Postnatal exposure to a progestin does not prevent uterine adenogenesis in domestic dogs

To assess the effects of a single supraphysiological postnatal administration of a progestogen on uterine glands in dogs, 10 females were randomly assigned to a medroxyprogesterone acetate 35 mg (MPA; n = 6) or placebo (n = 4) group within the first 24 h of birth. The safety of the treatment was also evaluated. A transient mild clitoris enlargement appeared in MPA-treated females. Microscopic postpubertal uterine assessment revealed the presence of uterine glands in all cases without significant differences in the area occupied by the glands per µm2 of endometrium nor in the height of the uterine epithelium.

Morphometric study of the corpus cavernosum after anabolic androgenic steroid administration in pubertal and adult rats

PURPOSE: To evaluate the penile morphological modifications of pubertal and adult rats chronically treated with supra-physiological doses of anabolic androgenic steroids. METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were distributed into four groups: two control groups, 105- and 65-day-old (C105 and C65, respectively) injected with peanut oil (vehicle); and two treated groups, 105- and 65-day-old (T105 and T65, respectively) injected with nandrolone decanoate at a dose of 10 mg Kg-1 of body weight. The rats were injected once a week for eight weeks. The rats were then killed and their penises were processed for histomorphometric analyses. The mean of each parameter was statistically compared. RESULTS: A corpus cavernosum reduction of 12.5% and 10.9% was observed in the T105 and T65 groups, respectively, when compared with their respective control groups. The cavernosum smooth muscle surface density diminished by 5.6% and 12.9% in the T65 and T105 groups, respectively, when compared with their controls. In contrast, the sinusoidal space increased by 17% in the T105 group and decreased by 9.6% in the T65 group. CONCLUSION: The use of supra-physiological doses of AAS promotes structural changes in the rat penis, by altering the proportions of corpus cavernosum tissues, in both pubertal and adult treated animals. .

The effects of 4-nonylphenol contamination on livers of Tilapia fish (Oreochromus spilurs) in Jeddah

Alkylphenol polyethoxylates is a group of estrogenic compounds. Natural or synthetic types of these compounds react with the endocrine system by binding hormone receptors, resulting in interference with their action, which is why they are called endocrine disrupting chemicals. Among their hydrolytic products are nonylphenols (NP), which are considered pollutants of aquatic environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pathological alterations on liver tissue of fish exposed to these compounds for long durations, starting from beginning of life and during the period of sexual maturity. Tilapia fish were obtained from Abhur fish farms, reared in the laboratory in special basins, and divided into two groups. The first maternal group was untreated and their larvae were divided into three sub-groups: control; exposed to 15μg/L; and exposed to 30 μg/L. The second maternal group was divided into 2 sub-groups: with larvae exposed to 15μg/L; and with their larvae exposed to 30 μg/L. Larvae and mother exposed to different concentrations of NP (15 and 30 μg/L) showed an increased accumulation of NP in both livers and muscles compared to the control group due to bioaccumulation. Tissue section examinations of the treated group (15 μg NP /L) showed disruption of liver architecture, with lyses, loss of nuclei, necrosis, and fatty infiltration. The changes were more marked in tissues exposed to (30 μg NP /L). Although this pollution was not lethal, its effect may be reflected in vital activities and in the economy.

Indicadores morfológicos y reproductivos del pez Gambusia puncticulata (Poeciliidae) en sitios muy contaminados del río Almendares, Cuba

Reproductive and morphological indicators of the fish Gambusia puncticulata (Poeciliidae) in very polluted sections of Almendares River, Cuba. The Almendares River watershed covers a large portion of Havana city. Human activities have negative impacts over it. We studied the alteration of biological processes in fish from polluted sites. Stressor-based cumulative effects assessment was applied at individual level in Gambusia puncticulata (Poey, 1854). Three sites of Almendares River were sampled monthly from July 2006 to June 2007. Length and weight of females, and condition factor for both sexes, were higher in the impacted sites. An increase of food supply due to eutrophication can explain why fishes are heavier and longer at polluted sites. Gonadosomatic, specific fecundity index and embryo numbers were significantly higher on the reference site. The Hepatosomatic index was higher in females from the most contaminated sites. Differences in δ13C and δ15N among contaminated and reference sites suggest that the food source is not the same. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (4): 1991-2004. Epub 2008 December 12.

