Effect of prostaglandin- and nitric oxide-synthase inhibitors on the lipopolysaccharide-induced adrenomedullin productions in cultured murine macrophage cells / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Adrenomedullin (AM), a potent vasorelaxing agent associated with the maintenance of pregnancy, is synthesized in response to inflammation, which is also associated with the biosynthesis of prostaglandin (PG) and nitric oxide (NO). To clarify the interrelationships of PG, NO and AM in the inflammatory process, we tested the effects of the PG synthase inhibitor indomethacin and the NO synthase inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on AM production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cultured rat macrophages. METHODS: RAW 257.8, rat macrophages were incubated with LPS, and AM production was measured by ELISA. Cells were pretreated with indomethacin, L-NAME, or both, and the effect on LPS-induced AM production was assayed. To exclude the effect of cell death, a cell viability test on these cultures was performed. RESULTS: The largest increase of AM was seen between 1 microgram (36.33+/-2.05 pg/ml) and 10 microgram (89.33+/-6.02 pg/ml) of LPS concentration (p<0.01), making the latter the optimal LPS dose to stimulate AM production. AM secretion was proportional to time in culture (p<0.006). Addition of indomethacin, L-NAME, or both 1 hr before LPS stimulation decreased AM production 2 hr later, with the AM decrement greatest in cells pretreated with both indomethacin and L-NAME, followed by L-NAME alone and then indomethacin. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that PG and NO increase AM synthesis in rat macrophages with the presence of LPS. These results suggest that the biosynthetic pathways of PG, NO, and AM may be linked.

Transvaginal ultrasonographic detection of fetal abnormalities in the first trimester / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of transvaginal ultrasonography for detection of fetal anomalies in first trimester. METHODS: This cohort included pregnant women between 9~14 weeks of gestation from April 2000 to April 2002 at department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sanggye Paik hospital, Inje university. Besides ACOG (1993) criteria, we scan nuchal translucency, FHR, cranium, abdominal wall and nuchal lesion using transvaginal sonography. If the anatomical survey was normal, the women underwent routine 18~24 weeks anomaly scans. RESULTS: 20 fetuses were identified as having 21 anomalies. Central nervous system anomaly (38%: 8/21) was the most frequent type of malformation. The other detected anomalies were isolated disorders of the lymphatic system 28% (6/21: two cystic hygromas and four nuchal edema), cystic hygroma associated with hydrops 14% (3/21), abdominal wall defects 14% (3/21), skeletal dysplasia 5% (1/21). Of the 20 fetuses that was diagnosed, 14 patients had elective first-trimester abortion, two had spontaneous fetal deaths, four were delivered at term. CONCLUSION: Besides offering the possibility of early termination, first trimester sonography has the advantage of identifying a transient sonographic sign, nuchal edema, which can be used as a marker in screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities.