Effect of purified 31K bovine inhibin on the specific binding of gonadotropin-releasing hormone to rat anterior pituitary cells in culture.

The mechanism by which inhibin decreases the responsiveness of the pituitary gonadotroph to GnRH in terms of secretion of gonadotropins is largely unknown. We studied the effect of pure 31K bovine inhibin on the specific binding of GnRH to rat anterior pituitary cells in culture using iodinated Buserelin as tracer. Results showed that treatment of cultured anterior pituitary cells from adult male rats with inhibin (0-30 U/ml) for 72 h decreased Buserelin binding in a dose-dependent manner.

Pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin stimulates inhibin subunit gene expression in the immature rat ovary: dose response characteristics and relationships to serum gonadotropins, inhibin, and ovarian steroid content.

We have investigated the temporal changes and dose responses of ovarian inhibin gene expression, circulating inhibin, and ovarian estradiol content in PMSG-primed immature female rats. The relative levels of ovarian inhibin alpha- and beta A-subunit messenger RNA (mRNA), serum inhibin, and ovarian steroid content were measured after stimulation of immature female rats with 20 IU PMSG. Each of these variables rose in parallel and peaked at 48 h (relative ovarian inhibin alpha- and beta A-subunit mRNA increased 3.

Recognition of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) serum binding proteins by an antibody raised against a specific IGF-inhibitor.

Evidence suggests that a specific inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factors (IGF) which acts by binding to IGF may be structurally related to the native, MW 150K binding protein (BP) in serum. This has now been examined using a polyclonal antiserum (R8) raised against highly purified inhibitor. Western blotting analysis of inhibitor using R8 gave 4 immunoreactive (ir-) bands (MW 34.

Mineralocorticoid action: target tissue specificity is enzyme, not receptor, mediated.

Mineralocorticoid receptors, both when in tissue extracts and when recombinant-derived, have equal affinity for the physiological mineralocorticoid aldosterone and for the glucocorticoids cortisol and corticosterone, which circulate at much higher concentrations than aldosterone. Such receptors are found in physiological mineralocorticoid target tissues (kidney, parotid, and colon) and in nontarget tissues such as hippocampus and heart. In mineralocorticoid target tissues the receptors are selective for aldosterone in vivo because of the presence of the enzyme 11 beta-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase, which converts cortisol and corticosterone, but not aldosterone, to their 11-keto analogs.

Local radiotherapy for pedal manifestations of HLA-B27-related arthropathy.

Four males with characteristic foot manifestations of HLA-B27-related arthropathy are reported. The severity of this problem and its recalcitrance to standard therapies led to the use of local radiotherapy. The beneficial outcome and minimal short-term side effects of this treatment are discussed in relation to previous experience with radiotherapy in ankylosing spondylitis.

Lack of an effect of morphine or naloxone on the oestrogen-induced LH surge in anoestrous ewes.

To determine whether opioid mechanisms modulate the positive feedback effect of oestrogen on LH secretion, anoestrous ewes were given a single injection of 50 micrograms oestradiol benzoate (OB), followed by infusions of morphine or naloxone. All sheep were injected i.m.

Intraperitoneal (IP) vancomycin therapy for CAPD peritonitis--a prospective, randomized comparison of intermittent v continuous therapy.

The use of intraperitoneal (IP) vancomycin as initial, single agent therapy for gram positive and "no organism" continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) peritonitis is described, comparing continuous and intermittent administration schedules. "Continuous" therapy consisted of an IP 1-g loading dose of vancomycin followed by 30 mg/L dialysate effluent. "Intermittent" therapy consisted of 2 IP doses of 30 mg vancomycin/kg body weight--the initial dose delivered at diagnosis and the second dose 1 week later.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone associated peptide (GAP) and putative processed GAP peptides do not release luteinizing hormone or follicle-stimulating hormone or inhibit prolactin secretion in the sheep.

A series of experiments was performed to monitor plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and prolactin responses to human gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) associated peptide (GAP) and related peptides. Ovariectomized hypothalamo-pituitary disconnected (HPD) ewes were challenged with injections (1-10 micrograms i.v.