El río Almendares es el más grande de Ciudad de La Habana. La actividad humana adyacente ejerce un impacto significativo. Evaluamos las alteraciones de los procesos biológicos en los peces que viven en sitios muy contaminados de este río. Se aplicó una metodología basada en los efectos acumulativos de agentes estresantes múltiples a nivel de individuo en la especie Gambusia puncticulata (Poey, 1854). Este estudio se efectuó en tres sitios del río Almendares con muestreos mensuales desde julio del 2006 hasta junio del 2007. Se encontró un incremento en el largo y el peso de las hembras, y en el factor de condición para ambos sexos en los sitios más impactados. Este resultado se atribuye a la mayor disponibilidad de alimento debido a la eutrofización. El índice gonadosomático, el índice de fecundidad específica y el número de embriones por hembra, tuvieron valores significativamente más altos en el sitio de referencia. El largo relativo del gonopodio no mostró diferencia significativa entre sitios. El índice hepatosomático presentó valores más altos en las hembras provenientes de los sitios más contaminados. Las diferencias encontradas para δ13C y δ15N entre los sitios contaminados y el de referencia sugieren que las fuentes de alimento no son las mismas.

Effect of ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian responses and other organ weights in rats, Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout 1769.

The present study was aimed to study the effect of an ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian follicle and good oocyte numbers and weights of ovary, uterus, liver, pancreas and kidney in rats, R. norvegicus. A 30.1 kDa peptide was isolated from ovine follicular fluid by ammonium sulphate precipitation and then gel filtration. The peptide was tested at various levels in normal (22 and 36 day-old), superovulated (29 day-old) immature and 121-day old mature rats on the ovarian responses and other organ weights. The isolated peptide inhibited the growth of antral follicles in normal and superovulated rats. Ovarian, uterine weight and recovery of good oocytes were reduced when the peptide was administered at 100 microg dose. The peptide had no effect on kidney, liver, pancreas weight and recovery of preantral follicles.

Effects of Tributyltin Chloride on the Reproductive System in Pubertal Male Rats

Detrimental effects of tributyltin (TBT) chloride on the reproductive system were investigated in pubertal male rats. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats aged with 35 days were assigned to six different groups; negative control receiving vehicle, positive control receiving methyltestosterone (10 mg/kg B.W.), TBT chloride (5 mg/kg B.W., 10 mg/kg B.W., and 20 mg/kg B.W.), and a combination of TBT chloride (10 mg/kg B.W.) and flutamide (10 mg/kg B.W). The animals were treated with test compounds by oral gavage daily for 10 days and sacrificed on the next day of the final treatment. The treatment with TBT chloride at the doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg B.W. significantly decreased seminal vesicle weights, compared to the negative control. The combined treatment of TBT chloride and flutamide caused a significant decrease in accessory sex organ weights, compared to the control and TBT chloride treatments. The treatment with TBT chloride or in the combination with flutamide increased detached debris and sloughed cells in the tubules of epididymis and narrowed seminal vesicles. In addition, the combined treatment with TBT chloride and flutamide caused a noticeable increase in serum androgen level, compared to the negative control.These results suggest that TBT chloride exposed during pubertal period cause partial reproductive disorders in male rats.

Effect of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether on the spermatogenesis in pubertal and adult rats

The effects of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE) on testicular cell populations in pubertal (5 weeks old) and adult (9 weeks old) male rats were investigated by a flow cytometric method. A total of 50 rats (in number, 25 pubertal and 25 adult rats) was divided into 5 experimental groups including 0 (control), 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg EGEE/kg of body weight. The animals were administered by gavage for 4 weeks. In adult rats, the treatment of EGEE at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight decreased significantly the populations of haploid, while it increased those of diploid and tetraploid cells. In pubertal rats, the treatment of EGEE at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight caused only minimal changes in the relative percent of testicular cell types. These results suggest that the effects of EGEE on testicular function in pubertal rats appear to be less pronounced than in adult rats.

