Biomedical subjects

E Reiter

Publications and source records attributed to E Reiter.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Luteinizing hormone increases the abundance of various transcripts, independently of the androgens, in the rat prostate.

Differential display analysis was carried out to find, in the rat prostate, genes that could be regulated by Luteinizing Hormone (LH), independently of the androgens. Hypophysectomized and castrated adult rats were treated with either LH, testosterone or saline. Regulated discrete bands have been eluted and reamplified. After Northern blotting, the levels of mRNA corresponding to 8 PCR fragments were significantly increased by LH treatment. None of these inserts were found to be induced by testosterone. One insert was subcloned, sequenced and identified as the ribosomial protein S 23. A competitive RT-PCR assay was carried out on the full length S 23 cDNA and confirmed that its mRNA levels were stimulated by LH but not by testosterone. These results strongly suggest that the LH membrane receptor, previously shown to be expressed in the rat prostate, has a physiological significance in this organ. Moreover, it appears that the effect of LH on the rat prostate are independent of the androgens.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Interleukin-10 inhibits spontaneous colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage growth from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by suppression of endogenous granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor release.

Spontaneous growth of myeloid colonies (colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage [CFU-GM]) can be observed in methylcellulose cultures containing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB-MNCs) and is supposedly caused by the release of colony-stimulating factors (CSF) by accessory cells. Because of its cytokine synthesis-inhibiting effects on T lymphocytes and monocytes, interleukin-10 (IL-10) may be a potential candidate for indirect modulation of hematopoiesis. We studied the effect of recombinant human IL-10 (rhIL-10) on spontaneous growth of myeloid colonies derived from human PB-MNCs. A total of 10 ng/mL of IL-10 almost completely inhibited spontaneous CFU-GM proliferation (by 95.1%; P < .001, n = 7) in unseparated PB-MNCs. This effect was dose-dependent and specific, because a neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibody was able to prevent IL-10-induced suppression of CFU-GM growth. Spontaneous CFU-GM growth, which required the presence of both monocytes (CD14+ cells) and T lymphocytes (CD3+ cells), was also greatly suppressed by a neutralizing anti-granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) antibody but was only slightly or not at all inhibited by antibodies against G-CSF or IL-3. Moreover, IL-10-suppressed colony growth could be completely restored by the addition of exogenous GM-CSF. Using semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, we were able to show that GM-CSF transcripts that spontaneously increased in PB-MNCs within 48 hours of culture were markedly reduced by the addition of IL-10. Inhibiton of GM-CSF production in PB-MNCs by IL-10 was also confirmed at the protein level by measuring GM-CSF levels in suspension cultures. Our findings suggest that autonomous CFU-GM growth, resulting from an interaction of monocytes and T lymphocytes, is mainly caused by endogenous GM-CSF release and can be profoundly suppressed by the addition of exogenous IL-10. Considering the strong inhibitory action of IL-10 on GM-CSF production and spontaneous cell growth in vitro, this cytokine may be useful in myeloid malignancies in which autocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms involving GM-CSF are likely to play a pathogenetic role.

Cell Differentiation↗

PubMed1997

Excellent long-term survival after allogeneic marrow transplantation in patients with severe aplastic anemia.

Between 1982 and 1996, 20 patients (10 male, 10 female) with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) with a median age of 25 years (17-37 years), received grafts from an HLA-identical sibling (n = 17), HLA-identical unrelated donor (n = 2) or identical twin (n = 1). The median time from diagnosis to marrow transplantation (BMT) was 15 months (range 1-96 months). More than half of the patients had received more than 10 units of red blood cells or platelet transfusions prior to BMT. Pretransplant immunosuppression consisted of cyclophosphamide (CY) alone (n = 10), CY in combination with total body irradiation (n = 8), and CY and antithymocyte globulin (n = 2). For graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis methotrexate (MTX) alone (n = 9) or MTX with cyclosporin A (n = 10) were given. One patient died on day 18 after marrow grafting due to infection; all other patients had complete and sustained engraftment (95%). Eight patients developed acute GVHD (42%), nine patients chronic GVHD (53%) including four with extensive disease manifestation. One patient experienced a secondary malignancy 11 years after BMT. Eighteen patients followed for a median of 9.45 years (0.42-14.7 years) have sustained hematological reconstitution and are alive and well with a Karnofsky performance score of at least 90%. Thus, excellent long-term survival and low morbidity make allogeneic or syngeneic BMT the treatment of choice for younger patients with severe aplastic anemia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Relapse of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after marrow transplantation: sustained molecular remission after early and dose-escalating infusion of donor leucocytes.

