Circadian hormone secretory profiles in women with severe premenstrual tension syndrome.

The circadian secretory profiles of serum prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol were measured in two women suffering from severe premenstrual tension syndrome and in two asymptomatic control subjects. Subjects and controls were screened and included after a rigorous selection process. Blood samples were obtained every 30 min over a period of 24 h in each woman both on day 9 (follicular phase) and day 26 (luteal phase) of the menstrual cycle. There was no relationship between the hormonal secretory profiles and the premenstrual tension syndrome.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75119/1/j.1471-0528.1984.tb04785.x.pd

Antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in endometrium of patients with polyps, myoma, hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant system have been proposed as a potential factors involved in the pathophysiology of diverse disease states, including carcinogenesis. In this study, we explored the lipid peroxidation levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in women diagnosed with different forms of gynecological diseases in order to evaluate the antioxidant status in endometrium of such patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Endometrial tissues of gynecological patients with different diagnoses were collected and subjected to assays for superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and lipid hydroperoxides.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased (50% in average) in hyperplastic and adenocarcinoma patients. Activities of both glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were increased 60% and 100% on average, in hyperplastic patients, while in adenocarcinoma patients only glutathione reductase activity was elevated 100%. Catalase activity was significantly decreased in adenocarcinoma patients (47%). Lipid hydroperoxides level was negatively correlated to superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and positively correlated to glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provided the first comparison of antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in endometrial tissues of patients with polyps, myoma, hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. The results showed that patients with premalignant (hyperplastic) and malignant (adenocarcinoma) lesions had enhanced lipid peroxidation and altered uterine antioxidant enzyme activities than patients with benign uterine diseases, polyps and myoma, although the extent of disturbance varied with the diagnosis. Further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanisms responsible for the observed alterations and whether lipid hydroperoxide levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in uterus of gynecological patients might be used as additional parameter in clinical evaluation of gynecological disorders.</p

Inhibitors of COP-mediated Transport and Cholera Toxin Action Inhibit Simian Virus 40 Infection

Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a nonenveloped virus that has been shown to pass from surface caveolae to the endoplasmic reticulum in an apparently novel infectious entry pathway. We now show that the initial entry step is blocked by brefeldin A and by incubation at 20degreesC. Subsequent to the entry step, the virus reaches a domain of the rough endoplasmic reticulum by an unknown pathway. This intracellular trafficking pathway is also brefeldin A sensitive. Infection is strongly inhibited by expression of GTP-restricted ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (Arf1) and Sar1 mutants and by microinjection of antibodies to betaCOP. In addition, we demonstrate a potent inhibition of SV40 infection by the dipeptide N-benzoyl-oxycarbonyl-Gly-Phe-amide, which also inhibits late events in cholera toxin action. Our results identify novel inhibitors of SV40 infection and show that SV40 requires COPI- and COPII-dependent transport steps for successful infection