Effect of the dopamine antagonist, domperidone alone and in combination with thyroxine, clomiphene, hcg or gnRH on serum sex steroid profile, gonadal maturation and spawning of nile catfish, clarias lazera

The present investigation was carried out on one hundred and twenty mature Clarias lazera fish during the prespawning season [March - April]. Fish were allocated into two main groups [sixty fish of each sex] Fish weight ranged between 200-220 g. b. wt. Each main group was subdivided into six equal groups [Ten fish each], Fish of each group; both males and females were subjected to the same regimen of intraperitoneal exogenous treatment, as follows. 1[st] Group: Saline 0.65% NaCL solution. [Control] 2[nd] Group: Domperidone 5 microg/g. b. wt. in saline. 3[rd] Group: Domperidone 5 microg/g. b. wt, plus thyroxine 1 nancg / g. b. wt. in saline. 4[th] Group; Domperidone 5 microg/g, b. wt. plus clomiphene citrate l gamma g/g. b wt. in saline. 5[th] Group: Domperidone 5 micro g/g. b. wt. plus hCG 2 lU/g, b. wt. in saline. 6[th] Group: Domperidone 5 microg/g. b. wt. plus GnRH 10 microg/kg. b. wt. in saline. The present study revealed that [Domperidone] administration alone, in each sex of Clarias fish; increased serum sex steroid hormones [testosterone and 17 beta estradiol], gonadal weights [testes and ovaries], final gonadal maturation and gonadosomatic indices of both sexes as compared to respective controls. Exogenous administration of domperidone plus gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] was the most effective treatment for production of sex hormones, final gonadal maturation and spawning in both sexes of Clarias lazera fish, followed by domperidone plus thyroxine; domperidone plus clomiphene citrate and domperidone plus hCG, respectively. In conclusion, the exogenous administration of dopamine antagonist plus GnRH is the most efficient regimen for enhancement of gonads maturation [gonadal recrudescence], spawning and spermiation of Clarias lazera fish throughout the prespawning season

Delayed puberty.

Delayed puberty is a frequently encountered problem causing much anxiety to patient and parents alike. Proper understanding of the normal pubertal events and its variation sets off the background to understand disorders leading to delayed puberty. An orderly clinical approach combined with continued observation helps to arrive at a final diagnosis in most of the patients. The treatment modalities available, even if not curative, can achieve the goals of management set off at the end of evaluation of the patient.

Sexual maturation in renal transplant girls

Sexual maturation was evaluated in 18 living related donor renal transplant girls receiving a combination of immunosuppressive treatment including cyclosporine A, prednisolone and azathioprine and were followed for 2 years post-transplant. All transplant girls underwent clinical evaluation, endocrinologic evaluation and measurement of height, Tanner stage and bone age. The results showed that height SDS in 38.9% was greater than 2 SD below the mean for age. Pure retarded sexual maturation was observed in 22% of boys. There was no significant correlation between any of the maturation parameters and the duration of uremia, serum oestradiol, prolactin, gonadotrophins hormones, interval since transplantation, age at transplantation. Dialysis duration was significantly correlated with maturation parameters

Chemical sympathectomy blocks androgen biosynthesis during prepuberty

Twenty-one-day old male Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with guanethidine (GUA) at doses of 5 and 10 mg kg-1 day-1 for 20 days. Animals were sacrificed by decapitation during the prepubertal (41 days of age) and early-pubertal (51 days of age) periods of sexual development. The tests were collected, frozen in liquid N2 and stored at -70oC until determination of testicular progesterone (P), androstenedione (A) and testosterone (T). Higher levels of P (2.18 +/- 0.24 ng/g, control = 1.24 +/- 0.16 ng/g) associated with decreased with decreased levels of androgens (A = 0.26 +/- 0.06 ng/g T = 2.05 +/- 0.19 ng/g; control = 1.86 +/- 0.76 ng/g and 8.48 +/- 1.16 ng/g, respectively) were observed in 10 mg GUA-treated rats of prebubertal age, while only P levels (3.12 +/- 0.51 ng/g, control = 1.73 +/- 0.27 ng/g) were incresead in rats of early pubertal...

