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Biomedical subjects

M E Wise

Publications and source records attributed to M E Wise.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Progesterone directly inhibits pituitary luteinizing hormone secretion in an estradiol-dependent manner.

We recently demonstrated that progesterone and estradiol inhibit pituitary LH secretion in a synergistic fashion. This study examines the direct feedback of progesterone on the estradiol-primed pituitary. Nine ovariectomized (OVX) ewes underwent hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection (HPD) and were infused with 400 ng GnRH every 2 h throughout the experiment. After 7 days of infusion, estradiol was implanted s.c. Four days later, estradiol implants were exchanged for blank implants in 4 ewes and for progesterone implants in 5 ewes. These implants remained in place for another 4 days. Blood samples were collected around exogenous GnRH pulses before and 0.5 to 96 h after implant insertion and exchange. Serum LH and progesterone concentrations were determined through RIA. One month later, 4 of the HPD-OVX ewes previously implanted with steroids were reinfused with GnRH and the implantation protocol was repeated using blank implants only. In estradiol-primed ewes, progesterone significantly lowered LH secretion after 12 h of implantation and LH secretion remained inhibited while progesterone implants were in place (p less than 0.05). Removing estradiol transiently lowered LH secretion, and this effect was significant only 24 h after estradiol withdrawal (p less than 0.05). These data suggest that progesterone has a direct, estradiol-dependent inhibitory effect on pituitary LH release and that estradiol may sustain pituitary gonadotrope response to GnRH.

Animals

Pineal melatonin inhibition of tumor promotion in the N-nitroso-N-methylurea model of mammary carcinogenesis: potential involvement of antiestrogenic mechanisms in vivo.

The N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU) model of hormone-responsive rat mammary carcinogenesis was used to address the hypothesis that melatonin (Mel), the principle hormone of the pineal gland, inhibits tumorigenesis by acting as an anti-promoting rather than an anti-initiating agent. Daily late-afternoon injections of Mel (500 micrograms/day), restricted to the initiation phase of NMU mammary tumorigenesis, were ineffective in altering tumor growth over a 20-week period. When Mel treatment was delayed for 4 weeks after NMU and then continued through the remainder of the promotion phase, only tumor number was significantly lower than in controls. However, when Mel injections encompassed the entire promotion phase, both tumor incidence and number were significantly lower than in the controls. Although elimination of the endogenous Mel signal via pinealectomy promoted tumor growth, the effect was not statistically significant. Serum levels of estradiol and tumor estrogen receptor content were unaltered by either Mel or pinealectomy. While Mel treatment failed to affect circulating prolactin levels, pinealectomy caused a two-fold increase in serum prolactin. The estradiol-stimulated recrudescence of tumors following ovariectomy was completely blocked by either 20, 100 or 500 micrograms Mel/day or tamoxifen (20 micrograms/day). Thus, Mel appears to be an anti-promoting hormone that may antagonize the tumor-promoting actions of estradiol in this model of mammary tumorigenesis.

Animals

Advancement of postnatal pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in the bull calf by pulsatile administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone during infantile development.

The transition from infantile to prepubertal development in bull calves coincides with the onset of postnatal LH secretion following differentiation of pituitary gonadotropes. Increased pulsatile secretion of hypothalamic GnRH may contribute to maturational development of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. To evaluate the role of GnRH pulse frequency in mediating changes in pituitary response that may lead to altered LH release, serum LH concentrations in Holstein bull calves treated with exogenous GnRH were examined. Nine calves received 200 ng GnRH for 5 min every hour from 1-6 wk of age (GnRH-T), while 5 animals served as controls. Weekly through 6 wk of age, jugular venous blood was collected every 10 min for 8 h. Blood samples from GnRH-T animals were taken during 2 exogenous GnRH pulses followed by 6 h of sampling without exogenous GnRH. Mean serum LH concentrations were greater (p less than or equal to 0.01) in GnRH-T calves than in controls at 2 through 6 wk of age. LH pulse height did not change in either group during the study period. However, LH pulse frequency in GnRH-T calves increased with age (P less than or equal to 0.01), and at 4-6 wk of age, the rate of pulsatile LH secretion was greater (p less than or equal to 0.01) in GnRH-T calves than in controls. Pituitary LH content increased 2.4-fold after GnRH infusion (p less than or equal to 0.01); this increase was associated with a doubling of the pituitary LH-beta mRNA concentration found in controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Direct pituitary effects of estradiol and progesterone on luteinizing hormone release, stores, and subunit messenger ribonucleic acids.