We present a patient who underwent sibling allogeneic BMT because of refractory Ph+ve ALL and remained BCR-ABL-positive after marrow grafting. Haemopoietic precursor cells were predominantly BCR-ABL-negative and of donor origin. In T cells an exclusively donor genotype was demonstrated. Despite donor leucocyte infusion (DLI), 20 weeks after BMT BCR-ABL fusion mRNA increased in semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction and leukaemic infiltration of the patient's bone marrow was seen. After a second course of DLI the patient achieved sustained molecular remission but he developed severe graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and died from bacterial sepsis 9 months after DLI.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Long-term leukemia-free survival after allogeneic marrow transplantation in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Between February 1982 and April 1995, 62 patients (37 male, 25 female) with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) with a median age of 32 years (19-51 years) received allogeneic marrow grafts from an HLA-identical sibling (n=60) or an HLA-mismatched family member (n=2). At the time of transplant, 35 patients were in first complete remission (CR), five in second CR, eight were primary refractory, eight were in untreated relapse and six in refractory relapse. The FAB subtypes were as follows: M1 (n=17), M2 (n=13), M3 (n=6), M4 (n=19), M5 (n=6), M6 (n=1). For conditioning most patients were given total body irradiation combined with cyclophosphamide (CY, n=50) or CY and busulfan (n=9). For graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis patients received cyclosporin A (CSA) and methotrexate (MTX) (n=32), MTX alone (n=12), CSA and methylprednisone (n=5), or CSA alone (n=13). As of April 1995, probability of leukemia-free survival projected at 10 years after BMT was 60% for patients transplanted in first CR compared with 10% for patients transplanted beyond first CR. Transplant-related mortality was 11% after BMT in first CR and 39% after BMT beyond first CR. Probability of relapse projected at 10 years after BMT is 32% for patients who received transplants in first CR and 81% for patients who received transplants beyond first CR. Thus, high-dose chemo/radiotherapy followed by allogeneic marrow infusion has a high curative potential for patients with AML who receive transplants in first CR and offers the chance of long-term disease-free survival for some patients with advanced disease.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1996

Wavelet compression of medical imagery.

Wavelet compression is a transform-based compression technique recently shown to provide diagnostic-quality images at compression ratios as great as 30:1. Based on a recently developed field of applied mathematics, wavelet compression has found success in compression applications from digital fingerprints to seismic data. The underlying strength of the method is attributable in large part to the efficient representation of image data by the wavelet transform. This efficient or sparse representation forms the basis for high-quality image compression by providing subsequent steps of the compression scheme with data likely to result in long runs of zero. These long runs of zero in turn compress very efficiently, allowing wavelet compression to deliver substantially better performance than existing Fourier-based methods. Although the lack of standardization has historically been an impediment to widespread adoption of wavelet compression, this situation may begin to change as the operational benefits of the technology become better known.

Diagnostic Imaging↗

PubMed1995

Androgen-independent effects of prolactin on the different lobes of the immature rat prostate.

In this study, we have examined the respective roles of androgens and prolactin (Prl) on rat prostate development and function. Hypophysectomized immature rats, castrated or not after hypophysectomy and treated or not with a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, were used to study the different aspects of Prl action on the rat prostate and its synergy with androgens in vivo. Using Northern blot analysis and quantitation of prostatic mRNAs, we have shown that Prl significantly increases the steady-state levels of transcripts coding for several lobe-specific proteins: the C3 subunit of prostatein, probasin, and RWB. We have confirmed these observations in vitro, on explants of immature rat prostate treated with either saline, Prl, or testosterone. In addition, we have demonstrated by a nuclear run-on assay that Prl significantly enhances the transcription rate of the C3 gene in the rat prostate. We conclude that the effects of Prl concern all lobes of the organ and are, at least in part, androgen-independent. Moreover, Prl is able, via an androgen-independent pathway, to increase the rate of transcription of the C3 gene, one of the major products of the rat prostate.

