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Biomedical subjects

A Isidori

Publications and source records attributed to A Isidori.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Role of arachidonate metabolism on the in vitro release of luteinizing hormone and prolactin from the anterior pituitary gland: possible involvement of lipoxygenase pathway.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether arachidonic acid metabolism may play a role on luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL) release directly at the pituitary level. To this purpose, exogenous arachidonic acid, alone or in presence of inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (indomethacin:IND) and lipoxygenase pathways (nordihydroguaiaretic acid:NDGA), was added to perfused rat anterior pituitary cells. PGE, PGF alpha, LH and PRL levels present in the eluate were assayed with specific RIA methods. Both PGE and PGF alpha show a dose-related response after the addition of increasing doses of arachidonic acid. The addition of 0.05 mM arachidonic acid induces an increase of LH and PRL. The addition of IND to the perfusion medium highly potentiates the stimulatory effects induced by arachidonic acid on LH and PRL release. On the contrary, the addition to the medium of either NDGA or IND plus NDGA completely reverses the stimulatory action induced by arachidonic acid alone. The present results suggest that: adenohypophyseal cells are able to metabolize exogenous arachidonic acid; arachidonic acid induces an elevation in LH and PRL levels; lipoxygenase pathway metabolite(s) are likely involved in these activities, and the site of action of arachidonic acid is at the pituitary level.

Animals↗

Evidence for the presence of specific receptors for N-formyl chemotactic peptides on human spermatozoa.

Synthetic N-formylated peptides are potent chemoattractants for human spermatozoa in vitro. The specific structure-activity relations for eliciting a chemotactic response and the ability of the antagonist tertbutoxycarbonyl-phenylalanyl-leucyl-phenylalanyl-leucyl- phenylalanine (Boc-Phe-Leu-Phe-Leu-Phe) to inhibit the chemotaxis induced by these peptides strongly suggest the presence of receptors on human spermatozoa. The following studies were performed to identify specific binding sites on human spermatozoa by using [35S]-N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine [( 35S]f-Met-Leu-Phe), a potent chemotactic peptide. Binding of the [35S]formyl-peptide to human spermatozoa was rapid (t1/2, 8 min) and reversible. Binding isotherms of the saturation experiments revealed a single class of high affinity, low capacity binding sites (equilibrium dissociation constant, 17.7 nM; maximal binding, 109 fmol/2 X 10(6) cells) and an average number of 60,000 receptors per cells. The biological potencies of a series of formyl peptides as chemoattractants correlated closely with their relative abilities to compete with [35S]f-Met-Leu-Phe for specific binding to human spermatozoa. These data fulfill the major criteria for demonstration of specific receptors for chemotactic peptides on human spermatozoa. It is likely that these receptor sites initiate the chemotactic response of human spermatozoa to N-formyl peptides.

Adult↗

Role of seminal prostaglandins in male fertility. II. Effects of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition on spermatogenesis in man.

The effect of prostaglandin biosynthesis inhibition has been studied in two groups of infertile oligozoospermic patients with high or normal-low seminal prostaglandin (PG) levels. PGE and 19-OH PGE were assayed by means of a gas chromatographic method and the most important seminal parameters (volume, concentration, motility and morphology of spermatozoa) were evaluated in basal conditions and at the end of indomethacin treatment, at a daily oral dose of 100 mg for thirty days. A drop in prostaglandin levels following indomethacin was observed in both groups of patients but only in the group with high concentrations of prostanoid derivates the prostaglandin inhibition was correlated with a significant improvement in sperm count and motility.

Adult↗

Naloxone increases bioactive LH in man: evidence for selective release of early LH pool.

