Comparative effects of cortisone, dianabol and enovid on isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in arteriosclerotic vs nonarteriosclerotic rats. (1/30)

Male and female nonarteriosclerotic (virgin) and arteriosclerotic (breeder) Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to acute myocardial infarction with isoprenaline. When myocardial necrosis was most intense, animals were given cortisone (high and low doses), Dianabol, or Enovid. Animals receiving large doses of cortisone manifested the best survival rate during the early stages of myocardial infarction. Although their serum enzyme levels were least elevated and their hearts showed tha least amount of damage, these animals had undergone the most intense body weight loss and began to die suddenly during the later stages of the experiment. These animals also manifested hyperlipidaemia, hyperglycaemia, septicaemia, severe disuse atrophy of their adrenal glands, and reduced Cmpd. B production. Animals treated with low doses of cortisone or with the anabolic and androgenic steroid, Dianabol, manifested none of the myocardial pretective effects of the larger dose of cortisone. These animals displayed a high incidence of left ventricular aneurysm formation concomitant with extensive cartilaginous metaplasia within the aneurysmal sites. Treatment with the contraceptive drug, Enovid, caused body weight loss, hyperlipidaemia, hyperglycaemia, gonadal atrophy and reduction of Cmpd. B production. Although the high dose of cortisone exercised definite salutary effects during early myocardial infarction, chronic treatment led to adrenal disuse atrophy and hypoadrenocorticism associated with sudden death during the later stages of myocardial repair. These findings indicate that proper adjustment of the dose and chronicity of corticosteroids used for treating the crisis of acute myocardial infarction must be made in order to provide effective protection against untoward pathophysiological conditions, acceleration of myocardial repair, but without suppression of adrenal function.  (+info)

Malignant hypertension with irreversible renal failure due to oral contraceptives.(2/30)

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Hepatic adenomas and oral contraceptives.(3/30)

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IATROGENIC ENDOMETRIAL PATTERNS. (4/30)

The histological patterns exhibited in the endometrium due to the newer progestational agents cannot be correlated with the patient's menstrual cycle or the physiological endometrium which follows ovulation. The oral progestational agents which have been produced during the past few years have had wide clinical application. Although the 19-nor-steroids and the derivatives of 17 alphahydroxyprogesterone differ in chemical structure, they produce similar histological appearances in the endometrium. Prolonged use of these compounds produces atrophy of the endometrial glands and a cellular stroma which might be mistaken for endometrial sarcoma. In view of the fact that such compounds are widely used in clinical practice and as contraceptive agents, it is essential that the pathologist should be aware of the bizarre endometrial patterns which they may produce; the more important of these changes are illustrated and discussed.  (+info)

THE FERN REACTION OF CERVICAL MUCUS. (5/30)

The fern reaction of endocervical mucus was tested in 100 non-pregnant and 200 pregnant women with a view to establishing the relationship of this fern pattern to normal ovarian cyclical changes and normal pregnancy. The fern appeared at day 7-9 of the cycle and disappeared at day 18-20. Twenty-eight of 100 pregnancies before 10 weeks yielded positive fern reactions; two of 100 pregnancies after 10 weeks yielded positive fern reactions. In the presence of a positive fern reaction, the administration of 10 mg. of norethynodrel (Enovid) daily for seven days led to prompt withdrawal bleeding in the absence of pregnancy. With a negative fern reaction, a spontaneous period ensues within 12 days in the absence of pregnancy. Two hundred women were tested for early pregnancy on this premise; in 198, a correct diagnosis was obtained.  (+info)

Estrogenic potential of progestins in oral contraceptives to stimulate human breast cancer cell proliferation. (6/30)

