Biomedical subjects

P Eneroth

Publications and source records attributed to P Eneroth.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMed1987

Effects of the uterus and the ovaries on growth, somatotropin and somatomedin A in developing rats.

The effects of hysterectomy and ovariectomy on plasma concentrations of GH, somatomedin A, TSH and thyroxine (T4) were studied in developing rats. Four groups of 24-day-old rats were ovariectomized, ovohysterectomized, hysterectomized or sham-operated. Their weights, lengths and plasma hormone concentrations were measured at 26, 43, 64, 78 and 92 days of age to investigate pre- and postpubertal differences caused by the uterus or ovaries. Plasma concentrations of the hormones examined showed a successive rise with time, but GH and somatomedin A concentrations rose mainly after the opening of the vagina (days 50-55). Higher GH and somatomedin A concentrations were found in the plasma of ovariectomized animals than in ovohysterectomized controls before puberty (GH: 260-300%, P less than 0.01; somatomedin A: 25-30%, P less than 0.05). Ovariectomized animals weighed more than ovohysterectomized females after puberty (4.5-6%, P less than 0.01). This indicated that the uterus exerted a stimulatory effect on GH-somatomedin A regulation and body weight gain in the absence of the ovaries. Significantly lower plasma somatomedin A (but not GH) concentrations were found in hysterectomized and sham-operated animals than in their respective controls after puberty (30-39%, P less than 0.01) and their final body weight was lower (22-26%, P less than 0.001). There were no consecutive uterus- or ovary-related changes in plasma TSH and T4 levels. It was concluded that both the uterus and ovaries had significant as well as opposite effects on somatomedin A and body weight with the effects of the ovaries being greater than those of the uterus.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Naloxone stimulates sexual behaviour in lactating rats.

During lactation the display of sexual receptivity in response to treatment with oestradiol benzoate (OB; 2 or 10 micrograms) and progesterone (0.5 mg) was inhibited, but the behaviour could be activated by i.p. (5 mg) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.; 100 micrograms) but not intrathecal (i.t.; 100 or 500 micrograms) injections of the opioid peptide receptor antagonist naloxone. The behaviour was also inhibited in ovariectomized rats in which serum progesterone and prolactin levels had been raised by treatment with progesterone implants and the dopamine receptor antagonist domperidone, and the uterine cervix had been stimulated. Intraperitoneal injections of naloxone (1 mg) reactivated the behaviour of cervically stimulated rats. The concentration of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in the serum of lactating rats (42.8 +/- 9.2 pmol/l) was not raised above that of ovariectomized rats (35.8 +/- 8.4 pmol/l) nor was the concentration of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity altered in the pituitary gland (22.5 +/- 2.5 pmol/l), midbrain central grey (6.3 +/- 2.2 pmol/l) or hypothalamus (5.6 +/- 2.6 pmol/l) of lactating rats in comparison with ovariectomized rats (24.8 +/- 4.4, 4.0 +/- 2.0 and 4.7 +/- 1.4 pmol/l respectively). Adrenalectomy facilitated the display of sexual behaviour in lactating rats treated with OB plus progesterone and caused a slight increase in serum beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (30.5 +/- 2.7 pmol/l) compared with that in non-adrenalectomized lactating rats (26.1 +/- 2.1 pmol/l). It is suggested that an opioid peptide, but probably not beta-endorphin, inhibits sexual behaviour during lactation and after cervical stimulation.

Adrenalectomy↗

PubMed1987

Naloxone reverses post-ejaculatory inhibition of sexual behaviour in female rats.

Sexual receptivity was inhibited in ovariectomized rats treated with oestradiol benzoate (OB: two injections of 2 micrograms) and progesterone (0.5 mg) immediately after ejaculation by the male and restored after the end of the post-ejaculatory refractory period in the male. The post-ejaculatory inhibition of sexual receptivity was reversed by i.p. (5 mg), intracerebroventricular (50 micrograms) or intrathecal (50 micrograms) injection of the opioid peptide receptor antagonist naloxone. The concentration of serum beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in ovariectomized rats treated with OB plus progesterone was unaltered by sexual interactions with males (18.3 +/- 6.0 (S.E.M.), 26.4 +/- 2.1 and 21.8 +/- 6.1 pmol/l before sexual activity, after ejaculation and after the end of the post-ejaculatory interval) but reduced to non-detectable by hypophysectomy. Subcutaneous injection of 10 micrograms beta-endorphin raised serum concentrations of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity but did not affect the display of sexual behaviour. The behaviour was also unaffected by intracerebroventricular injection of 0.1, 0.2 or 1.0 microgram beta-endorphin or by injections of 0.25 microgram beta-endorphin in the periaqueductal central grey of the mesencephalon. The results show that ejaculation by male rats causes a transient inhibition of sexual receptivity in the female which may be dependent upon opioid peptide receptor mechanisms in the brain and spinal cord. It is unlikely that the peptide is beta-endorphin.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Latex agglutination test for alpha-fetoprotein in the diagnosis of premature rupture of the amniotic membranes (PROM).

