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Biomedical subjects

B Lunenfeld

Publications and source records attributed to B Lunenfeld.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Abortion rate in pregnancies following ovulation induced by human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin.

Despite the high incidence of fetal loss following gonadotropin therapy, the etiologic, factors that contribute to this loss remain unknown. In 203 women who conceived following gonadotropin therapy, the abortion rate was 28.5%. However, in 84 women who conceived a second time, also with gonadotropin treatment, the abortion rate was 11.9%. Second- and third-degree hyperstimulation of the ovary are accompanied by a 50% abortion rate, and the occurrence of abortion is more frequent in the first pregnancy. The contribution of multiple pregnancy, maternal age, and number of gonadotropin treatment cycles are also evaluated and discussed.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Imipramine for the treatment of sterility in patients following retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

The major long-term morbidity following retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is sterility resulting from sacrifice of the thoracolumbar chain or the hypogastric plexus during dissection of the iliac vessels at the bifurcation. Seven males who were devoid of sperm emission and ejaculation as a result of this kind of operation for testicular cancer were treated with imipramine 25 mg t.i.d. In 2 of the patients, antegrade ejaculation appeared during treatment with this drug. We feel that this success rate of 2 out of 7 calls for further studies, as the problem of these young men was considered hopeless until recently.

Adult↗

Hypothalamic-pituitary function in patients with prolonged coma.

In eight patients (six males and two females) hospitalized for prolonged coma (164-1320 days; five patients were in traumatic coma, two after cardiac arrest during surgery, and one after a venomous scorpion sting), diurnal variation of cortisol secretion, human (L) GH, PRL, TSH secretion as well as the release of the pituitary hormones after TRH and L-dopa stimulation were assessed. Serum T4 cortisol, hGH, hPRL, and hTSH levels were normal. The cortisol diurnal variation was preserved in six patients. In seven of eight patients, the hPRL and hTSH responses to TRH test were normal and in five patients, there was a rise of more than 150% in serum hGH concentrations. After L-dopa administration, five patients responded with a rise in hGH. In three patients, there was no response of hGH to TRH or L-dopa. Five patients responded with significant reduction in the serum hPRL concentration after L-dopa, and in three patients, no change was observed. It was concluded that patients with prolonged coma have variable hypothalamic pituitary function. They preserve the cortisol diurnal variation and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis as well as PRL secretion; however, hGH secretion may respond abnormally to various stimuli.

Adult↗

Inability of round acrosomeless human spermatozoa to penetrate zona-free hamster ova.

The spermatozoa from five healthy men of proved fertility and five infertile men with a single abnormal semen parameter associated with high proportion of round acrosomeless heads were evaluated for their ability to bind to and to penetrate zona-free hamster ova. Sperm from five men of proved fertility penetrated a high proportion of the eggs (16-80%) while sperm from men of the infertile group failed to bind and to penetrate any of the ova. Round acrosomeless sperm do not have the ability to bind to or to fuse with the vitellus of zona-free hamster eggs.

Acrosome↗

Prolactin secretion in essential hypertension.

This study was designed to evaluate prolactin (PRL) secretion in patients with essential hypertension. PRL secretory pattern was assessed by hourly blood sampling between 2200 and 0800 hours. Additional samples were collected at 0810 and 1000 hours (10 and 120 minutes after assumption of upright posture), as well as at 1200, 1400, and 1800 hours under normal simulated activities. No difference could be detected between the two study groups at any of the sampling times, and the number of secretory episodes were similar. Basal plasma renin activity levels were inversely related to simultaneous PRL levels in the hypertensive patients (r= -0.60, p less than 0.05). In the normal subjects mean overnight PRL levels were inversely related (r= -0.78, p less than 0.05) to the overnight urinary Na/K excretion. There was no PRL response to posture in either group. Hypertensive patients had a greater early response to the dopamine antagonist, metoclopramide than did normal subjects. Our data do not support the previously introduced concept of enhanced PRL responses to normal physiologic stimuli in essential hypertensives. However, it appears that dopaminergic control of PRL secretion may be altered in this disease state.

Adult↗

Prolactinomas in women treated in the past for infertility.