3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase↗

PubMed1995

Expression and functionality of luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor in the rat prostate.

In addition to androgens that are essential for maintenance of prostate growth and function, nonandrogenic hormones must also be considered to explain some regulatory events occurring in the prostate. The detection of LH/CG receptor (LH/CG-R) gene expression in some nongonadal tissues, has led us to consider LH as a potential regulatory factor of prostatic development and function. In this study, we have demonstrated by RT-nested polymerase chain reaction and Northern blotting that the rat prostate contains the same LH/CG-R transcript as the gonads. Western immunoblotting, ligand blotting, and binding analysis have shown that rat prostate also contains a 93-kDa receptor protein that is able to bind [125I]hCG specifically and with a high affinity (6.0 x 10(9) M-1). Our results also indicated that the concentration of binding sites was lower in the prostate than in the gonads. LH/CG-R sites of expression have been localized in the prostate by immunohistochemistry: specific staining was observed in all the epithelial cells of the gland, but the ventral lobes are much more immunoreactive than the lateral and dorsal lobes. Finally, the ability of this prostatic LH/CG-R to induce a physiological response was evaluated in an explant culture system. A time course experiment was carried out, and we observed a significant dose-dependent stimulation of cAMP production after 3 h of treatment: 3.0 +/- 0.4, 4.2 +/- 0.4, and 5.0 +/- 0.5 pmol/ml of cAMP for 0, 100, and 500 ng/ml of LH, respectively. In conclusion, LH is able to act directly on the prostatic gland through specific receptors that are structurally and functionally very similar to those expressed in the gonads and are mainly localized in the ventral lobe of the organ. These data suggest that LH plays a significant physiological role in the prostate.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Growth hormone directly affects the function of the different lobes of the rat prostate.

In this study, we investigated the involvement of GH in rat prostate function. First, we demonstrated that specific transcripts corresponding to the GH receptor (4.5 kilobases) and to the GH-binding protein (1.2 kilobases) were expressed in the normal rat prostate, but also in all prostatic carcinoma cell lines tested (LNCaP, PC-3, MAT-Lu, MAT-LyLu, and Pif-1). Moreover, these transcripts were much more abundant in the human and rat carcinoma cells than in the normal tissue. One-year-old dwarf rats were supplemented for 7 days with saline (group DR1) or highly purified rat GH (group DR2). Northern blotting and quantitation of prostatic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) revealed that GH increases the steady state levels of transcripts coding for androgen receptor (2.4-fold), type I and II 5 alpha-reductases (2.6- and 2.2-fold), and several androgen-dependent proteins [prostatein C3 subunit (3.6-fold), probasin (11.0-fold), and R. W. B. (Royal Winnipeg Ballet) (12.5-fold)]. This suggests that GH might either potentiate the action of androgens on the prostate or act directly on this gland by a mechanism that does not depend on testicular androgens. To address this question, we supplemented hypophysectomized and castrated adult rats for 7 days with saline (group HC1), rat GH (group HC2), testosterone propionate (group HC3), or GH plus testosterone (group HC4), starting 3 days after castration. In this animal model, the abundance of C3 mRNA increased in all hormone-treated rats; the stimulation factors were 3.5 (group HC2), 25.5 (group HC3), and 9.5 (group HC4) compared to group HC1. Analysis of prostatein synthesis by Western blotting confirmed these results at the protein level. The same trend was observed for probasin and RWB mRNA levels. Probasin mRNA increased 4.5-fold in group HC2 and 12-fold in group HC3, but did not increase in group HC4 (both hormones combined); enhancement of RWB mRNA was, respectively, 5.0-, 28.0-, and 15.0-fold in groups HC2, HC3, and HC4. GH did not affect the abundance of androgen receptor mRNA. As described previously, the level of this mRNA dropped significantly in group HC3. GH alone did not significantly alter the level of either 5 alpha-reductase mRNA, whereas testosterone, alone or with GH, produced a 2-fold increase in type II 5 alpha-reductase mRNA (groups HC3 and HC4). Type I isoenzyme mRNA reached 1.6 times the control level (group HC1) in groups HC3 and HC4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Androgens↗