Serum inhibin concentrations rise throughout normal male and female puberty.

Using a newly developed, sensitive, and specific RIA, we measured the serum concentrations of inhibin, together with those of FSH, LH, and sex steroids, throughout puberty in 99 boys and 102 girls attending a suburban Melbourne school. Serum inhibin levels rose from a geometric mean level of 161 U/L (range, 87-310; 67% confidence interval) at stage I puberty in boys to 442 U/L (range, 300-626) at stage V, while corresponding values in girls were 97 U/L (range, 46-204) and 231 U/L (range, 187-372), respectively. Serum inhibin concentrations were strongly correlated with age and serum FSH, LH, testosterone, and estradiol; all hormones increased in parallel in both boys and girls.

Sucrose versus saccharin as an added sweetener in non-insulin-dependent diabetes: short- and medium-term metabolic effects.

Seventeen non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients were randomly allocated to their usual diet supplemented daily with either 28 g sucrose or 30 g starch (isoenergetic with sucrose) and saccharin (equivalent sweetness). After 6 weeks, the supplements were reversed. No significant treatment effects were observed on fasting concentrations of blood glucose, plasma insulin or serum triglycerides, or on urinary excretion of glucose, sodium or potassium.

Binding proteins for growth hormone and prolactin in rabbit kidney cytosol.

Two soluble, receptor-like binding proteins with apparent somatotrophic [growth hormone (GH)] and lactogenic [prolactin (PRL)] specificities, respectively, and that are present in rabbit kidney cytosol have now been examined in more detail using specific GH receptor and PRL receptor monoclonal antibodies (MAb). Gel chromatography of 125I-labeled human GH (125I-hGH) kidney cytosol complexes in the absence of these MAbs revealed two specifically bound regions of radioactivity at molecular weights (MW) of approximately 120,000 and approximately 60,000, which are similar in size to complexes formed by the native GH receptor of rabbit liver cytosol and the PRL receptor of mammary gland. Co-incubation with GH-receptor MAb inhibited 125I-hGH binding only to the higher MW (120,000) species, whereas the PRL-receptor MAb inhibited only the lower MW (60,000) species, thus establishing definitively the hormonal specificities of the two binding proteins.

Observations on dopamine receptor antagonists and gastric ulceration associated with experimental anorexia cachexia.

Gastric ulceration is frequently reported to occur in tumour-bearing animals and man, even when such tumours are not associated with organs of digestion. That central and peripheral dopamine (DA) containing neurones may be relevant to this phenomenon, is supported by the fact that the DA receptor antagonists domperidone (0.1 and 0.

i.r. Beta-endorphin, corticosterone, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in rat plasma after stress, cingulotomy or both.

Plasma i.r. beta-endorphin, corticosterone, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were determined in male Sprague-Dawley rats after exposure to running or swimming stressors or after surgical ablation of the cingulum bundle.

Ventricular beta-adrenoceptors in adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy in the rabbit.

beta-Adrenoceptor concentrations have been measured in ventricles of rabbits with adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy. Despite considerable cardiac hypertrophy (1.6 +/- 0.

Pituitary receptors for gonadotropin-releasing hormone in relation to changes in pituitary and plasma gonadotropins in ovariectomized hypothalamo/pituitary-disconnected ewes. II. A marked rise in receptor number during the acute feedback effects of estradiol.

Ovariectomized (OVX), hypothalamo/pituitary-disconnected (HPD) ewes were used to ascertain the short-term effects of estradiol on the number of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors in the pituitary gland. The time course of the study was such that measurements were made during the period of short-term negative feedback and positive feedback. Groups of 4 OVX-HPD ewes were given 250-ng pulses of GnRH each hour and an i.

Effect and site of action of hypothalamic neuropeptides on prolactin release in sheep.