Estudo da puberdade, morfologia geral e capacidade reprodutiva de machos descendentes de ratas tratadas com progesterona durante período de lactaçäo / Puberty, morphometry and reproductive capacity of males from rats treated with progesterone during the lactation period

O trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar se ratos, cujas mäes receberam progesterona na lactaçäo, apresentariam alteraçöes na puberdade ou na vida adulta, no que se refere à sua morfologia e a capacidade de fertilizaçäo. Para tanto, ratas lactantes receberam 1mg de progesterona/s.c/dia desde o 7§ até o 15§ dia após o parto. O grupo controle foi submetido ao mesmo protocolo, mas as mäes receberam oléo de oliva. Os machos foram acompanhados desde a puberdade até completarem 90 dias, quando foram separados em 2 grupos: (A) para estudos morfométricos, sacrificado para obtençäo das medidas corporais e peso de órgäos; (B) para avaliaçäo de fertilidade. Os índices de fertilidade, implantaçäo e reabsorçäo näo apresentaram diferença entre os grupos tratado e controle. Os machos provenientes de mäes tratadas apresentaram menor amplitude e distância inter-auricular em relaçäo aos de mäes näo tratadas (a<0,01); também tiveram reduçäo do peso de rins (a<0,01). Tais dados levam a concluir que o tratamento materno com progesterona, durante a lactaçäo, näo altera a capacidade reprodutiva dos machos, mas diminui o peso de rins, o que necessita ser melhor avaliado.

Possible mechanism by which alfa-melanotropin advances the time of vaginal opening

En publicaciones previas se ha comprobado que la administración aguda del péptido alfa-melanotrofina (alfa-MSH) en el día 28 posnatal (PN), a ratas pretratadas con dosis bajas de benzoato de estradiol (BE), induce a un adelanto significativo en el tiempo de aperturas vaginal (AV). Este evento indica la aprición de la pubertad. En cambio, el bloqueo con un anticuerpo específico, del pico sérico de alfa-MSH que se produce normalmente en el día 30PN, retrasa significativamente la AV. En este trabajo de investigación se propuso determinar el rol desempeñado por alfa-MSH en la cadena de eventos neuroendócrínos que conducen a la pubertad. Con el objeto de establecer si el efecto de alfa-MSH sobre la AV, se produce por modificaciones de los patrones de liberación de LH, somatomamotrofinas y/o hormonas esteroides (estradiol, progesterona y testosterona); se sometió a ratas de 28 días de edad, pretratadas con BE, a la administración aguda de alfa-MSH (grupo problema) o con solución salina (SS) (grupo control). En el día 32 PN, los animales se sacrificaron a intervalos horarios entre las 12 y 18 horas. La administración aguda de alfa-MSH incrementó significativamente los niveles de LH, respecto al grupo control. Las otras hormonas estudiadas no experimentaron variaciones significativas por el tratamiento con el péptido. A fin de obtener con mayor exactitud los perfiles de LH desde el día siguiente a la administración de alfa-MSH (29PN) hasta la AV (33PN), se aplicó el tratamiento agudo a animales canulados en la vena yugular externa. Estos se sangraron cada 20 minutos entre las 14:00 y 18 horas. La administración del péptido no modificó significativamente los niveles plasmáticos de LH durante los días 29 y 30 PN. En el grupo tratado con alfa-MSH se produce un incremento en sus niveles en el día 31 PN (adoptando un episodio secretor característico (minisurge), respecto al grupo control. En el día 32 PN,los animales problemas presentan un incremento muy significativo de LH, el cual se produce en el grupo control durante el día 33 PN. Estos resultados nos permitirían proponer que alfa-MSH participaría del complejo sistema de péptidos neuroexcitatorios regulando el comienzo de la pubertad

Involvement of dietary glucose in adrenal steroidal regulation of spermatogenic and steroidogenic activities in prepubertal rat testis.

