Effect of Laboratory Stressor onArterial Compliance inYoung Women

Introduction: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is lower in women in comparison to male which is attributedto the effect of estrogen on vascular system. However, report on estrogen replacement therapy in menopausalwomen on blood pressure reactivity is inconsistent. The psychosocial stressors of daily life trigger elevatedsympathetic response which is an important independent cardiovascular risk factor. Therefore, the presentstudy intends to determine the effect of laboratory stressor on arterial compliance in young women duringdifferent phases of menstrual cycle.Methods: It is a cross-sectional, observational study conducted on 24 students of 18-22 years of age group.The participants attended two sessions in late follicular (days 12-15) and luteal phase (days 21-24). Theanthropometric parameters and detailed menstrual history were recorded. They were exposed to a 5-minMental Arithmetic Stress Test (MAST). Peripheral SBP, DBP, central SBP, DBP, Heart rate (HR), AugmentationIndex, and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were recorded before and during the test. Paired ttest was performed to compare the means of the parameters and linear regression analysis was done toexamine the association between cardiovascular parameters and MAST score in both phases. ANCOVA wasdone to examine the difference in MAST response between follicular and luteal phases.Results: BMI and WHR of the subjects were mostly within normal limits with few exceptions. Heart rate wassignificantly decreased during MAST in follicular phase. However, baPWV was increased significantly duringMAST in both phases. There was an increasing trend in other parameters during MAST in both phasesexcepting pulse pressure. No association between cardiovascular parameters and MAST score was revealedby linear regression analysis. There was no significant difference in MAST score in both phases.Conclusions: An increasing trend of cardiovascular parameters during MAST was observed because ofelevated sympathetic activity. A decrease in HR was observed in certain participants during both phaseswhile performing MAST. This decline in peripheral vascular response may enhance the risk of majorcardiovascular events in future. This study therefore concludes that the effect of laboratory stressor in theform of Mental Arithmetic Stress Test (MAST) superimposed on the effect of ovarian hormones, decreasesarterial compliance as measured indirectly by baPWV.

Unravelling early onset of atherosclerosis in young asymptomatic individuals using physiological parameters - A way forward

India is burdened with 25% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths. CHD manifests almost 10 years earlier on an average in Indian subcontinent. Objectives: to study the early onset atherosclerosis in young, asymptomatic individuals using physiological parameters. Material & Method: 31 young, asymptomatic males of age group of 21- 40 yr participated in this cross-sectional, observational study. The basic characteristics and anthropometric measurements of the subjects were obtained. Baseline blood pressure was recorded and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP) were calculated. The arterial stiffness was assessed by recording central systolic blood pressure (central SBP), central diastolic blood pressure (central DBP) and augmentation index by arteriography. Ankle-brachial index was also measured. The data were presented as median (range). Results: 31 male subjects of 21-40 years of age participated in the study. Participants were grouped into lower age group [group A (21-30 yr), n=14] and higher age group [group B (31-40 yr), n=17]. More subjects (71.14%) of group B were in overweight-pre-obese-obese group than in group A (64.69%). Considering waist-hip ratio (WHR), more subjects of group A (94.11%) had low estimated health risk than group B (85.71%). Interestingly, SBP of 11.8% and DBP of 5.9% subjects of group A were higher, but none had higher SBP and DBP in group B as per JNC 8 criteria. The lower limit of central SBP and DBP were slightly more in group B than group A. Augmentation index value was within normal range in both groups. Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) of 14.3% of subjects of group B was indicative of mild to moderate degree of peripheral vascular disease. Conclusion: The important findings in this study have significance in practice as atherosclerosis eventually leads to serious consequences such as an MI or Stroke.

Molecular correlates of syncytialization in muscle and placenta.

Syncytialization is one of the most fundamental processes in life. It is observed during development of muscle and osteoclast, and syncytiotrophoblast formation in placental villi. Syncytialization involves recognition, migration, adhesion and finally cell fusion between two interacting cells. It is an energy-dependent process which is essentially restricted to a small portion of interacting cellular membranes. Such regions of membranes may differ from other regions of cell surface in terms of physico-chemistry and expression of specific protein biomolecules resulting in restriction of this process to cells of specific competence. Despite the fact that membrane biologists have given significant quanta of efforts to understand the basic principle underlying this fundamental process of life, further large scale initiatives have to be undertaken to dissect the underlying molecular correlates central to this event.

Effect of (Ala8,13,18)-magainin II amide on human trophoblast cells in vitro.