A rapid latex agglutination test for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was compared with a pH-indicator and patient history in the detection of premature rupture of the amniotic membranes. Of 120 patients examined, 34 had an established rupture of the membranes, and 56 had suspected rupture. Thirty patients had no evidence of membrane rupture. The vaginal content was examined with a pH-indicator. Samples of vaginal content were also obtained to perform the latex agglutination test, and 103 of these samples were analysed by a radio-immunoassay (RIA) technique for AFP. Our results indicate that the latex agglutination test is of doubtful value due to the many inconclusive test results. The sensitivity of the latex test is less than 15%, and the specificity is 80%. Patient history combined with pH-indicator test is far more informative than the latex agglutination test.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMed1987

Plasma testosterone concentrations in male rats during short and long-term stress stimulation.

Plasma testosterone concentrations were analysed in 14 male rats submitted to short-term and prolonged stress stimulation, and the results were compared with those obtained from a control group of seven rats not submitted to the corresponding experimental stress stimuli. Increased levels of circulating testosterone were recorded during the short term stress stimulus. As compared with the control group, plasma testosterone concentrations were reduced after prolonged stress stimulation for 10 days. The increased stress stimulation, that the animals subjected to short- and long-term standardized stress stimuli were subjected to, compared to the corresponding stress of the animals in the control group, was reflected in an increased concentration of catecholamines in arterial blood.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Psycho-endocrinological reactions in female relatives of cancer patients. Effects of an activation programme.

Psychiatric grief reactions after the loss of a close relative are associated with endocrinological reactions, in particular elevated plasma cortisol. In the present study it was tested if a psychosocial intervention programme for relatives to cancer patients affects the reaction patterns. Thirty-six female relatives in the intervention programme were compared with 36 relatives only subjected to a routine programme. Eighteen of the relatives in the intervention programme and 17 in the routine programme experienced the death of the patient during the study period. Systematic psychiatric observations and analyses of the plasma levels of cortisol and prolactin were made approximately once a month. During the treatment period the psychiatric scores did not differ between the groups, but the prolactin levels tended to be lower in the intervention group (p = 0.06). During the terminal phase preceding the patient's death the plasma cortisol levels were significantly elevated in the intervention group but not in the routine group. At examination one and two months after the death of the patient the mental exhaustion scores were significantly lower in the intervention group. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that grief is activated by the intervention and that the active mourning may have prophylactic value to the relatives after the death of the patient.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Growth hormone releasing and inhibin-like activity in rat uterus: an in vitro study.

Cytosol from uteri of intact rats stimulated growth hormone (GH) release from anterior pituitary cells in vitro. Cytosol from uteri from ovariectomized (OVX) animals had the same effect, but approximately 30-times less. Estradiol treatment in vivo increased such activity in the uteri of OVX rats. To characterize and partially purify this GH releasing activity, crude extracts from uteri of intact and OVX rats, from liver, and plasma were fractionated on Sephadex G-100 superfine columns and the effects of different fractions on the synthesis and release of GH studied and compared to the effects on the synthesis of thyrotropin (TSH), follitropin (FSH), and lutotropin (LH). Fractions containing molecules with high molecular weight (MW greater than or equal to 40,000, HMWF) in these tissues and plasma stimulated GH release. Furthermore, fractions containing molecules with lower MW (10,000-20,000, LMWF) from intact uteri and plasma, but not from uteri of OVX rats and liver had similar GH-releasing activity. LMWF from uteri of both intact and OVX rats but not from plasma and liver inhibited FSH synthesis without having any effects on LH synthesis. Tissue and plasma fractions did not show any effects on TSH and LH synthesis. It was concluded that the rat uterus contained two GH-releasing activities: one which was associated with HMWF and the other one with LMWF. The GH-releasing activity in LMWF was probably induced by estradiol and secreted into the plasma. Furthermore, inhibin-like activity was present in LMWF from uteries.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Adenosine triphosphate in human semen: a study on conditions for a bioluminescence assay.

A comparison of different procedures for adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) determination in whole ejaculates showed that it is advantageous to treat the specimens with trichloroacetic acid (TCA before quantification of ATP by bioluminescence). Semen samples from different men were found to cause varying degrees of inhibition of the luciferin-luciferase reaction. Hence, internal ATP standard had to be added to each sample to allow calculation of endogenous ATP. Mean recovery of ATP was 98.5%. The intrassay and interassay coefficients of variation were 3.0% and 3.9%, respectively. A correlation between the number of progressively motile spermatozoa and the ATP concentration was found (r = 0.89, P = 0.0005, n = 22). The mean level of ATP was 0.49 nmol/living sperm X 10(6) in semen with normal sperm motility and sperm density obtained from 22 men attending our fertility clinic. Seminal ATP was detected only in the spermatozoa.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1987

Intrathecal production of neopterin in aseptic meningo-encephalitis and multiple sclerosis.