Opioid peptides inhibit LH secretion and the opiate antagonist naloxone provokes increases in plasma LH levels by release of endogenous GnRH from the hypothalamus. To explore the effect of endogenously released GnRH on the mobilization of bioactive LH pools, the bioactive LH response to a single iv bolus dose of 20 mg naloxone has been evaluated and compared to the immunoactive pattern of the hormone in eight young normal male volunteers. Blood samples were withdrawn at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min after naloxone injection and LH levels were measured by RIA and rat interstitial cell testosterone (RICT) bioassay. A significant increase in both bio and immuno active LH was observed in all subjects after 15-30 min (p less than 0.05 to p less than 0.001), reaching maximal levels at 30-60 min for both forms of the hormone. The time course of the bioactive LH response magnified the immunoactive LH pattern, and the maximum fold increases were 1.4 and 1.3 fold (62.4 +/- 5.5 SE and 25.0 +/- 3.7 SE mIU/ml) from basal bio and immuno LH levels of 25.9 +/- 4.3 SE and 11.1 +/- 2.0 SE mIU/ml respectively. An early single peak response of bio and immunoactive LH was observed in six subjects while a biphasic pattern was observed in two subjects with a clearly defined and prominent early pool followed by a second pool of higher magnitude. Both bio and immunoactive LH levels began to decline at 45-60 min, but in most subjects remained significantly elevated by about 30% above the basal values at 120 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Human semen inhibits T rosette formation through an opiate mediated mechanism.

Seminal plasma contains high levels of opioid peptides and both seminal plasma and endogenous opioids can influence the immune system. In order to investigate whether these two findings can be related, semen was collected from 7 normal subjects, and assayed for beta-endorphin content and for its in vitro ability to inhibit the total T rosette formation of human lymphocytes in the presence or in the absence of 10(-6) M naloxone, an universal opiate antagonist. The results were as follows: 1) immunoreactive beta-endorphin content in seminal plasma was 4 to 12 times higher than the peripheral plasma levels detected in the same subjects (76.1 +/- 42.1 SD vs 10.5 +/- 2.0 SD pg/ml); 2) increasing concentrations of seminal plasma (1%, 5%, and 10%) in RPMI 1640 significantly depressed the T rosette formation ability of lymphocytes; and 3) the simultaneous addition to the incubation mixture of 10(-6) M naloxone prevented the phenomenon, while naloxone per se was ineffective. The possibility that endogenous opioids may play a role in the immunomodulatory action of human semen is suggested.

Adult↗

Effects of the "vascular factor" on platelet and vascular arachidonic acid metabolism in man.

The effects of a drug with hemostatic action, "Vascular Factor" (V.F.), on platelet and vascular arachidonic acid metabolism were evaluated in man to establish the lack of side effects on platelet aggregation. Plasma levels of 6-keto PGF1 alpha and thromboxane B2 were determined by RIA in healthy volunteers undergoing treatment with V.F. Results indicate that basal values obtained in these compounds do not present significant variations following treatment with V.F. On the basis of these results, the possibility of administering this drug in atherosclerotic patients is further confirmed.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Lack of endogenous opioid inhibitory tone on LH secretion in early puberty.

Thirteen normal children, seven males and six females, during early puberty (I-II according to Tanner), have been studied. Each subject was injected at weekly intervals and in random order with 100 micrograms of LHRH, 0.2 mg/kg of naloxone and 0.9% saline in single bolus. The gonadotrophin response was evaluated. The administration of naloxone failed to elevate LH levels in any of the subjects studied, even in those who showed a clear gonadotrophin response to LHRH. Unlike the response noted in adults, endogenous opiates do not appear to exert a tonic inhibitory influence on LH secretion during early puberty.

Adolescent↗

[Evaluation of hematometric parameters and plasma ferritin levels in patients treated with ferritin-containing preparations].

Ferritin has been administered in immediately bioavailable solution form, and in solid form, with exclusively duodenal bioavailability, to two groups of patients suffering from sideropenic dyserythropoietic anaemia. The results obtained point to a significant stimulating action on erythropoiesis documented by the increase in reticulocytes and red cells. This increase is certainly relatable to the increase of available iron and to its incorporation in the erythrocytes, as demonstrated by the increase in ferritinaemia, sideraemia, haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglocbin concentration. The data obtained showed the bioavailable fluid form to be more active than the solid.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

A study of growth hormone release in man after oral administration of amino acids.

A study was carried out in 15 male volunteers to evaluate qualitatively the secretion of growth factors following stimulation by oral amino acids. The results showed that oral administration of a combination of two amino acids (1200 mg 1-lysine plus 1200 mg 1-arginine) provoked a release of pituitary somatotropin and insulin. This phenomenon was reproducible and the growth hormone secreted in response to this stimulation had biological activity (as demonstrated by a radioreceptor assay and somatomedin induction). The effect appeared to be specific to the combination of the two amino acids; neither of the amino acids demonstrated appreciable stimulating activity when administered alone, even at the same doses.

Administration, Oral↗