Most oral contraceptives (OC) contain a progestin in combination with an estrogen, and the progestin component in OC includes one of the following 19-nortestosterone derivatives: norethynodrel; norethindrone; or norgestrel (levonorgestrel). It is well known that estrogens promote the growth of breast cancer. However, progestins have recently also been implicated in the development of breast cancer. We have compared and contrasted the ability of synthetic progestins to stimulate the proliferation of cultured human breast cancer cells and examined their possible mechanism of action. We found that some progestins used in OC were able to stimulate the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) MCF-7 and T47DA18 human breast cancer cells but not ER- MDA-MB-231, BT-20, and T47DC4 human breast cancer cells. However, two other progestins, MPA and R5020, which are not used in OC, were either not able to stimulate or only slightly stimulated growth. The potency of norethynodrel [median effective dose (EC50) = 4 x 10(-8) M] and norethindrone (EC50 = 3 x 10(-8) M) was greater than norgestrel (EC50 = 2 x 10(-7) M) in MCF-7 cells. E2 (EC50 = 8 x 10(-13) M) was an even more potent stimulator of growth. More importantly, the progestin-induced growth stimulation was blocked by the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI 164,384 but not the antiprogestin 17 beta-hydroxy-11 beta-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-17 alpha-(1-propynyl)-estra-4, 9-dien-3-one (RU486). To determine whether the proliferative action of progestins was mediated through the ER, cells were transfected with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene containing an estrogen response element derived from vitellogenin 2A gene. The progestins which stimulated the growth of breast cancer cells also increased chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity. The induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity was blocked by the addition of the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI 164,384 but not the antiprogestin RU486. This study provides direct evidence that the 19-nortestosterone derivatives in OC have estrogenic properties and suggests that activation of ER, but not progesterone receptor, is the growth-stimulatory mechanism for these synthetic progestins. Our results may help to explain the conflicting evidence linking OC and breast cancer risk. A rigorous evaluation of the "total" estrogenic potential of OC might produce a better correlation with breast cancer risk.  (+info)

The involvement of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 in the metabolism of 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol. (7/30)

The role of specific cytochrome P450 (P450) isoforms in the metabolism of ethinylestradiol (EE) was evaluated. The recombinant human P450 isozymes CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 were found to be capable of catalyzing the metabolism of EE (1 microM). Without exception, the major metabolite was 2-hydroxy-EE. The highest catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) was observed with rCYP1A1, followed by rCYP3A4, rCYP2C9, and rCYP1A2. The P450 isoforms 3A4 and 2C9 were shown to play a significant role in the formation of 2-hydroxy-EE in a pool of human liver microsomes by using isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies, in which the inhibition of formation was approximately 54 and 24%, respectively. The involvement of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 was further confirmed by using selective chemical inhibitors (i.e., ketoconazole and sulfaphenazole). The relative contribution of each P450 isoform to the 2-hydroxylation pathway was obtained from the catalytic efficiency of each isoform normalized by its relative abundance in the same pool of human liver microsomes, as determined by quantitative Western blot analysis. Collectively, these results suggested that multiple P450 isoforms were involved in the oxidative metabolism of EE in human liver microsomes, with CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 as the major contributing enzymes.  (+info)

Developmental effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenol a on the uterus of rat offspring. (8/30)

Exposure to estrogenic compounds during critical periods of fetal development could result in adverse effects on the development of reproductive organs that are not apparent until later in life. Bisphenol A (BPA), which is employed in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer products, is a prime candidate for endocrine disruption. We examined BPA to address the question of whether in utero exposure affects the uterus of the offspring and studied the expression and distribution of the estrogen receptors alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta), because estrogens influence the development, growth, and function of the uterus through both receptors. Gravid Sprague-Dawley dams were administered by gavage either 0.1 or 50 mg/kg per day BPA or 0.2 mg/kg per day 17alpha-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) as reference dose on gestation days 6 through 21. Female offspring were killed in estrus. Uterine morphologic changes as well as ERalpha and ERbeta distribution and expression were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Striking morphologic changes were observed in the uterine epithelium of postpubertal offspring during estrus of the in utero BPA-treated animals (the thickness of the total epithelium was significantly reduced). ERalpha expression was increased in the 50-mg BPA and EE2-treated group. In contrast, we observed significantly decreased ERbeta expression in all BPA- and EE2-treated animals when compared with the control. In summary, these results clearly indicate that in utero exposure of rats to BPA promotes uterine disruption in offspring. We hypothesize that the uterine disruption could possibly be provoked by a dysregulation of ERalpha and ERbeta.  (+info)

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