This is a retrospective study on 352 infertile women who were treated with HMG-hCG (Human Menopausal Gonadotropin/human Chorionic Gonadotropin) between 1962 and 1977. The purpose of this study was to search for hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas in these women. Hyperprolactinemia was found in 75 women (21%). The prevalence of hyperprolactinemia increases with age. Asymptomatic pituitary tumors were found in 29 of 31 women evaluated (94%). Three women had macroadenomas and 26 had microadenomas. We were not able to demonstrate that the HMG-hCG treatment and the ensuing pregnancy had any long-term ill effects on the size of the tumor. These findings suggest that prolactinomas were slow growing. An active search for these tumors must be made in women treated for infertility in the past.

Adenoma↗

Growth hormone and periarticular new bone formation--a causal relationship? A preliminary communication.

In an attempt to examine the relationship between growth hormone (GH) and periarticular new bone formation (PNBF), we studied eight patients with brain lesions of different origins who were in a prolonged comatose state for 164 to 1320 days. Five of them developed PNBF. The latter reacted to both the specific L-Dopa test and to the non-specific TRH test with an increase in GH serum concentration. Those patients who did not develop PNBF, failed to react significantly to either tests. The difference in GH values between the two groups is statistically significant at the 95% level of confidence. We hypothesize that there may be a causal relationship between high concentrations of GH in serum and PNBF.

Adolescent↗

Evidence for the origin of the unoccupied oestrogen receptor in nuclei of a human breast-cancer cell line (MCF-7).

The origin of the unoccupied nuclear oestrogen receptor (R(n)) was studied. Three working hypotheses were investigated. (a) R(n) is a dissociation product of the oestrogen occupied nuclear receptor (ER(n)). (b) ER(n) is only partially occupied, so that additional binding may occur at 0 degrees C (the temperature at which oestradiol saturates unoccupied sites). (c) R(n) is derived from the penetration of unoccupied cytoplasmic receptor (R(c)) into the nucleus. The MCF-7 cell line was used as a model in the present investigation. The amount of unoccupied receptors was measured by saturation with 7.5nm-[(3)H]oestradiol at 0 degrees C, whereas the occupied receptors were measured by exchange at 30 degrees C. The cells at preconfluency were exposed to a medium fortified with 10nm-[(3)H]oestradiol for 1h, washed and cultured up to 5 days in fresh growth medium. The distribution of oestradiol receptors was determined before exposure and during the following 5 days. After 1h exposure only ER(n) was found in the nuclear fraction. Thereafter ER(n) declined continuously so that on day 5 it approached 15% of its value measured 1h after exposure. Although after 3 days about 80% of ER(n) disappeared no R(n) appeared, which contradicts hypotheses (a) and (b). On day 4 R(n) and R(c) appeared simultaneously. The appearance of R(n) and R(c) was not prevented by culturing the cells in an oestrogen-free medium, supporting hypothesis (c). Exposure of cells to increasing concentration of [(3)H]oestradiol (0.1-10nm) for 1h resulted in a parallel increase in ER(n) without increasing the amount of unoccupied binding sites, which contradicts hypothesis (b). The present study supports the hypothesis (c), i.e., R(c) may also penetrate the nucleus without binding to oestradiol.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Retrospective evaluation of human menopausal gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin induction of ovulation in galactorrheic and hyperprolactinemic women.

A retrospective study on the success of induction of ovulation with human menopausal gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG) in 267 women was performed. Galactorrheic women had a higher pregnancy rate (55%) than nongalactorrheic women (22%). Galactorrhea was a far better indicator of the success of the treatment than hyperprolactinemia at present. The results obtained may suggest that in "bromocriptine failure" it is not mandatory to lower prolactin levels prior to induction of ovulation with hMG/hCG, and these women may be treated with menotropins alone.

Adult↗

Hormonal dependence of the first spermatogenic wave in the mouse.

Antiserum to rat gonadotropins (arG) has been proved capable of binding homologous luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in vitro and mouse LH and FSH in vivo. The administration of arG did not evoke antibody production. The physiological role of endogenous gonadotrophins during neonatal life was studied by administration of this antiserum to groups of newborn male mice. Daily injection of arG from birth up to the age of 100 days inhibited markedly weight increase of testes and accessory glands. Histological evaluation of the testes of such treated animals revealed that spermatogenesis up to the stage of pachytene spermatocytes can proceed in the absence of endogenous gonadotropins; however, no spermatids were formed and the number of cells that developed in the hormone-deprived animals was significantly lower than in the normal animal. Substitution treatment with exogenous FSH permitted the formation of a small number of spermatids, but completion of spermatogenesis was obtained only with combined LH and FSH treatment.