PubMed1994

Effective stimulation of neutropoiesis with rh G-CSF in dyskeratosis congenita: a case report.

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare congenital X-linked disorder. The major clinical manifestations are abnormal skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy, and leukoplakia of mucosal membranes. About 50% of the patients develop bone marrow failure, which is partly responsible for the poor prognosis. Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) has been administered to some neutropenic patients with DC, but only a moderate stimulation of neutropoiesis has been observed. We report on a patient with DC treated with recombinant human granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). This treatment resulted in a substantial dose-dependent increase in the neutrophil count.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Non-concordance by gender for schizophrenia and related disorders in sibships.

We analysed gender-concordance rates among 29 prospectively sampled schizophrenic probands and their 39 affected and 71 unaffected siblings. We did not find any unusual concordance rates. We found no same-gender concordance particularly in siblings affected by schizophrenia and related disorders. We considered unaffected siblings in an additional attempt to make valid and unbiased comparisons between genders, but this reduced the number of informative sibships to 20. We stratified the siblings of probands by sibship and by the proband's gender in order to check gender distribution within families. The data do not support hypotheses that schizophrenia is pseudo-autosomal or male-female chromosomally transmitted.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

The season of birth of schizophrenics and schizoaffectives.

We examined the birth distribution of 2,450 schizophrenic and 682 schizoaffective patients first admitted between 1971 and 1992 to the University Hospital for Psychiatry in Vienna. Our data showed an excess of schizophrenic births in the first quarter of the year and a deficit in the third quarter compared with expectation from census data. The quarterly distribution of schizophrenic births seemed to be different from the one of of schizoaffective patients. In schizoaffectives an excess of births in the first quarter of the year was present, but no other deviation from expectation.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Benign prostatic hyperplasia and normal prostate aging: differences in types I and II 5 alpha-reductase and steroid hormone receptor messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels, but not in insulin-like growth factor mRNA levels.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is so common in elderly men that the development of adenomatous nodules in this organ can be seen as a normal age-dependent process. In this work, we used Northern blotting to compare the levels of androgen, estrogen, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor in young (age range, 23-33; n = 3), old normal (age range, 52-80; n = 3), and BPH-affected subjects (age range, 66-87; n = 15). We have also investigated in these groups the expression of genes coding for the two 5 alpha-reductases (types I and II), aromatase, IGF-I, and IGF-II. Our results show significantly increased levels of IGF mRNA in old healthy and BPH-affected subjects; the respective rises for IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF-I receptor mRNAs were 3.0-, 2.9-, and 1.5-fold (BPH) and 2.7-, 2.4-, and 1.8-fold (old normal controls). For estrogen receptor, androgen receptor, and type I and II 5 alpha-reductase mRNAs, a marked but opposite effect was observed in adenomatous tissues only; the respective levels were 2.2-, 1.8-, 3.9-, and 1.7-fold lower than those in young adult subjects, whereas no significant differences were recorded between the two normal groups. Morphometric analysis of each tissue specimen confirmed the significantly lower epithelium/stroma ratio in adenomas compared to young or old healthy tissues. Together, these observations suggest that prostatic adenomas may result from at least two conjugate processes: one characterized by a drop in the mRNA levels of steroid hormone receptors, which might be associated with a lower epithelium/stroma ratio, and another characterized by normal aging phenomena, of which the increased production of IGFs and IGF-I receptor transcripts could be biochemical markers.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Mobilization of circulating hematopoietic stem cells by granulocyte colony stimulating factor after chemotherapy in multiple myeloma].