Neopterin levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were measured with a sensitive radioimmunoassay in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), aseptic meningo-encephalitis (AM), other mostly non-inflammatory neurological diseases, and controls with tension headache or psychoneurosis. Elevated levels of neopterin were found in CSF in most patients during acute phase of AM, and normalization after clinical recovery. The elevation in CSF was not reflected in serum. Only four of 24 MS patients--three of them examined during exacerbation--had slight elevation of neopterin in CSF and all had normal serum levels. Neopterin levels in CSF correlated with mononuclear cell count. The elevation of neopterin observed in CSF in inflammatory CNS diseases despite low cell numbers in CSF compared to blood might reflect a high activation level of cells locally in the CNS. Neopterin in CSF is a valuable marker of acute cellular immune response.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Nicotine-induced increases in brain luteinizing hormone releasing hormone-like immunoreactivity and in serum luteinizing hormone levels of the male rat.

By means of radioimmunoassay procedures luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)-, Metenkephalin- and somatostatin-like immunoreactivities have been measured in discrete hypothalamic and preoptic nuclei as well as serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. Nicotine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) produced after 5 min a significant and selective increase in LHRH-like immunoreactivity in the median eminence and in the medial preoptic nucleus, associated with increases in serum LH levels but without any changes in Met-enkephalin and somatostatin-like immunoreactivities in the median eminence. The results indicate that the nicotine-induced activation of LHRH-immunoreactive neurons involves an enhanced processing of the precursor peptide to LHRH.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Age-related differences in the pituitary prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

We have previously reported that human subjects undergoing surgery for inguinal hernias exhibit an age-related attenuation in the plasma prolactin response, with no differences during resting conditions. We suggested that these differences were due to age-related neuroendocrine changes, but that peripheral factors may play a role as well. In the present study, we have assessed the pituitary response to 500 micrograms of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the very same subjects previously studied during surgery. Blood samples were drawn immediately prior to, as well as 10, 20, 40 and 60 minutes following the intravenous administration of TRH. There was a clear-cut age-related attenuation in the pituitary prolactin response with no difference in the thyrotropin (TSH) response. Maximum prolactin response in the young subjects was 31.7 micrograms/l and 19.2 micrograms/l in old subjects (F(4) = 3.5, p less than .01, two-way ANOVA). These results indicate that the age-related differences in the prolactin response to stress are mainly due to pituitary changes. However, prolactin-secreting cells are under the control of the hypothalamus. Therefore, the possibility must be considered that aging or other concurrent factors could be exerting their influence via the hypothalamus and not necessarily directly at the pituitary level.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Steroid hormones in emetic and non-emetic pregnancy.

Nausea and/or vomiting in early pregnancy is common enough to be generally accepted as normal or 'physiological'. The specific etiology of these complaints is still obscure. One possibility is that endocrine factors may play some part. In this study, 102 healthy pregnant women, of whom 62 complained of nausea, were followed throughout pregnancy and the circulating levels of cortisol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S), progesterone, oestradiol and total and free oestriol were measured. In early pregnancy, serum levels of cortisol and progesterone were significantly lower in emetic subjects. In the last trimester, significantly higher DHEA-S concentrations and lower testosterone values were found in women who had suffered from nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy compared to asymptomatic subjects. Overt differences were found between emetic and non-emetic pregnancy and it is concluded that endocrine factors are of etiological importance in emesis gravidarum.

Dehydroepiandrosterone↗

PubMed1986

Blood pressure regulation in third-trimester pregnant women receiving tocolytic terbutaline infusion.

Terbutaline (20 micrograms/min) was infused during 30 min in 17 women in whom a manual external manipulation of a breech presentation was going to be attempted. A significant increase in systolic (P = 0.003) and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.04) was noted at the end of the infusion but no change in mean arterial blood pressure was obtained. At the same time aldosterone serum levels had dropped significantly (P = 0.009) and plasma angiotensin II showed a marked increase (P less than 0.001) which continued during the next 30 min. All changes were normalized after the infusion. The angiotensin-converting enzyme activity remained unchanged, as did vasopressin plasma levels. The combined results of terbutaline provocation have been interpreted to mean that blood pressure regulation in third-trimester pregnant women is similar to that in nonpregnant individuals. The increase in dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (P less than 0.05) noted at the end of infusion was suggested to be related to the blood pressure changes and was unrelated to fluctuations in serum cortisol. The latter steroid increased between 30 and 60 min, e.g. during the manual external manipulation, and was interpreted as being due to maternal stress.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Polyethylene glycol-enhanced nephelometric quantification of bovine submaxillary mucin with Helix pomatia lectin.

A new principle for quantification of intact mucin has been developed. The method is reproducible, simple, and sensitive at the submicrogram level and can be performed within an hour. The procedure involves incubation of mucin (bovine submaxillary mucin) and polyethylene glycol with the lectin from the snail Helix pomatia and the complexes formed are quantitated by nephelometry. Polyethylene glycol was found to enhance the affinitin reaction in a dose-dependent fashion. Increasing concentrations of acetate or citrate led to decreasing light scattering of the polyethylene glycol--bovine submaxillary mucin--H. pomatia lectin reaction mixture. Results from displacement studies with N-acetyl-galactosamine suggest that H. pomatia lectin may contain an allosteric type of regulatory site. The quantitative results obtained with bovine submaxillary mucin using the new method correlated well with those obtained with an established method for neuraminic acid determination after neuraminidase digestion (R = 0.969, P less than 0.001; n = 24).

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Serum levels of pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) and human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) in women using an intrauterine device.

Forty-two women using intrauterine contraceptive devices volunteered in a study in which blood samples were drawn in late luteal phase 1-3 times during 73 menstrual cycles. In all 129 blood samples were collected. Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1) and human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hC) were measured by radioimmunoassays. SP1 was measurable in 5/129 samples and beta-hCG in 2/123 samples. Both SP1 and beta-hCG were measurable in 2 samples. All women in the study had regular menstrual periods. It is concluded that an early implantation and subsequent abortion in connection with a "normal" menstruation could occur but in a frequency that is much lower than in women using no contraception.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

PubMed1986

Evaluation of in vitro sperm penetration testing of 176 infertile couples with the use of ejaculates and cervical mucus from donors.

One hundred seventy-six couples with an abnormal postcoital test were investigated with the use of a series of Kremer tests in which each partner was also tested with a donor. There was a significant difference in Kremer test results between healthy donors and the partners in infertile marriages. When each partner was tested with a donor, the scores of the male partners were poorer than the scores of the female partners. The crossed comparisons of semen and mucus from patients and donors indicated that male factors (e.g., sperm concentration and sperm motility) were related to a poor couple score in the infertile couples. The use of donor secretions also allowed identification of incompatible couples in whom the partners had excellent Kremer test results with the respective donors.

Antibodies↗

PubMed1986

Dexamethasone suppression test in schizophrenic patients before and during neuroleptic treatment.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was performed in 21 drug-free schizophrenic patients. The patients satisfied DSM-III and Research Diagnostic Criteria for schizophrenia and were in an acute phase of the disease. In 15 of the patients the DST was repeated after about 5 weeks of treatment with neuroleptics. DST compliance was checked by analysis of dexamethasone concentrations in plasma. In the acute phase 71% (at 04 p.m.) of the patients were nonsuppressors. After neuroleptic treatment the frequency of abnormal responders had decreased to 20%. The decrease in nonsuppressors was not due to alteration of the dexamethasone concentration between the two test occasions. Prolactin levels were markedly increased at the second test occasion compared with the first. There were no significant relationships between cortisol levels, cortisol suppression and prolactin levels. The high frequency of nonsuppressors among schizophrenic patients in the acute phase of the disease indicates that acute stress may be a confounding factor in the outcome of DST.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Intravenous uridine treatment antagonizes hypoglycaemia-induced reduction in brain somatostatin-like immunoreactivity.

By means of radioimmunoassay procedures, cholecystokinin-(CCK) and somatostatin-(SRIF) like immunoreactivity have been studied in the dorsal hippocampal formation and in the frontoparietal cortex of the male rat in insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, leading to an isoelectric EEG pattern. It has been demonstrated that severe hypoglycaemia of 40-min-duration produces a disappearance of SRIF but not of CCK-like immunoreactivity in both cortical regions. It was found that an i.v. injection of uridine but not of saline could significantly counteract the disappearance of SRIF-like immunoreactivity induced by severe hypoglycaemia in both cortical areas. Uridine did not by itself change plasma glucose levels. It is suggested that uridine may prevent release and/or increase synthesis of cortical SRIF peptides in severe hypoglycaemia, possibly due to an action on the metabolism (e.g. by enhancing the resynthesis of phosphatidyl inositol) within the tissue of the cerebral cortex and/or on putative pyrimidine binding sites in the brain controlling SRIF synthesis and/or release. It is possible that uridine in this way may improve recovery of neuronal function within SRIF-immunoreactive neurons of the cerebral cortex after severe hypoglycaemia (which also may be true in other states of reduced metabolic support). These findings suggest a possibility to use uridine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and Status epilepticus.

Animals↗