Animals↗

Unoccupied binding sites for oestrogen in nuclei of a breast tumour cell line (MCF-7).

1. A method to measure both occupied and unoccupied oestrogen receptors directly in the crude nuclear fraction of the MCF-7 cells was developed. The receptors had high affinity for oestradiol (Kd approx. 0.7 nM) and binding specificity characteristics of oestrogen receptors. 2. A substantial amount of the unoccupied receptors were found in the crude nuclear fraction. 3. Several experiments excluded the possibility that the unoccupied nuclear receptor might be a cytoplasmic contaminant. (a) Multiple extractions with Tris buffer released about 75% of the total receptor content, leaving the rest unextractable in the crude nuclear fraction. (b) Nuclei purified by centrifugation through 1.8M-sucrose and treatment with 0.7% Triton X-100, or by centrifugation through 50% glycerol with 0.1% Triton X-100 contained similar amounts of unoccupied receptors to that found in the crude nuclear fraction. (c) In cells cultured during 5 days after preconfluency a 3-fold increase in the amount of unoccupied cytoplasmic receptors occurred, whereas the amount of unoccupied nuclear receptors did not change significantly and conversely in cells exposed to increasing concentrations of oestradiol the unoccupied cytoplasmic receptor was continuously depleted but no considerable change in the unoccupied nuclear receptor was found.

Binding Sites↗

[Gonadotrophin therapy (author's transl)].

Strict selection of patients is of paramount importance with a view to obtaining optimum results in the treatment of infertile men with gonadotrophins (HMG/HCG). The use of algorithmic tables permits the exclusion of cases of primary orchiopathy, or of genetic or other causes of infertility independent of the endocrine system. Within the scope of a retrospective study this paper gives an account of the results obtained with gonadotrophin therapy in 25 men presenting severe oligozoospermia. The patients had been selected according to the above-mentioned algorithmic schedule, and their serum levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were determined before and after GNRH stimulation. The present study establishes criteria for the selection of such patients as can be treated successfully with gonadotrophin.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗

Spontaneous pregnancy and its outcome after human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin-induced pregnancy.

The fertility in previously sterile women who conceived at least once following hMG/hCG-induced ovulation is investigated. The study comprises 141 women. The cumulative spontaneous pregnancy rate (CSPR) was calculated using life table analysis and was found to be 30.4% after 5 years. The CSPR for subsequent pregnancies reached 91.3% after 5 years. This figure is similar to that of normal parous women, although the study group (previously infertile women) requires a larger exposure period to attain the figure. The spontaneous abortion rate in the hMG/hCG-induced pregnancies was 29%; whereas in subsequent spontaneous pregnancies this rate was 8.8%. This difference in rate was found to be statistically significant, and the possible reasons are discussed.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Inhibin-like activity and steroid content in human follicular fluid during the periovulatory period.

Inhibin-like activity as well as estradiol-17 beta and progesterone content were assayed in human follicular fluid obtained at different stages of the periovulatory period. Between the start of the midcycle estrogen surge in plasma and the subsequent gonadotrophin peak, follicular fluid was found to contain similar levels of estradiol-17 beta and progesterone (8.2 pmol/microliter) and to induce a marked (44%) inhibition of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-stimulated release of FSH. The midcycle gonadotrophin peak was characterized by a drop in estradiol-17 beta levels and a tripling in progesterone levels, whereas inhibin-like activity fell to almost half the previous value.

Adult↗

Cumulative conception rates following gonadotropin therapy.

During the years 1963 to 1978, 515 patients were treated with HMG. They were divided into two groups depending upon the absence (Group I) or presence (Group II) of distinct endogenous estrogen activity. Group II patients were referred after failure of clomiphene therapy. None of the patients had mechanical or male infertility factors. The cumulative pregnancy rate (life table method) in Group I patients after six cycles of treatment was 91.2%. In 77 patients from Group I, further treatment was given for a second pregnancy after the first gonadotropin conception. In this group, the cumulative conception rate was 93.6% after eight cycles of treatment. In Group II the cumulative conception rate was 50% after 12 cycles of treatment. In both groups, the results were better in patients who were less than 35 years of age than those who were 35 or more when treated.

Adult↗