To determine the direct, chronic actions of progesterone (P4) and estrogen (estradiol, E2) on anterior pituitary synthesis and release of LH, 24 western range ewes underwent hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection (HPD) and ovariectomy (OVX) during the breeding season and were pulsed with exogenous GnRH with or without steroid replacement. Sequential blood samples were collected before infusion of GnRH and on Days 7 and 14 of GnRH infusion. Silastic capsules of P4 and/or E2 were implanted s.c. on Day 7 and remained in place throughout the experiment. Control ewes received only GnRH infusion. Blood sampling was centered around three exogenous GnRH pulses. After the final blood sampling, pituitaries were collected and stored at -70 degrees C. Concentrations of LH in serum and pituitaries were determined by RIA. Relative concentrations of LH subunit mRNAs were determined by Fast Blot analysis. Simultaneous implantation of P4 and E2 lowered LH pulse amplitude 70% and mean serum levels 30% compared with controls. Neither steroid alone affected LH release. E2 alone or in combination with P4 lowered LH-beta subunit mRNA concentrations 40% compared with controls while alpha-subunit levels were unchanged. Only E2 alone altered the pituitary content of LH, causing a 60% decrease. We conclude that the combination of P4 and E2 is necessary for inhibition of GnRH-stimulated LH secretion. E2 inhibits GnRH-stimulated LH-beta subunit mRNA concentrations but does not affect alpha-subunit mRNA concentrations. The control of pituitary LH content by P4 and E2 is the result of changes in both LH-beta subunit mRNA concentrations and LH secretion.

Animals

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion during the postpartum anestrous period of the ewe.

An increase in episodic release of LH is putatively the initial event leading to the onset of postpartum ovarian cyclicity in ewes. This experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between hypothalamic release of GnRH and onset of pulsatile secretion of LH during postpartum anestrus. Control ewes (n = 7) were monitored during the postpartum period to determine when normal estrous cycles resumed. In controls, the mean interval from parturition to the first postpartum estrus as indicated by a rise in serum progesterone greater than 1 ng/mg was 25.8 +/- 0.6 days. Additional ewes (n = 4-5) at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days postpartum (+/- 1 day) were surgically fitted with cannula for collection of hypophyseal-portal blood. Hypophyseal-portal and jugular blood samples were collected over a 6- to 7-h period at 10-min intervals. The number of GnRH pulses/6 h increased (p less than 0.05) from Day 3 postpartum (2.2 +/- 0.5) to Days 7 and 14 (3.6 +/- 0.2 and 3.9 +/- 0.4, respectively). A further increase (p less than 0.05) in GnRH pulse frequency was observed at Day 21 postpartum (6.4 +/- 0.4 pulses/6 h). Changes in pulsatile LH release paralleled changes observed in pulsatile GnRH release over Days 3, 7, 14, and 21 postpartum (0.83 +/- 0.3, 2.8 +/- 0.4, 2.9 +/- 0.6, and 4.0 +/- 1.1 pulses/6 h, respectively). GnRH pulse amplitude was higher at Day 21 than at Days 3, 7, or 14 postpartum. These findings suggest that an increase in the frequency of GnRH release promotes the onset of pulsatile LH release during postpartum anestrus in ewes.

Anestrus

Prostaglandin F2 alpha-induced calcium transient in ovine large luteal cells: I. Alterations in cytosolic-free calcium levels and calcium flux.

The effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on cytosolic calcium homeostasis was studied in suspensions of ovine large or small luteal cells from superovulated ewes. In large cells loaded with fura-2 (AM), resting cytosolic-free calcium ([Ca2+]i) was 62 +/- 5 nM (Hanks' medium, pH 7.15), and PGF2 alpha (0.5 microM) induced a rapid transient increase in [Ca2+]i to 152 +/- 6 nM, which then decreased to 97 +/- 6 nM within 3 min and remained at this level for the remainder of the treatment period (10-20 min). PGF2 alpha did not alter intracellular pH (pHi) in cells loaded with snarf-1 (AM) (pHi indicator). The transient nature of the [Ca2+]i increase was due, at least in part, to the ability of PGF2 alpha to stimulate (P less than 0.05) 45Ca2+ efflux. In small cells, resting [Ca2+]i was 57 +/- 5 nM, and no change in [Ca2+]i levels or pHi occurred with the addition of PGF2 alpha. PGF2 alpha also did not affect 45Ca2+ efflux in small cells. Calcium uptake was not significantly altered by PGF2 alpha in large or small cells. Data from kinetic analysis of the calcium transient was best fit to a two-compartment model consisting of a rapidly effluxing compartment and a slowly effluxing compartment. The size and rate constants were 62 +/- 10 nM and 3.6 +/- 1 min-1, respectively, for the rapidly effluxing compartment and 140 +/- 9 nM and 0.02 +/- 0.002 min-1, respectively, for the slowly effluxing compartment. These results provide evidence for a direct effect of PGF2 alpha specifically on the ovine large luteal cell that involves alterations in [Ca2+]i and calcium flux. This effect is likely to be involved in intracellular mediation of the signal for luteal regression.

Animals

Two exceptional sets of physiological clearance curves and their mathematical form: test cases?

Amiodarone concentrations y(t) have been measured from 1 min to more than 50 days following 10 min of infusion, with about 40 observations on each of six normal subjects (Tucker et al., 1984, Eur. J. clin. Pharmacol. 26, 655-656). The form of the log-log plots-ln(y) vs ln(t)--is investigated. These appear to show three phases. First there is a rapid decrease of y(t), then a straight line corresponding to a small negative power of t, ca -0.3, and this line changes continuously but quickly at about 0.5 day into a steeper line that is almost straight. For the curve fitting a simple "spline-type" device was successful. Two continuity conditions were imposed at the time of changeover, which was one of the unknown parameters. The results are compared in detail with those from a set of 15 radiocalcium curves obtained during 2 weeks or more from a single injection of 47Ca (Neer et al., 1967, J. clin. Invest. 46, 1364-1379). Again two power functions of time can be seen. The changeover is much more gradual than with amiodarone, and the fits are still better. Both sets of curves are fitted with fewer adjustable parameters than with the usual multiexponentials that are interpreted in terms of homogeneous compartments. Theoretical and practical implications are mentioned. There is much indirect evidence that hundreds of other clearance curves may consist largely of one or two of such power functions of time.

Amiodarone

Ontogeny of pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the bull calf during infantile and pubertal development.

During the infantile period of development in the bull calf (birth to 6 weeks of age), there is a virtual absence of episodic secretion of LH. Transition from infancy to the prepubertal period (6-10 weeks of age) is characterized by the onset of episodic LH release. This study was conducted to characterize the ontogeny of episodic GnRH release during these developmental periods. During the primary experiment, calves at 2, 5, 8, and 12 weeks of age (n = 4/age) were surgically fitted with cannulae for the collection of mixed hypophyseal portal and cavernous sinus blood. Hypophyseal portal and cavernous sinus and jugular blood samples were collected over a 9- to 12-h period at 10 min intervals. No pulses of LH were observed in calves at 2 or 5 weeks of age. At 8 and 12 weeks of age, pulsatile LH release became evident with a mean of 1.0 +/- 0.3 and 2.20 +/- 0.7 pulses/10 h, respectively. Unlike LH secretion, calves at both 2 and 5 weeks of age released GnRH in a pulsatile manner (3.5 +/- 0.2 and 5.0 +/- 0.6 pulses/10 h, respectively). The frequency of pulsatile GnRH release increased from 7.9 +/- 0.4 pulses/10 h at 8 weeks of age to 8.9 +/- 0.7 pulses/10 h at 12 weeks of age. These findings demonstrate the presence of pulsatile secretion of GnRH during the infantile period of development. Furthermore, the postnatal ontogeny of pulsatile LH release in this species is associated with an increase in the frequency of pulsatile GnRH secretion.

Aging

In-vitro and in-vivo responsiveness of the corpus luteum of the mare to gonadotrophin stimulation.