In an attempt to identify a physiological prolactin-releasing factor in the sheep, ovariectomized ewes were given intracarotid injections (10(-8)-10(-7) mol/animal) of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), peptide histidine-isoleucine amide (PHI), oxytocin (OT), arginine vasopressin (AVP), substance P (SP), bombesin (BB), neurotensin (NT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Administration of TRH, AVP, NT and OT resulted in immediate and significant increases in plasma prolactin concentrations, the greatest stimulatory effect being obtained after TRH; other peptides had no effect in ovariectomized hypothalamo-pituitary intact ewes. AVP, NT and OT failed to release prolactin in ovariectomized ewes.

Human macrophage maturation in vitro: expression of functional transferrin binding sites of high affinity.

Human blood monocytes (mo) when cultured in suspension on hydrophobic teflon membranes undergo terminal maturation to macrophages (MO). Together with the appearance of new lineage-restricted differentiation antigens, mature MO but not blood mo, express transferrin (TF) receptor molecules as detected by immunostaining methods. Here we report that radio- and fluorescein-labelled TF binds to a single class of high-affinity binding sites on MO but not on mo.

Cardiovascular effects of sedative infusions of propofol and midazolam after spinal anaesthesia.

The cardiovascular effects of intravenous sedation were studied in fifty patients after spinal anaesthesia for lower limb or pelvic surgery. Twenty patients received propofol (mean dosage 74 (SD 4) micrograms/kg/min for 0-20 minutes and 51 (SD 7) micrograms/kg/min for 20-40 minutes), twenty received midazolam (35 micrograms/kg + 2.54 (SD 0.

Haemodynamic and heart rate reflex responses to propofol in the rabbit. Comparison with althesin.

Propofol was administered to eight rabbits by constant i.v. infusion at 0.

Alpha-lactalbumin production by rat mammary gland: prepartum emergence of resistance to glucocorticoids and progestins.

Explants of mammary glands from pregnant or lactating rats were shown to differ markedly in their response to glucocorticoid and progestin in terms of alpha-lactalbumin production. Tissue from day 14 pregnant rats had low initial tissue levels and basal production of alpha-lactalbumin, and showed a dose-biphasic response to glucocorticoids, with significantly higher production at 3 nM than 300 nM RU26988; the progestin ORG 2058 inhibited production. In explants from lactating rats (day 1 and day 5) tissue content and basal production of alpha-lactalbumin were markedly increased compared with day 14 pregnant, but were unaltered by glucocorticoid or progestin.

Transforming growth factor beta enhances basal and FSH-stimulated inhibin production by rat granulosa cells in vitro.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) caused a dose-dependent increase in both basal and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated inhibin production by rat granulosa cells in culture. The TGF beta dose-response curve in the absence of FSH was approximately parallel to that in the presence of either a minimally effective dose (1 ng/ml) or a maximally effective dose (30 ng/ml) of FSH, suggesting an additive effect of these two agents on inhibin production. There was also a suggestion of an increased sensitivity of granulosa cell inhibin production to FSH when the cells were coincubated with TGF beta.

Vaginal progesterone administration before ovulation induction with exogenous gonadotropins in polycystic ovarian syndrome.

We studied the value of vaginal progesterone (P4) in suppressing serum LH concentrations and restoring normal luteal phase serum LH concentrations before administration of exogenous gonadotropins in anovulatory women with the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). P4 (50 mg every 12 h) was administered by vaginal suppository to 9 women (18 cycles) for 14 days before ovulation induction with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) and hCG. Serum LH, FSH, estradiol, P4, and PRL levels were measured daily.

Human macrophage maturation and heterogeneity: restricted expression of late differentiation antigens in situ.

Terminal maturation of human macrophages is an important step for creation of cell diversity amongst site-specific subpopulations and their functional competence in situ. As monocytes undergo differentiation in vitro, they start to express lineage-restricted antigens specific for differentiation stages beyond the blood monocyte level as detected by monoclonal antibodies of the MAX series. We have analyzed the expression of MAX.

VIP modulates substance P-induced plasma extravasation in vivo.

Substance P (SP), a putative mediator of neurogenic inflammation, has previously been shown to induce plasma extravasation when exogenously perfused over a blister base induced on the rat hind foot pad. Using the same animal model, we have studied the role of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), one of the neuromodulators in primary afferent neurons, on SP-induced plasma extravasation. At all concentrations tested (2.