Due to the relatively low tumour cell contamination of peripheral blood in patients with multiple myeloma, autologous transplantation of circulating stem cells may have theoretical advantages over autologous bone marrow transplantation. In four patients with multiple myeloma who where considered potential candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation G-CSF (600 micrograms/day) was administered following chemotherapy in order to maximally increase the number of circulating progenitor cells during haematopoietic rebound and to facilitate progenitor cell harvest by leukapheresis. In two previously untreated patients the administration of G-CSF following chemotherapy according to the UVA protocol (ultralan, vincristine, adriamycin) greatly increased circulating haematopoietic stem cells from 247 to 7552 CFU-GM/ml in patient 1 and from 173 to 6361 CFU-GM/ml in patient 2, which by far exceeded the increase in progenitor cells following chemotherapy alone, namely only to 594 and 317 CFU-GM/ml in patient 1 and patient 2, respectively. In two repeatedly pretreated patients, the combination of UVA and G-CSF was much less effective. Progenitor cells increased from 144 to 735 CFU-GM/ml in patient 3 and only from 222 to 232 CFU-GM/ml in patient 4. In both cases, however, mobilization of haematopoietic progenitor cells by G-CSF following cyclophosphamide (50 and 70 mg/kg body weight, respectively) led to much higher CFU-GM peak values (5324 in patient 3 and 2245 in patient 4), thus allowing an adequate harvest of mononuclear cells and CD 34+ cell numbers to achieve, in all probability, the prompt and complete reconstitution of haematopoiesis in case of transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed1992

P-element homologous sequences are tandemly repeated in the genome of Drosophila guanche.

In Drosophila guanche, P-homologous sequences were found to be located in a tandem repetitive array (copy number: 20-50) at a single genomic site. The cytological position on the polytene chromosomes was determined by in situ hybridization (chromosome O: 85C). Sequencing of one complete repeat unit (3.25 kilobases) revealed high sequence similarity between the central coding region comprising exons 0 to 2 and the corresponding section of the Drosophila melanogaster P element. The rest of the sequence has diverged considerably. Exon 3 has no coding function and the inverted repeats have disappeared. The P homologues of D. guanche apparently have lost their mobility but have retained the coding capacity for a protein similar to the 66-kDa P-element repressor of D. melanogaster. Divergence between different repeat units indicates early amplification of the sequence at this particular genomic site. The presence of a common P-element site at 85C in Drosophila subobscura, Drosophila madeirensis, and D. guanche suggests that clustering of the sequence at this location took place before the phylogenetic radiation of the three species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Growth hormone and prolactin stimulate androgen receptor, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-I receptor levels in the prostate of immature rats.

In this study we investigated the involvement of several different pituitary hormones on rat prostate development. 22-day-old Wistar rats, hypophysectomized (hypox) at 19 days of age were supplemented with highly purified human prolactin (hPRL), human luteinizing hormone (hLH), porcine follicle-stimulating hormone (pFSH), and bovine growth hormone (bGH) or with saline. Quantitative analysis of RNAs shows that treatment with either PRL or GH increases significantly steady-state mRNAs levels of the following genes in the prostate: androgen receptor (AR) (respectively 3.5- and 4.8-fold above hypox controls), IGF-I (5- and 2.7-fold), and IGF-I receptor (2.9- and 2.3-fold). LH and FSH, by contrast, have negative effects on these parameters. To test whether the enhancing effect of PRL and GH on AR-mRNA abundance was followed by increased content in the protein itself, binding assays were performed with the androgen agonist [3H]R1881 (131 and 153 fmol/mg protein while hypox controls contained 110 fmol/mg protein). In addition to the well-documented presence of prolactin receptors in prostatic tissues, we have further demonstrated, by means of nuclease S1 protection assays plus dot- and Northern-blot analyses, that a GH receptor mRNA is produced in the immature rat prostate. Moreover, we observed not only strong lactogenic but also purely somatogenic binding to be occurring in the immature prostates. Finally, we have studied IGF-I mRNA content in separated epithelial/stromal cell fractions and have concluded that IGF-I expression is principally located in the prostatic stroma. Taken together, these results suggest that PRL and GH are involved in regulating AR synthesis, at least partially by direct action on the organ. In this context IGF-I appears as a paracrine factor playing a role in epithelium/stroma interactions during prostatic development.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Normative data for the steroidogenic response of mineralocorticoids and their precursors to adrenocorticotropin in a healthy pediatric population.