Dispersed horse luteal cells were used to evaluate the ability of horse LH, hCG and PMSG to stimulate progesterone secretion in vitro. Morphological characterization of these cells before gonadotrophin stimulation indicated the presence of two populations of cells based on cell diameters. In luteal cells incubated as suspended cells, horse LH and hCG stimulated (P less than or equal to 0.05) progesterone production at all levels of treatment. Stimulation of progesterone secretion by hCG was greater (P less than or equal to 0.05) than by horse LH over the range of concentrations utilized. When mares (N = 7) received an intramuscular injection of 1000 i.u. hCG on Days 3, 4 and 5 after the end of oestrus, there was an increase (P less than or equal to 0.05), in peripheral progesterone concentrations beginning on Day 7 and continuing until Day 14 compared with controls (N = 7). Peripheral progesterone concentrations continued to be elevated in hCG-treated mares for Days 15-30 after oestrus in those mares that conceived. Although treatment with hCG increased progesterone concentrations, it had no influence on anterior pituitary release of LH as measured by frequency and amplitude of LH discharge. We conclude that the mare corpus luteum is responsive to gonadotrophins in vitro and that exogenous hCG can enhance serum progesterone concentrations throughout the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy.

Animals

Hormonal alterations in the lactating dairy cow in response to thermal stress.

The influence of acute exposure to thermal stress on the secretion of progesterone, estradiol, cortisol, and LH was monitored in 14 lactating Holstein cows. Eight cows were maintained throughout the summer in a refrigerated air-conditioned tie stall barn. An additional eight cows were maintained in outdoor corrals with access only to shade. Rectal temperatures and respiration rates of cows under heat stress conditions were elevated above the cows maintained under air conditioning. Cows in both environments exhibited similar serum concentrations of progesterone and estradiol throughout the estrous cycle. Serum cortisol concentrations were higher in heat-stressed cows compared to cows maintained under cooling. The number of LH pulses on d 5 of the estrous cycle was greatly reduced in the heat-stressed cows compared to the cows under cooling. No differences in the number of pulses of LH were observed on d 12 of the estrous cycle between cows in the two environments. Data suggest that heat stress can suppress anterior pituitary release of LH without having a measurable influence on ovarian steroid hormone secretion.

Animals

Prepubertal changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis of Holstein bulls.

We investigated the nature and sites of changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis associated with the onset of high-frequency, high-amplitude discharges of luteinizing hormone (LH) in young bulls during the transition from the infantile to the prepubertal phase of development. Blood serum and neuroendocrine tissues from bulls killed at 1, 6, 10, 14, or 18 wk of age were evaluated. Concentrations of LH in serum from bulls 1 or 6 wk old averaged less than 0.25 ng/ml and only one episodic discharge of LH was detected for 10 bulls. At 10, 14, or 18 wk, 14 of 15 bulls had episodic discharges of LH. Concentrations of testosterone in serum were progressively higher at 10, 14, and 18 wk, but the concentration of estradiol was maximal at 6 wk. The concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the anterior hypothalamus, posterior hypothalamus, or median eminence were not influenced by age. However, concentration of GnRH receptors in the anterior pituitary gland increased 314% between 6 and 10 wk and the concentration of LH increased 67%. Between 6 and 10 wk, concentrations of estradiol receptors in the anterior and posterior hypothalamus declined by 68% and 46%, but the concentration of estradiol receptors in the anterior pituitary gland increased by 103%. For most characteristics, there was no major change between 10 and 18 wk. We postulate that between 6 and 10 wk of age, there is 1) removal of an estradiol-mediated block of GnRH secretion and 2) an estradiol-mediated, and possibly GnRH-mediated, increase in pituitary GnRH receptors. Together, these changes result in greatly increased stimulation of the anterior pituitary gland by GnRH between 6 and 10 wk of age and stimulation of the discharges of LH characteristic of bulls in the early prepubertal phase of development.

Animals

Measurement of messenger RNA for luteinizing hormone beta-subunit and alpha-subunit during gestation and the postpartum period in ewes.