Magainins are cationic peptides with anti-bacterial and anti-tumor properties. The anti-nidatory function of a synthetic analogue of magainin, (Ala8,13,18)-magainin II amide, has earlier been reported, and it has been indicated that placental trophoblast cells could be a target of magainin resulting in its contragestational action. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of (Ala8,13,18)-magainin II amide (100 ng/ml and 1000 ng/ml) on attachment efficiency, viability, differentiation in terms of hCG secretion and invasive function of isolated first trimester, human placental trophoblast cells grown on rat-tail collagen type-I matrix in primary cell culture. In the present experimental model, magainin was not found to affect human trophoblast cell functions in vitro.

Immunohistochemical localization of macrophage CD68+, HLA-DR+, L1+ and CD44+ subsets in uterine endometrium during different phases of menstrual cycle.

Different tissue macrophage subsets were immunohistochemically examined in normal endometrial samples collected from proliferative (n=4), peri-ovulatory (n=6) and secretory (n=8) phases of menstrual cycles in women. The different macrophage subsets, namely CD68 (pan macrophage marker), CD44 (transmembrane adhesion molecule), HLA-DR (transmembrane heterodimeric protein involved in antigen presentation) and L1 (calprotectin)-positive cells, as well as, CD45 (common leucocytic antigen)-positive cells were examined on the basis of immunohistochemical staining, and areas of immunoprecipitation were analyzed morphometrically using computer-assisted video imaging system. The stage-specific distribution of receptors for estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) in endometrial cells were examined and morphometrically analyzed. There was an increase in the number of CD45+ cells (P < 0.01) and CD68+ cells (P < 0.05) in secretory phase endometrium compared with proliferative and peri-ovulatory phases. There was no remarkable cycle dependent pattern in HLA-DR+ and L1+ cells. However, there was an increase in CD44 immunopositive area in peri-ovulatory (P < 0.05) and in secretory (P < 0.01) phases of endometrium compared with proliferative phase endometrium. A higher (P < 0.01) degree of immunopositivity for ER was observed during peri-ovulatory phase, and for PR, during peri-ovulatory (P < 0.05) and secretory (P < 0.01) phases compared with proliferative phase of cycle. Positive correlations between areas occupied by (i) CD68+ cells and PR (P < 0.01), (ii) HLA-DR+ and L1+ cells (P < 0.05), (iii) CD45+ and CD68+ cells (P < 0.01), (iv) CD45+ and L1+ cells (P < 0.05), and (v) PR and L1+ cells (P < 0.05) were obtained. It appears that the recruitment of different macrophage subsets in human endometrium involves a complex set of endocrine and paracrine factors.

Effect of vaginally administered fumagillin on immunohistochemical distribution of leukemia inhibitory factor, interleukin 6, transforming growth factor beta and vascular endothelial growth factor in implantation stage endometrium of the rhesus monkey.

Intravaginal administration of an anti-angiogenic agent, fumagillin, during blastocyst implantation inhibits pregnancy establishment in a dose-related manner in the rhesus monkey. In the present study, mated female rhesus monkeys were vaginally inserted with tampons containing vehicle (group 1; n = 5) and test agent (fumagillin, 4 mg/animal; group 2; n = 6) on cycle day 20, and endometrial tissue samples were collected on cycle day 24 from all monkeys and processed for histological examination and immunohistochemical localization for LIF, IL-6, TGF-beta and VEGF. Concentrations of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone and chorionic gonadotrophin in peripheral circulation were determined. From the serum profiles of the hormones, 2 monkeys in group 1, and 1 monkey in group 2 appeared pregnant. However, endometrial morphology revealed histological evidence of pregnancy in 3 out of 6 fumagillin-treated animals. Histometric analysis of immunohistochemical staining in epithelial, stromal and vascular compartments revealed that per cent areas occupied by immunoprecipitate for the cytokines studies did not change in epithelial and stromal compartments, except that for TGF-beta which was higher (P < 0.05) in epithelial compartment in group 2. No change was observed in immunoprecipitation areas for IL-6 in epithelial, stromal and vascular compartments. On the other hand, changes (P < 0.05) for LIF, TGF-beta and VEGF were evident in the vascular compartment. It is possible that disparate responses observed in glandular, stromal and vascular compartments in implantation stage endometrium following fumagillin treatment actually caused from associated decline in progesterone concentration in peripheral circulation. It is also possible that fumagillin, an angiostatic agent, affects the synthesis and secretion of cytokines primarily in the vascular compartment of implantation stage endometrium, and thereby manifests differential responses in epithelial, stromal and vascular compartments.