Action of some pesticides on T4 to T3 conversion in cultured kidney and liver cells in the presence or absence of cysteine.

The influence of aminotriazole (ATA), atrazine (ATZ), prometryne (P) and ATC on T4 to T3 conversion in kidney and liver cell cultures in the presence or absence of cysteine was studied. The experiment was carried out on cell cultures (rat renal cells and human embryo cells) and organotypic cultures (rat liver cells), treated with the above mentioned pesticides in 2 doses each, in the presence of 1 microgram and 10 micrograms T4 in the culture medium. This experiment was reproduced in the same conditions supplementing the culture medium with 30 mg cysteine per 100 ml culture medium. T3 and T4 in the culture medium were measured by RIA. The proteins in the monolayer cultures were also assayed. Cysteine proved to stimulate T4 to T3 conversion at the level of human and rat kidney cells with little variation depending on the pesticide and the dose applied. Between the activities of the human and the rat cells in the presence of the same pesticide, there were clear differences. The latter are also expressed in the values of proteic synthesis taking place in the renal human embryo cells and rat renal cell cultures under the same influences.

Reactivity of cold thyroid nodule under hormonal influences: study on cell cultures.

The authors have studied the reactivity of cold thyroid nodule cells (CN) by comparison with the reactivity of normal thyroid cells (Ty), hot nodules cells (N), Graves' disease cells (G) and cells from the area proximal to cold nodules (TyC), under the influence of increased amounts of T3, TSH, STH, insulin, estradiol and KI present in the culture medium. The experiment lasted for 9-10 days. The study was carried out on monolayer cultures of cells obtained by tripsinization and on organocultures. Proteic synthesis, cytochemical and cytoenzymatic activities in the culture under the influence of the above substances were examined comparatively. After interruption of the treatment, the monolayer cultures were stained with Giemsa and examined by light microscopy. Proteic synthesis and release of Tg, T3 and T4 into the culture medium, were also examined. The organocultures were used in evaluating 125I uptake from the medium under the influence of the treatment. The results showed variation in relation to the tissue and hormone dose applied. It was especially found that TSH and estradiol cause enlargement of CN cell nuclei and an increased number of mitoses and polyploidia which might be premises for possible malignization.

Studies of the reproduction function in hyper- and hypoadrenocorticism.

The investigation was carried out on 66 patients with hypo- or hyperfunctional syndromes of adrenocorticism, hospitalized and treated by our team. The patients were grouped into 5 lots according to their diseases. Lot one consisted of 34 female patients with Cushing's syndrome, lot two of 10 males with Cushing's syndrome, lot three of 10 males with Addison's disease and lot four, of 6 females with androgenic hypercorticism. The morphofunctional disorders of reproduction were followed up clinically and by complex hormone assays, before and after treatment. The incidence of these disorders is very high, and the results of clinical observations and of laboratory data demonstrate that both the excess of adrenocortical hormones and the decrease in their circulating level have a negative influence on the reproduction function or represent a risk factor in cases of pregnancy. By the curative treatment of the adrenal cortex a preventive treatment of abortion and/or sterility is achieved.

TSH and thyroxine in cord blood of subjects from an endemic area.

Thyroxine (T4) and TSH were assayed in the triplet: maternal venous blood at delivery (M), cord blood (C) and total capillary dry spot blood of the corresponding children 4 - 5 days postpartum (Nb). Fifty-four triplets in all (spontaneous deliveries, full term infants from the Cîmpulung endemic goiter area) were thus determined by sampling out the native families. The controls were 10 triplets from Bucharest, a non-endemic goiter area. A group of 31 pregnant women from the endemic area who have received iodinated oil in the 3rd - 4th month of pregnancy for prophylactic purposes are brought into discussion. The mean thyroxine and TSH values in C were by 29% lower and 60% higher, respectively, as against the values found for the Bucharest subjects. The statistical analysis of the dependency of Nb thyroxine on the C values showed the existence of a close positive relationship between the two parameters (r = 0.81; p less than 0.001). Worth pointing out are the positive effects of iodinated prophylaxis in pregnant women, as demonstrated by the improvement of the thyroid parameters in C, i.e. 5 - 6 months after administration.

