Background: Hormonal influence on stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is under debate. Sex steroid hormonal activity is mediated by nuclear receptor proteins. The aim of this study is to identify receptor isoforms and their genetic expression in the pelvic floor extra cellular matrix (ECM), and to compare women with and without SUI before and after menopause.
Methods: Sub-mucosal para-urethral biopsies from 4 pre-menopausal and 8 postmenopausal patients with SUI were analysed immunohistochemically regarding estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta, the progesterone receptor (PR) (A+B) and B, and the androgen receptor (AR). Six pre-menopausal and 5 postmenopausal women served as controls. All receptors were scored manually. Additionally, ER-alpha and ER-beta were quantified by image analysis. Biopsies from 7 pre-menopausal and 7 postmenopausal women suffering from SUI were studied by real-time RT-PCR for expression of ER-alpha, ER-beta, PR and AR. The control group consisted of 5 pre-menopausal and 5 postmenopausal women.
Results: Immunohistochemistry revealed receptor-positive cells for all isoforms in all groups. Higher ER-beta scores were seen in the pre-menopausal SUI group compared to controls. Lower PR-B scores were found after menopause in both groups. The image analysis confirmed that ER-beta was significantly increased in the pre-menopausal SUI group compared to controls (p=0.02). By real-time RT-PCR, no difference of mRNA expression regarding any receptor was detected between any SUI and control group. ER-beta mRNA levels were low or undetectable. There was a significant down-regulation of PR among postmenopausal women (p=0.001).
Conclusions: The para-urethral ECM is a target for sex steroid hormones mediated by the respective receptor. The significant higher expression of ER-beta protein in the pre-menopausal SUI-group was not reflected by a corresponding up-regulation of mRNA which was poorly expressed in all groups.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00016340701625446 | DOI Listing |
Cancers (Basel)
December 2024
Division of Breast Radiology, Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.
Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) has recently gained recognition as an effective alternative to breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing breast lesions, offering both morphological and functional imaging capabilities. However, the phenomenon of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) remains a critical consideration, as it can affect the interpretation of images by obscuring or mimicking lesions. While the impact of BPE has been well-documented in MRI, limited data are available regarding the factors influencing BPE in CEM and its relationship with breast cancer (BC) characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Health Psychol
February 2025
William James Center for Research, Ispa - Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal.
Objectives: While most women experience weight gain during the menopausal transition, a subset successfully maintains a healthy weight. This study explores the determinants influencing different weight experiences during the menopausal transition, using the Health Belief Model (HBM).
Design: Qualitative design.
Vaccines (Basel)
December 2024
Urology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.
Background/objectives: Urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a highly frequent and debilitating disease. Immunoactive prophylaxis, such as the polyvalent bacterial whole-cell-based sublingual vaccine MV140, have been developed to avoid antibiotic use. However, the effectiveness of this tool in the Portuguese population is still unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
January 2025
Center for Research Informatics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
The fallopian tube undergoes extensive molecular changes during the menstrual cycle and menopause. We use single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing to construct a comprehensive cell atlas of healthy human fallopian tubes during the menstrual cycle and menopause. Our scRNA-seq comparison of 85,107 pre- and 46,111 post-menopausal fallopian tube cells reveals substantial shifts in cell type frequencies, gene expression, transcription factor activity, and cell-to-cell communications during menopause and menstrual cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Nutr
December 2024
Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
Background: The menopausal transition significantly affects cardiometabolic health, primarily due to changes in reproductive hormones, particularly decreased estrogen levels and relative androgen excess. Adult Muslim women, both pre-and post-menopausal, are mandated to observe Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) every year. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate RIF's effects on pre-menopausal (PRE-M) and post-menopausal (POST-M) healthy women's cardiometabolic health markers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!