Extragonadal FSHR Expression and Function—Is It Real?

Expression of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), besides gonadal tissues, has recently been detected in several extragonadal normal and tumorous tissues, including different types of primary and metastatic cancer and tumor vessel endothelial cells (TVEC). The suggested FSH actions in extragonadal tissues include promotion of angiogenesis, myometrial contractility, skeletal integrity, and adipose tissue accumulation. Non-malignant cells within cancer tissue have been shown to be devoid of FSHR expression, which implies a potential role of FSHR as a diagnostic, prognostic, or even a therapeutic tool. There are shared issues between several of the published reports questioning the validity of some of the conclusion. Firstly, protein expression of FSHR was performed solely with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using either an unavailable "in house" FSHR323 monoclonal antibody or poorly validated polyclonal antibodies, usually without additional methodological quality control and confirmations. Secondly, there is discrepancy between the hardly traceable or absent FSHR gene amplification/transcript data and non-reciprocal strong FSHR protein immunoreactivity. Thirdly, the pharmacological high doses of recombinant FSH used in in vitro studies also jeopardizes the physiological or pathophysiological meaning of the findings. We performed in this review a critical analysis of the results presenting extragonadal expression of FSHR and FSH action, and provide a rationale for the validation of the reported results using additional more accurate and sensitive supplemental methods, including in vivo models and proper positive and negative controls

The Long-term Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash Rivers Fish Population Monitoring Program

Between 23 August and 5 September 2010, 27sites on the Illinois River waterway and one site in Reach 26 of the Mississippi River were sampled using AC electrofishing to monitor fish communities. A total of 5,412fishesrepresenting 61species (plus two hybrids) from15 families were collected during 26.01 hours of sampling. Collections made in 2010 indicated continued high catches of gizzard shad, emerald shiner, and bluegill throughout most of the Illinois River waterway. Several fish species were collected for the first time within a given river reach in 2010, including northern pike, brook silverside, and silver redhorse. Gizzard shad were the most abundant species collected throughout the waterway in 2010with 1,430 fish collected comprising 26.4% of the total catch. The sample from Lambie’s Boat Harbor (RM 170.3, Peoria Reach) yielded the highest collection of total fish (1,049, 19.4% of the total collection), while the sample from Johnson Island (RM 249.6) produced the lowest total fish (31, 0.6% of the total collection). Fish species richness at sites ranged from 25 at Clark Island (RM 215.3, Peoria Reach) to 8 species at the Mouth of the DuPage (RM 277.4, Dresden Reach). Important sportfish species such as bluegill, largemouth bass, and channel catfish were collected in all six waterway reaches in 2010. Bluegill catch per unit effort in number of fish collected per hour (CPUEN) ranged from 65.20in Peoria Reach to 2.67in Alton Reach. Largemouth bass CPUEN ranged from 19.07in Peoria Reach to 1.17in Alton Reach. Channel catfish CPUEN ranged from 25.33in Alton Reach to 0.00in Dresden Reach. Biomass catch per hour (CPUEW) was highest in the Peoria Reach yielding181.56pounds per hour. Silver carp biomass ranked first over all reaches at 82.98pounds per hour, comprising 40.92%of the total biomass. Common carp ranked among the top three fish species in CPUEW in every reach, except Dresden Reach where it ranked fourth. Catch in weight for silver carp was the highest ever observed in a given reach in F-101-R sampling. Between 15 June and 31 October 2010, 37,174 fish were collected with a total biomass of 12,087.60 pounds representing 96 species and 8 hybrids from20 families during 80.25 hours of pulsed-DC electrofishing in the Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers. Gizzard shad were the most abundant species by number, (37.8% of catch, 14,065 fish) followed by emerald shiner (21.1 % of catch, 7,866 fish), freshwater drum (3.0% of catch, 1,097 fish), channel catfish (2.5% of catch, 936 fish), and common carp (2.3% of catch, 835 fish). Common carp contributed the greatest biomass (33.5% of catch, 4,043.79 lbs) followed by smallmouth buffalo (9.6% of catch, 1,164.05 lb), silver carp (9.4% of catch, 1,140.48 lbs), channel catfish (7.9% of catch, 950.96 lbs), and freshwater drum (1.5% of catch, 186.65 lbs). In general, pulsed-DC electrofishing catches were dominated in number and biomass by forage and non-sport species. However, channel catfish were among the top five species contributing the most biomass to the overall catch in each river and were the most commonly collected sportfish by number and biomass across all rivers. Bluegill were among the top five species contributing the most individuals to the catch in the Illinois River during Time Periods1 and 2 and in the Ohio River during Time Period 3. Spotted bass made up 5.8% of the catch in numbers and was the fifth most numerous species collected in Time Period 3 from the Wabash River. Gill and hoop net collections between 1 November and 16 November, 2010 yielded 83 fish representing 13 species and 1 hybrid from 79 gill net, hoop net, and benthic hoop net sets. Channel catfish was the most abundant species by number (23, 27.7%) while flathead catfish contributed the most biomass (73.57 lb, 46.8&). Gill and hoop net collections between 5 April and 18 May 2011 yielded 718 fish representing 20 species and 1 hybrid from 9 families from 126 gill and hoop net sets. Shovelnose sturgeon was the most abundant species in terms of number (465, 64.7%) and biomass (771.1lb, 53.5%).Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife Service Grant/Contract No: IDNR FWS F-101-R-22unpublishednot peer reviewe

