Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Volume 32 / No. 2 / 1998
W. Zhao, H. Zhu, Z. Yu, K. Aoki, J. Misumi, X. Zhang
Department of Environmental Hygiene, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang
050017, China;
Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Oita Medical University, Oita
879-5593, Japan;
Department of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017,
China
Objective. To elucidate the participation of the independent
and combined long term effect of various concentrations of iodine and fluorine
on the pathogenesis of goiter and fluorosis in mice.
Methods. Nine drinking water supplies with different iodine and
fluorine content were prepared by combination of potassium iodate and sodium
fluoride solutions in bidistilled water. The concentrations of iodide were:
1. iodine deficiency (ID): 0.0; 2. iodine normal (IN): 20.0; 3. iodine
excess (IE) 2500.0 µg/l; and these of fluoride were: 1. fluoride deficiency
(FD) 0.0; 2. fluoride normal 0.6; 3. fluoride excess (FE), 30.0 mg/l. A
total of 288 Kunmim mice was divided into 9 groups consisting of 32 animals
each and each group, in addition to basal diet, received one of following
iodide/fluoride mixtures: ID+FD, ID+FN, ID+FE, IN+FD, IN+FN, IN+FE, IE+FD,
IE+FN, IE+FE. By such manner, one half of the animals of each group was
treated for 100 days and the other half for 150 days.
Results. It was found that ID only and IE only could both induce
the goiter. FE induced dental fluorosis and increased fluorine content
in the bone. In addition, fluorine also affected the thyroid changes induced
by ID or IE. After 100 days of treatment, fluorine showed some stimulatory
effect on the thyroid in ID conditions and inhibitory effect in IE conditions.
After 150 days, however, the effects of fluorine on the thyroid reversed
as compared with that of 100 days. On the other hand, difference of iodide
intake could also increase the toxic effects of FE on the incisors and
bones. The rate and degree of the incisor fluorosis, the fluorine contents
in the bone were significantly higher in the ID+FE group than those in
the IN+FE and IE+FE groups.
Conclusions. Both iodine deficiency and excess induced goiter as
well as other functional and histopathological changes in the mouse thyroid.
Excessive fluorine caused fluorosis of incisors and limb bones. In addition,
iodine and fluorine do have mutually interacting effects on both goiter
and fluorosis in the experimental mice.
Key words: Iodine - Fluorine -Various doses - Goiter- Fluorosis
- Mice
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 63 - 70, 1998
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T. Mitsuma, N. Rhue, Y. Hirooka, M. Kayama, T. Wago, Y. Mori, J. Takagi, K. Adachi, J. Ping, M. Ohtake, T. Nogimori, J. Sakai
Fourth Department of Internal Medicine,
Department of Laboratory Medicine and
the First Department of Physiology, Nagakute, Aichi, Aichi 480-11, Japan,
Department of Internal Medicine, Konanshowa Hospital, Konan Aichi, Japan
Objective. To investigate the organ distribution of dopamine
transporter (DAT) in rats by immunohistochemical method.
Methods. Dopamine transporter (DAT) was identified immunohistochemically
in the tissues using specific antipeptide antiserum raised in New Zealand
white rabbits immunized with a conjugate of synthetic DAT peptide (29-45)
with bovine serum albumin. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed by
avidin-biotin complex method.
Results. DAT immunoreactivity was visualized in the neural perikarya,
axons and dendrites of the central nervous system, retina, adrenal medulla,
Auerbach's nervous branch and Meissner's nervous branch of the stomach,
small intestine and colon, anterior pituitary, and lung. When using antiserum
preincubated with synthetic DAT peptide (DAT, 29-45) or hypothalamus homogenate
which contains DAT, no significant stain of neurons in the hypothalamus
was detected.
Conclusion. These findings suggest that DAT is widely distributed
and that the method used is valuable in studying the distribution of DAT
in rats.
Key words: Dopamine transporter - Immunohistochemistry - Organ
distribution - Rats
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 71 - 75, 1998
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Andreas Plagemann, Alexander Staudt, Franziska Götz, Uwe Malz, Wolfgang Rohde, Annett Rake and Günter Dörner
Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Humboldt University Medical School (Charité), Berlin, Germany.
Objective. Since perinatal stress events are well known to exert
long-term influences on the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis in rats, to investigate the consequences of exposure to IL-1ß,
a potent stimulator of this axis, during early postnatal life.
Methods. Wistar rats were treated twice a day with 0.02 µg human
recombinant IL-1ß from day 1-4 of age, while controls received the vehicle
only.
Results. IL-1ß-treatment had no significant influence on the mortality
and body weight. However, at the end of treatment period on the 4th day
of life, the thymus weight was decreased in the IL-1ß-treated group (P<0.01),
while the adrenals were clearly enlarged (P<0.0002). These responses
were associated with a nearly 4-fold elevation of the plasma corticosterone
(CS) level as compared to vehicle-treated controls (P<0.001). At the
age of seven months the stimulated CS levels induced by an acute stress
(novel environment) were lower in rats treated neonatally with IL-1ß than
in controls (P<0.01). This functional disturbance was associated with
morphological alterations in the parvicellular part of the paraventricular
nucleus (PVN) which is the main hypothalamic regulation centre of the HPA
axis. A strong reduction of the numerical density of neurons was found
in the neonatally IL-1ß-treated rats (P<0.005) while the neuronal nuclei
were clearly enlarged (P<0.0005).
