial cells.

Study Design: Human myometrial cells obtained from 16 nonpregnant women were loaded with fura 2, and the intracellular cytosolic calcium concentrations were measured by the use of wavelength spectrophotofluorometry.

Results: Application of prostaglandin F(2)(alpha) (2.

Human uterine myocytes retain their energy charge with No gross alterations in morphology for at least 8 days when cultured under anaerobic conditions.

Objective: To investigate the ability of human uterine myocytes to grow under anaerobic conditions for a prolonged time period.

Methods: Cells were isolated from fundal myometrium and cultured until subconfluency. The cell type was confirmed by immunostaining for the smooth muscle cell-specific cytoskeletal proteins alpha-actin and desmin.

Oxytocin-induced oscillations of cytoplasmic Ca2+ in human myometrial cells.

Background: To investigate the mechanisms of oxytocin (OT) induced oscillations of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in cultured human myometrial cells.

Methods: [Ca2+]i was measured in individual myometrial cells by dual wavelength spectrophotofluorometry using the fluorescent indicator fura-2. Myometrium was obtained at abdominal hysterectomy (n=8) and during cesarean section (n=7).

Prevalence of postmenopausal symptoms in two age groups of elderly women in relation to oestrogen replacement therapy.

A cross-sectional study of the whole female population of ages 71 and 81 years in a defined part of Sweden was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of oestrogen treatment and postmenopausal symptoms. A questionnaire was mailed to 2245 women, of whom 1084 (87%) aged 71 years and 611 (62%) aged 81 years left evaluable responses. Of the responding 71- and 81-year-old women 25 and 16%, respectively were receiving oestrogen, and 4 and 2% of all women of the respective age groups were on systemic treatment.