Effects of dietary and supplemented dextrose energy on the role of corticosterone (Comp. B) or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) in spermatogenic and steroidogenic activity in the bilaterally adrenalectomised prepubertal rat testis were studied. Adrenalectomy reduced the body and testis weight, numbers of the stage VII cell types [spermatogonia A (A), preleptotene (PL) and pachytene (P) spermatocytes and step 7 spermatid (7)], testicular delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (delta 5-3 beta-OH-SDH) activity and serum testosterone. Adrenalectomy also caused reduction of energy intake due to loss of appetite which was stimulated by hormone replacement therapy. Treatment of adrenalectomised rats with DNA or corticosterone enhanced the spermatocyte population and the enzyme activity, especially after 30 days of age. Dextrose supplementation with hormone treatment however, did not produce significant additive effect on stage VII cell counts, but delta 5-3 beta-OH-SDH activity showed additive effect in this age group. Results suggest that adrenal steroids regulate testicular steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis during the prepubertal ages by modifying the supply of dietary glucose.

Utilizacion de un analogo de LH-RH subcutaneo e intranasal en el tratamiento de niñas con pubertad precoz central / Use of a LH-RH analogue subcutaneously and intranasally in the treatment of girls with central precocious puberty

Se presenta la experiencia en 5 pacientes de sexo feminino. Sus edades cronológicas oscilaron entre 1,3 y 6,8 años, con edades óseas entre 2,3 y 11,6 años. Las dosis empleadas fueron: 25 microng/kg/dSC y posteriormente 1200 microng/dIN. En 2 niñas se administraron 159 mg de medroxiprogesterona previo al análogo y una semana después. En un caso, se comenzó por via IN por reacción alérgica local a la inyección SC. El tratamiento osciló entre 3 y 21 meses. Se obtuvo una regreión completa del desarrollo mamario en 4 pacientes y parcial en 1. En 4/5 casos se pudo valorar la velocidad de crecimiento anual, observándose una reducción entre el 40 y 55% vs. pretratamiento, asociada a desaceleración de la maduración ósea y a un incremento entre 2 y 4,5cm en la predicción de talla adulta. Durante la terapéutica se obtuvo una reducción de los niveles de LH, FSH y estradiol hasta valores prepuberales, así como una ausencia de respuesta en la prueba de LH-RH. Concluímos que el Buserelin constituiría en recurso altamente efectivo en el tratamiento de esta patoloía, siendo, al igual que otros análogos del LH-RH, recursos útiles que mejorarian la predicción de talla final

Tratamiento con dosis pequeñas de enantato de testosterona en el retraso constitucional del crecimiento y el desarrollo / Treatment with small dosis of testoterone enanthate in constitutional growth and development retardation

Se estudiaron 60 niños del sexo masculino provenientes de la Consulta de Crecimiento del Hospital Pediátrico Docente del Cerro con edades comprendidas entre 13,5 y 14,5 años, que presentaban retraso constitucional del crecimiento y el desarrollo. Se dividieron en tres grupos de 20 pacientes cada uno. El primer grupo de utilizó como control, al segundo grupo se le administraron como tratamiento 100 mg de enantato de testosterona por mes durante tres meses (dosis total, 300 mg) y al tercer grupo 25 mg de enantato de testosterona por mes durante tres meses (dosis total, 75 mg). Se evaluaron el peso, la talla, la maduración ósea y el desarrollo sexual al inicio y al final de la investigación. Se utilizó el análisis de varianza multivariado (MANOVA) y se encontró diferencia significativa (p < 0,001) antes y después del tratamiento en todas las variables estudiadas. Se compararon los resultados del tratamiento en relación con la maduración ósea y la talla y se observó diferencia significativa (p < 0,001) a favor de que el tratamiento con 75 mg de enantato de testosterona (dosis total) favoreció la talla sin afectar la maduración ósea. En relación con el desarrollo sexual se observó que todos los pacientes tratados pasaron a estadios sexuales superiores en ambos grupos, y no ocurrió así en el grupo control, en el que sólo siete niños pasaron al estadio II. Se encontraron resultados cercanos a los fisiológicos en el tratamiento con dosis pequeñas de enantato de testosterona, pues se obtuvo un incremento de la talla similar al incremento de la maduración ósea y se inició en todos el desarrollo sexual