Conclusion. As a part of an infection-induced stress response during
critical periods of development, IL-1ß might be capable of inducing a permanent
structural malorganization of the PVN and, consequently, functional malprogramming
of the HPA axis in rats.
Key words: Interleukin-1ß - Newborn rat - Long-term effects -
Paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) - Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis.
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 77 - 85, 1998
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M. Bicikova, Z. Putz, M. Hill, R. Hampl, L. Dibbelt, J. Tallova, L. Starka
Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic;
Institute of Clinical Endocrinology, Lubochña, Slovak Republic;
Medizinische Universitãet zu Luebeck, Germany;
Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Objective. To evaluate whether altered levels of progesterone
and its main neuroactive metabolite allopregnanolone do occur in premenopausal
women. The second part of this study deals with allopregnanolone levels
in thyreoidectomized women.
Methods. Allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid acting by its allosteric
interaction with GABAA receptors and progesterone, were determined
in two groups of patients which have in common certain psychic disorders
generally characterized by the depression and anxiety, namely in 23 women
with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and in 52 women after total thyreoidectomy.
The control groups consisted of women of the same age without premenstrual
complaints and with normal thyroid function, respectively.
Results. Significantly lower values of allopregnanolone in PMS patients
than in controls have been found in the follicular phase, indicating the
lower peripheral activity of 5alpha-reductase of C21-steroids
detectable at low progesterone levels only. In the thyroidectomized patients
significantly higher values of allopregnanolone have been found in the
luteal phase.
Conclusion. The increase of allopregnanolone level in thyroidectomized
patients may represent one of the counterregulatory mechanisms protecting
the organism from some consequences of hormonal disbalance after thyroid
ablation.
Key words: Neurosteroids - Allopregnanolone - 5alpha-reductase
- Premenopausal syndrome - Thyroidectomy
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 87 - 92, 1998
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E.L. Gregoraszczuk, J. Galas
Laboratory of Animal Endocrinology and Tissue Culture, Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Objective. To investigate the influence of thyroid hormone on
steroid production and cAMP accumulation in porcine theca (Tc) and granulosa
cells (Gc) isolated from preovulatory follicles as well as in luteal cells
isolated during the mid-developing luteal phase.
Methods. Granulosa and theca cells separated from pig ovarian follicles
and pieces of corpora lutea were cultured in the incubation medium M199
with 5 % calf serum. After the addition of triiodothyronine (T3)
and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine (IBMX) to the culture medium cAMP, progesterone
and testosterone were estimated with the aid of specific RIA.
Results. T3 added to the culture media stimulated the
steroid secretion and cAMP accumulation in all cell types investigated.
In theca cells, T3 alone increased androgen production by 2
fold and the addition of IBMX further augmented the steroidogenesis by
2.2 fold. In granulosa cell culture, IBMX had no effect either on the basal
or T3 stimulated progesterone secretion and cAMP accumulation.
In luteal cell culture, IBMX added alone increased progesterone secretion
and cAMP accumulation in the same manner as T3. Further augmentation
of progesterone secretion (1.3-fold) and cAMP accumulation (1.1-fold) was
observed after the addition of IBMX together with T3.
Conclusion. The influence of thyroid hormone on cyclic nucleotide
release by ovarian cells may suggest the involvement of cAMP-dependent
mechanism in the realization of T3 action in ovarian cells.
Keys words: Triiodothyronine - cAMP accumulation - Progesterone
- Testosterone - Theca, granulosa and luteal cells - Pig
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 93 - 98, 1998
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B. Kos-Kudla
1st Department of Pathophysiology, Silesian Medical Academy, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Objective. To evaluate and compare the degree of adrenal cortex
suppression in patients receiving long term treatment with different formulas
and doses of glucocorticoids (GC) which is of considerable diagnostic and
therapeutic importance.
Methods. A total of 97 subjects (51 women and 46 men) with bronchial
asthma was divided into the groups subjected to different GC treatment
(e.g. inhalation, oral and intramuscular GC). In all patients total blood
serum and free salivary cortisol was estimated under basal conditions and
after Synacthen stimulation as well as free cortisol and its metabolites
in 24 hour urine.
Results. Reduced adrenal reserve was found in 58.33 % of patients
chronically treated with systemic GC, in 21.05 % of patients periodically
treated with systemic GC and in 9.09 % of patients treated with inhaled
GC.
Conclusions. Inhaled GC caused a small degree of adrenal cortex
suppression and thus should be preferred in the treatment of bronchial
asthma. In addition, free salivary and urinary cortisol levels are a useful
non-invasive method of evaluating adrenal cortex function in patients with
bronchial asthma.
Key words: Glucocorticoid treatment - Adrenocortical function
- Salivary cortisol - Serum cortisol - Urinary cortisol - Synacthen test
- Bronchial asthma
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 99 - 106, 1998
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M. Kourilova
Department of Foreign Languages, School of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
Endocrine regulations, Vol. 32, 107 - 114, 1998