Revisiting the expression and function of follicle-stimulation hormone receptor in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Expression of follicle-stimulation hormone receptor (FSHR) is confined to gonads and at low levels to some extragonadal tissues like human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). FSH-FSHR signaling was shown to promote HUVEC angiogenesis and thereafter suggested to have an influential role in pregnancy. We revisited hereby the expression and functionality of FSHR in HUVECs angiogenesis, and were unable to reproduce the FSHR expression in human umbilical cord, HUVECs or immortalized HUVECs (HUV-ST). Positive controls as granulosa cells and HEK293 cells stably transfected with human FSHR cDNA expressed FSHR signal. In contrast to positive control VEGF, FSH treatment showed no effects on tube formation, nitric oxide production, wound healing or cell proliferation in HUVEC/HUV-ST. Thus, it remains open whether the FSH-FSHR activation has a direct regulatory role in the angiogenesis of HUVECs

Extragonadal FSHR Expression and Function—Is It Real?

Expression of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), besides gonadal tissues, has recently been detected in several extragonadal normal and tumorous tissues, including different types of primary and metastatic cancer and tumor vessel endothelial cells (TVEC). The suggested FSH actions in extragonadal tissues include promotion of angiogenesis, myometrial contractility, skeletal integrity, and adipose tissue accumulation. Non-malignant cells within cancer tissue have been shown to be devoid of FSHR expression, which implies a potential role of FSHR as a diagnostic, prognostic, or even a therapeutic tool. There are shared issues between several of the published reports questioning the validity of some of the conclusion. Firstly, protein expression of FSHR was performed solely with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using either an unavailable “in house” FSHR323 monoclonal antibody or poorly validated polyclonal antibodies, usually without additional methodological quality control and confirmations. Secondly, there is discrepancy between the hardly traceable or absent FSHR gene amplification/transcript data and non-reciprocal strong FSHR protein immunoreactivity. Thirdly, the pharmacological high doses of recombinant FSH used in in vitro studies also jeopardizes the physiological or pathophysiological meaning of the findings. We performed in this review a critical analysis of the results presenting extragonadal expression of FSHR and FSH action, and provide a rationale for the validation of the reported results using additional more accurate and sensitive supplemental methods, including in vivo models and proper positive and negative controls

Placenta is Capable of Protecting the Male Fetus from Exposure to Environmental Bisphenol A

Embryo-fetal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) could be related to poor male reproductive parameters in rodents, but this concept has not been convincingly confirmed in humans. We investigated the association of environmental BPA exposure of pregnant women with selected endocrine and anthropometric parameters of male newborns. We analyzed plasma BPA from pregnant mothers, umbilical cord, and placental tissues (n = 117/each group) by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. LH, FSH, AMH, TGF beta 2, inhibin B, and selected sex steroids were measured in cord plasma. The infant anthropometric parameters included anogenital distance, stretched penile length, head circumference, birthweight, and length. The median BPA concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord plasma, and in placental tissue were 19.0, 8.0, and 22.2 nmol/L, respectively, the levels thus being over twofold lower in the fetal circulation than in the mother or placenta. The BPA concentrations measured were 100-1000-fold lower than those demonstrated in animal experiments to have endocrine disrupting effects. Multivariable regression analysis indicated no significant correlations between the maternal/fetal/placental BPA concentrations and any of the hormone levels or anthropometric parameter measured. Plasma concentrations of BPA confirmed both maternal, placenta, and fetal exposure to environmental BPA, but the concentrations were orders of magnitude lower than those with documented endocrine disrupting activity. Moreover, the maternal/fetal concentration gradient as well as the lack of correlations of BPA levels with any major endocrine or anthropometric parameters measured in the newborns suggest a protective role for the placenta in reducing fetal exposure to the environmental BPA

Novel Expression of Zona Pellucida 3 Protein in Normal Testis; Potential Functional Implications

The expression of the zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (ZP3), originally thought to be specific for oocytes, was recently extended to ovarian, prostate, colorectal and lung cancers. Earlier successful ZP3 immunization of a transgenic mouse model carrying a ZP3 positive ovarian tumor emphasized the suitability of ZP3 for cancer immunotherapy. This study was carried out to determine whether any other normal tissues besides the ovary in healthy human and mouse tissues may express ZP3, considered important to exclude off-target effects of ZP3 cancer immunotherapy. Strong ZP3 expression was found in normal human and mouse testis. ZP3 protein and mRNA transcripts were localized in spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round and elongated spermatids of both human and mouse testis, as well as in a mouse spermatogonial cell line, but absent in testicular Sertoli, Leydig, spermatogonial stem and progenitor cells. All other normal human and mouse tissues were ZP3 negative. This surprising testicular ZP3 expression has implications for the development of ZP3 cancer immunotherapies, and it also alludes to the potential of using ZP3 as a target for the development of a male immunocontraceptive.</p

GNSS w systemach zarządzania flotą pojazdów

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in connection with other technologies, such as mobile telephone GSM will improve management of chains of orders and fleet management in all types of transport. The paper describes existing navigation satellite systems (NAVSTAR GPS, GLONASS, EGNOS). It also presents advantages and barriers of using GNSS in transportation systems.Globalny Satelitarny System Nawigacyjny (GNSS) w połączeniu z innymi technologiami, takimi jak telefonia komórkowa GSM, będzie wpływał na usprawnienie zarządzania łańcuchem zamówień oraz zarządzania flotą we wszystkich typach transportu. Referat opisuje istniejące nawigacyjne systemy satelitarne (NAVSTAR GPS, GLONASS, EGNOS). Zostały również przedstawione zalety oraz przeszkody wykorzystywania GNSS w systemach transportowych