The responses of mineralocorticoids and their precursors 1 h after a 0.25-mg bolus of ACTH has not previously been established in infancy or childhood. We report the steroidogenic responses of pregnenolone, progesterone (Prog), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), corticosterone (B), 18-hydroxycorticosterone (18OHB), and aldosterone (A) measured 1 h after a 0.25-mg bolus of ACTH in 102 healthy children who were divided into 5 age groups: group 1 (< 1 yr; n = 22), group 2 (1-5 yr; n = 22), group 3 (6-12 yr; n = 15), group 4 (early to midpuberty; n = 21), and group 5 (late puberty; n = 22). Baseline pregnenolone levels were constant throughout childhood; however, there was a significant fall in the stimulated level after the first year of life (group 1 vs. 2, P < 0.0125). Baseline Prog levels rose significantly with the onset of puberty (group 3 vs. 4, P < 0.0125), but levels did not increase after ACTH stimulation during puberty. Both baseline and stimulated levels of Prog, DOC, and 18OHB were significantly higher in group 3 males than in group 3 females (P < 0.05). Stimulated levels of DOC and corticosterone were constant during childhood, the only exception being the fall in the stimulated level of both steroids with the onset of puberty in males (group 3 vs. 4, P < 0.0125). The baseline level of 18OHB also fell with the onset of puberty in males (P < 0.0125), but a similar fall was not seen in females or in the stimulated level of 18OHB in either sex. The stimulated aldosterone level was higher in group 1 males than in group 2 males (P < 0.0125); a similar difference was not observed in females. The differences that we observed confirm the importance of specific age- and sex-related reference data when patients with possible abnormalities of mineralocorticoid synthesis are evaluated.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Normative data for adrenal steroidogenesis in a healthy pediatric population: age- and sex-related changes after adrenocorticotropin stimulation.

The normal response to a single 0.25-mg dose of ACTH-(1-24) is not well established in infancy or childhood. We report the adrenal steroidogenic responses of 17-hydroxypregnenolone (17OH Preg), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OH Prog), 11-deoxycortisol, cortisol, deoxycorticosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, androstenedione (A'dione), and testosterone in 102 healthy children who were divided into 5 groups: group 1 (less than 1 yr old; n = 22), group 2 (1-5 yr old; n = 22), group 3 (6-12 yr old; n = 15), group 4 (early-midpuberty; n = 21), and group 5 (late puberty; n = 22). Baseline and stimulated levels of 17OH Preg were significantly higher in group 1 infants than in group 2 children (P less than 0.01). Baseline levels of 17OH Prog increased in late puberty (P less than 0.01). Baseline and stimulated levels of DHEA rose in late puberty (group 5 vs. group 3, P less than 0.01). DHEA levels in late pubertal females were higher than those in their male counterparts (P less than 0.01). DHEA sulfate levels did not change after ACTH administration in any age group. Baseline and stimulated levels of A'dione rose significantly before the onset of puberty in female children (group 2 vs. group 3, P less than 0.01). The calculated ratio of 17OH Preg/17OH Prog in group 1 was significantly higher than that in other groups of children (P less than 0.01). The calculated, baseline DHEA/A'dione ratio was higher in group 1 than in older children (P less than 0.01). Stimulated ratios were higher in late pubertal females than in males (P less than 0.01). In both sexes baseline and stimulated ratios of 17OH Prog/deoxycorticosterone increased in puberty, such that late pubertal children had higher levels than prepubertal children (P less than 0.01). These data confirm the need for interpretation ACTH stimulation test data to be based upon age- and sex-specific norms.

17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone↗