Pituitary content of luteinizing hormone (LH) and mRNAs for LH beta-subunit (LH beta), alpha-subunit, prolactin, and growth hormone were measured in ewes on Days 50 and 140 of gestation and on Days 2, 13, 22, and 35 postpartum. Content of LH in dissociated anterior pituitary cells declined (P less than 0.05) between Days 50 and 140 of gestation and remained low at 2 days postpartum. By 22 days postpartum, pituitary concentrations of LH were comparable to concentrations in normally cycling ewes. During gestation concentrations of mRNA for LH beta and alpha-subunit paralleled changes in cellular content of LH, reaching minimal levels on Day 140. By Day 2 postpartum, pituitary concentrations of mRNAs for LH beta and alpha-subunit began to increase; they reached maximum levels by Day 13 postpartum. There appeared to be a gradual linear increase in mRNA for prolactin through gestation and the postpartum period. No changes in mRNA for growth hormone were noted during the prepartum or postpartum periods. These data suggest that the decline in pituitary concentrations of LH during gestation is due to a decrease in cellular mRNA for LH beta and alpha-subunit. The increase in mRNA for LH beta and alpha-subunit appears to precede an increase in cellular content of LH in the postpartum ewe by several days.

Animals

Distributions of VA/Q in dog lungs obtained with the 50 compartment and the log normal approach.

From the lung wash-out ratios of six inert gases that were intravenously administered to 26 anaesthetized normal dogs, 120 distributions of ventilation--perfusion ratios (VA/Q) were determined, using two different techniques: the 50 compartment approach developed by Wagner et al. (1974a) and a least squares curve fitting method, comparing observed and calculated inert gas data corresponding to a single log normal distribution. The latter is defined by three parameters, the (geometric) mean VA/Q, the standard deviation of log VA/Q and a shunt fraction. A unimodal log normal fit was almost always obtained, but in 14 cases the 50 compartment approach yielded a bimodal distribution, which gave a better fit to the data in 7 cases. In most other cases the log normal distribution fitted better; the mean VA/Q's were about equal, but the standard deviations obtained from the log normal fit were often much less. It appears that, whereas in the log normal approach distributions of any sharpness can be fitted, the computer technique used in the 50 compartment approach, involving a smoothing algorithm, shortens and broadens any sharp and narrow peak in them. The effect of different smoothing factors in the 50 compartment approach was investigated. The PaO2 predicted from either distribution was about the same and somewhat less than the actual PaO2, so that one model is not superior to the other in describing oxygen transfer in the lung.

Animals

The form and interpretation of clearance curves for injected radioisotopes based on negative power laws, especially for 47Ca and estimating bone accretion rate.

Many hundreds of clearance curves for plasma and urine after a single injection of tracer are well fitted by y = sigmari = Ai exp(-Bit), r = 2 or 3, based on models with homogeneous compartments. Reanalyzing such sums as in a plot of log y versus log t shows that many of the original curves would fit y = At-alpha or At-alpha exp(-betat) over wide ranges of time and specific acitivity. Results of such reanalyses for a complete published series for serum albumin 131I are given, and an outline of those for various compounds in the human body labeled by 3H. For radiocalcium two such power laws can be fitted in one curve, with a transition between about 1 and 3 days, so that much of the log y versus log t plot consists of two straight lines. These lines are used for starting a numerical analysis that splits the curve into 2 non-linear components, plus a third one that is neglibible after 5 min from injection. An outline of the iteration method is given. The components are interpreted physiologically and used to predict total bone activities by (de)convolution, and these are compared with observed ankle activities and with excretion rates. The bone accretion rate is obtained mainly from the middle component and comes to 2 to 3 g Ca/day, while return of 47Ca from bone to plasma begins at about 1/2 day. These results seem imcompatible with any based on compartments. The concept of biological half-life then needs to be reconsidered.

Ankle

The negative inotropic effect of secobarbital on the heart of reserpinised newborn and adult guinea pigs.

The negative inotropic effect of different concentrations of secobarbital was studied on isolated hearts of reserpinised newborn and adult guinea pigs. This effect was expressed as the percentage reduction of contraction height, from which the sensitivity of the heart was obtained as the reciprocal of the secobarbital concentration X1/2 needed to yield a 50% reduction (i.e. 1/X1/2). It was found that in adults depletion of catecholamines increased this sensitivity, but not in newborns. Possible interpretations are discussed and it is concluded that the age effects are not due to an effect of reserpine on contractility.

Aging