Binding of monoclonal anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein antibodies to human foetal peripheral neurons in culture.

Dorsal root ganglion cells, obtained from 8-10-week human foetuses, were isolated by enzymatic procedure and grown on poly-L-lysine-coated coverslips. Most of the cultured cells showed the ultrastructural and immunological features of normal peripheral neurons. By immunocytochemistry neurons reacted with IgM antibodies with specificity for myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) from patients affected with IgM k gammopathy and peripheral neuropathy. The antigen was located on the plasmalemma of both perikarion and axon. We suggest that anti-MAG antibodies do not recognize neuronal MAG, but rather an epitope shared with different glycoproteins.

Adenine nucleotides and some related enzyme activities (adenylate kinase and phosphoglycerate kinase) in normal and abnormal human semen.

Adenine nucleotides (ATP and ADP) and enzyme activities of Adenylate Kinase (AK) and Phosphoglycerate Kinase (PGK) were assayed on semen samples from normal and infertile men. In accordance with the values obtained, samples could be classified into two groups: one group with levels of either adenine nucleotides and enzymes assumed as normal; a second group with high levels of all the parameters. The latter group comprised the samples with low sperm density (less than 40 million/ml). When the samples were subdivided according to sperm motility, the above distinction into two groups appeared less evident. Moreover, comparing biochemical parameters with morphological findings some contrasts were seen. Nevertheless, we suggest comparing both biochemical and morphological data for a more detailed classification of human semen abnormalities.

Role of opiates in the physiological control of prolactin in man.

The Authors, for testing the opiate receptors role in human PRL secretion, performed the following experiment: they administered: 1) to 24 women during day 2 and 4 of the puerperium, divided into 3 groups of 8 subjects, respectively 5, 10, 20 mg naloxone. 2) to 16 women during day 3 and 4 of the puerperium, divided into 2 groups of 8 subjects, during mechanical breast stimulation with a breast pump (10 min for each breast), respectively 5, 10 mg naloxone. 3) to 12 women in physiological menopause, in basal condition and after administration of oestradiol 17-n-valerate 4 mg/die over ten days, 10 mg naloxone. 4) to 7 women in physiological menopause, in basal condition and after administration of ethinyl-oestradiol 50 micrograms/die over ten days, 5 mg morphine hydrochloride. They observed that naloxone is not able to reduce either basal PRL secretion in menopausal women, or puerperal hyperprolactinemia, or PRL release induced by mechanical breast stimulation. On the contrary, an exogenous opiate administration produced a PRL significant increase (P less than 0.01) and such increase has been affected in a statistically significant way (P less than 0.05) by the oestrogen rate.

Effects of naloxone infusion on basal and breast-stimulation-induced prolactin secretion in puerperal women.

The effects of naloxone infusion on plasma prolactin (PRL) levels and on the PRL response to mechanical breast emptying were investigated in a group of puerperal women, Five, 10, and 20 mg naloxone administered to women on days 2 to 3 of the puerperium produced no significant change in serum PRL. The same dose of naloxone had no significant effect on serum PRL response to mechanical breast stimulation in puerperal women. The results suggest that endogenous opioid peptides are not major modulators of PRL secretion in the puerperium.

Endocrinologic features of male infertility.

We measured FSH, LH, PRL and Testosterone levels in serum and seminal fluid of 100 patients, 30 fertile and 70 infertile. Plasma Testosterone was similar in different groups of patients, while seminal fluid concentrations were higher in plasma as compared to the seminal fluid. Plasma Prolactin did not show any significant variation among the different groups, whereas seminal Prolactin was always found to be higher than that in plasma. The values of plasma FSH were significantly increased in the patients with testicular hypoplasia. Seminal and plasma LH values did not show any significant variation among the different groups.

Transfer of mepindolol to newborns by breast-feeding mothers after single and repeated daily doses.

The concentrations of mepindolol in plasma and milk of five breastfeeding mothers were determined after 1 and 5 daily doses of mepindolol sulphate 20 mg. In the newborns plasma levels were measured once on the first and fifth days of the study. The mean maternal plasma concentration of mepindolol 2 h after administration was 52 ng/ml both after 1 and 5 doses; in the milk 18 and 22 ng/ml the corresponding concentrations were. The average plasma/milk drug concentration ratio was 2.6 +/- 1.6. Plasma levels in the newborn were below the detection limit of 1 ng/ml, except for one baby in whom 2 and 5 ng/ml, respectively, were found 4 h after one and five maternal doses.