Total blood thyroxine and TSH levels in the newborns of an endemic goiter area in Romania.

A neonatal screening of two approximately equal groups (376 in all) from (A) Bucharest (a non-endemic area) and (B) Cimpulung (an endemic area) was undertaken. RIA of T4 and TSH in dry whole blood spots was performed using blood collected 3--5 days after birth. The results show a significantly lower T4 valu in group (B) as against group (A), i.e. 105.5 +/- 3.61 nmol. L-1 as against 146.3 +/- 1.61 nmol. L-1, and a significantly increased TSH value, i.e. 19.1 +/- 0.76 microU. ml-1 as against 10.9 +/- 0.84 microU. sml-1. No sex-related differences were noticed. Our findings point to a neonatal thyroid hypofunction in the endemic area and to the need to establish the range of variation for the thyroid parameters used as criteria for congenital hypothyroidism in endemic areas. Iodine prophylaxis applied to pregnant women in such areas is also discussed.

Hypercorticism--a risk factor in arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis.

The present work has attempted an analysis of the role hypercorticism as a risk factor in arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Our series consisted of 149 male and female patients of various ages. The incidence of cardiovascular disorders in relation to age and the glucidic lipidic metabolic disorders were also investigated. The results showed that hypercorticism may trigger in very young patients as well arterial hypertension (AH) and glucidic-lipid metabolic disorders both incriminated as risk factors in including atherosclerosis. Hypercorticism was proved to be an aggravating factor of pre-existing cardiopathy. Efficient management of adrenocortical hormones excess brings complete resolution of arterial hypertension and glucidic lipid metabolic disorders in young patients and most adult patients who had no cardiovascular complaints prior to the endocrine syndrome.

The level of urinary and plasma steroids after oral administration of cyclofenil to hirsute women with menstrual disorders and obesity.

Cyclofenil 600 mg/day was given to 10 women with excessive skin hair and marked excretion of urinary androgens. The urinary values of androgenic metabolites as well as the plasmatic values of radioimmunoassayable testosterone remained unaltered. A significant increase was noticed in the radioimmunoassayable plasma estradiol. Urinary total estrogens could not be assayed in the women under cyclofenil because of a non-specific color reaction. It was concluded that the estrogenic effects of cyclofenil are mediated, at least partly, by release of gonadotropins from the hypophysis.

Deviation of plasmatic aldosterone and significance of the stimulating (ACTH-cortrosyn) and inhibitory (propranolol) effects in hypertension and cardiovascular pathology.

Starting from the interference between the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system and cardiovascular pathology in arterial hypertension (AH) we have made a correlative study of the cardiovascular system and plasmatic aldosterone in normal and hypertensive subjects under conditions of stimulation (ACTH) and inhibition (propranolol). After administration of ACTH (one of the physiologic mediators of stress) increased values for plasmatic aldosterone were found. Negative cardiovascular effect: arrhthmia, angor, AH, cardiac asthma, under the condition of preexisting cardiovascular pathology or altered steroidogensis, were also noticed. Inhibition with propranolol does not have conclusive effects in AH with normal aldosterone. The best effect were noticed in that hypertension which implies the RAA pressor system in its pathogeny, irrespective of etiology, the reduction AT occurring in parallel with decline in plasmatic aldosterone values and total peripheral resistance (RPT). Administration of propranolol in AH with activated RAA system irrespective of etiology represents a pathogenic treatment able to prevent efficiently the major complications of AH.

Clinical assessment of cryptorchid boys by determination of urinary testosterone glucuronide following large doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Urinary TG and fractionated 17-ketosteroid (Drosdowsky) determinations were performed before and after the intramuscular administration of 15,000 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in 10 sexually immature healthy boys and in 12 bilaterally cryptorchid boys. The same basal determinations were made in 11 gonadless girls. Basal serum FSH and LH were determined (by radioimmunoassay) in controls and also in cryptorchid boys. If 15mug/24 h (three SD's of basal excretion in controls) is considered the smallest adequate response, the TG but not the fractionated 17-KS determination assessed fairly well either the presence or the functional capacity of the Leydig cell-containing tissue. Agonadic girls had significantly higher basal excretion of steroids and this is presumably due to their greater absolute body size and to their more advanced bone age.