bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of age and gender on pituitary-adrenocortical responsiveness in humans
Authors: Born Jan , Ditschuneit Ina , Schreiber Martin , Dodt Christoph , Fehm Horst L 
Published: December 2008

Born J, Ditschuneit I, Schreiber M, Dodt C, Fehm HL. Effects of age and gender on pituitary-adrenocortical responsiveness in humans. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;132:705–11. ISSN 0804–4643
This study compared plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol in young men (N = 10, mean age 24.4 years), young women (N = 10, mean age 25.4 years), old men (N = 8, mean age 81.6 years) and old women (N = 8. mean age 83.5 years) under basal resting conditions and after stimulation with either human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH, 100 μg iv) or a combined injection of hCRH (100 μg and arginine vasopressin (VP, 0.5 IU iv). Basal secretion of cortisol did not differ among groups, but basal concentrations of ACTH were diminished in young women (p < 0.01), indicating an enhanced adrenal sensitivity to ACTH in these subjects. Pituitary responses to hCRH did not differ between young men and women. However, responses to hCRH/VP were stronger in the young females (p < 0.01), suggesting an enhanced pituitary responsiveness to the augmenting effect of VP on ACTH release in this group. Pituitary-adrenal secretory responses were greater in old than in young men after sole injection of hCRH (p < 0.05) and even more so after combined injection of hCRH/VP (p < 0.01). In old women, pituitary-adrenal secretory responses were also greater than in young women (p < 0.05). But, in particular for responses to hCRH/VP, these effects were less distinct than within the men. Results indicate an enhancing effect of age on pituitary responsiveness to the hypothalamic secretagogues hCRH and VP, modulated by the subject's gender.
Jan Born, Klinische Forschergruppe, Klinische Neuroendokrinologie, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Haus 23 a, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), insulin, clonidine and arginine after GHRH pretreatment in obese children: evidence of somatostatin increase?
Authors: Volta Cecilia , Bernasconi Sergio , lughetti Lorenzo , Ghizzoni Lucia , Rossi Maurizio , Costa Mauro , Cozzini Antonella 
Published: December 2008

Volta C. Bernasconi S, lughetti L, Ghizzoni L, Rossi M, Costa M, Cozzini A. Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), insulin, clonidine and arginine after GHRH pretreatment in obese children: evidence of somatostatin increase? Eur J Endocrinol 1995; 132:716–21. ISSN 0804–4643
To clarify the possible neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the impairment in growth hormone (GH) secretion present in obesity, the GH response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH, N = 6), insulin hypoglycemia (N = 6), clonidine (N = 7) and arginine (N = 8) after GHRH pretreatment (1 μg/kg iv 2 h before the tests) was evaluated in 27 obese peripubertal children and in a group of normal-weight short-normal children (N = 26). Growth hormone-releasing hormone pretreatment and all further stimuli elicited a statistically significant GH response in both obese and short-normal children; in the latter group arginine did not induce a significant GH response. No differences were found among the GH responses after the second stimuli in obese children, while in short-normal children the arginine peak and area values were lower than after GHRH and clonidine. Comparison between the two groups showed similar baseline but higher stimulated GH levels in normal-weight children after all tests except ariginine, after which no difference was present. In conclusion, the neuroregulation of GH release seems to be similar qualitatively in normal-weight and obese youngsters; the different behavior observed after arginine, which is supposed to act through somatostatin inhibition, might be due to a chronic increase in somatostatinergic tone responsible for the lower stimulated GH levels in obesity.
Sergio Bernasconi, Clinica Pediatrica, Via Gransci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy
Effect of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment during pregnancy on the sexual development of the female and male rat offspring
Authors: López B Díaz , Urquijo MD Colmenero , Rodriguez ME Díaz , Fraguas A Arce , Parras A Esquifino , Fernández B Marín 
Published: December 2008

Díaz López B, Colmenero Urquijo MD, Díaz Rodriguez ME, Arce Fraguas A, Esquifino Parras A, Marín Fernández B, Effect of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment during pregnancy on the sexual development of the female and male rat offspring. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;132:765–70. ISSN 0804–4643
Sexual development of female and male rat offspring of control, pinealectomized (PIN-X) or melatonin (MEL 2 50 μg/100 g body wt)-treated mother rats during pregnancy was studied. Newborns were studied at the following phases of sexual development: neonate (5 days old), infantile (15 days old), juvenile (25 and 30 days old) and pubertal phase (55 days). In female offspring, MEL treatment during pregnancy significantly increased plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) in 15- and 25-day-old rats; however, at the end of the prepubertal period (30 days) the concentration of plasma LH decreased significantly as compared to control rats. This hormonal pattern was different from that observed in offspring of control and PIN-X rats, which had low LH levels at 25 days of age and higher LH levels at 30 days of age. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) did not vary significantly among the three groups. Plasma prolactin levels were affected by PIN-X of the mother, showing significantly higher levels in the 5-day-old offspring than in the controls; plasma prolactin levels were also affected by MEL treatment of the mother, producing hyperprolactinemia in the 30-day-old female offspring. In male offspring, sexual development in control male rats progressed rapidly with significantly increased LH and FSH levels at 25 and 30 days compared to those measured during the neonatal and infantile periods. Pinealectomy of the mother induced the following modifications: in 5-, 15- and 30-day-old male rats, decreased LH levels were measured relative to the other two groups studied in 5- and 25-day-old rats, significantly lower FSH levels than in the control rats were recorded. However, in 5- and 15-day-old rats, significantly higher prolactin levels than in control rats were measured. Melatonin injections during pregnancy decreased FSH levels at 5, 25, 30 and 55 days as compared to the control males. Also, MEL increased LH levels in 25-day-old rats and significantly decreased prolactin levels in 15- and 55-day-old rats as compared to the other two groups. These results indicate that the mother's pineal gland and MEL treatment can act on fetal development and influence the postnatal ontogeny of the hormones involved in the neuroendocrine–reproductive axis in developing rats. The effect of MEL was apparent during pubertal stages of the offspring, while the effect of PIN-X was more apparent during the juvenile period of the young rats.
Beatriz Díaz López, Dpt. Biología Funcional, Arca Fisiología, Fac, Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006-Oviedo, Spain
Changes in mRNA levels of a pituitary-specific trans-acting factor, Pit-1, and prolactin during the rat estrous cycle
Authors: Lee Byung J , Kim Jin H , Lee Chae K , Kang Hae M , Kim Hyun C , Kang Sung G 
Published: December 2008

Lee BJ, Kim JH, Lee CK, Kang HM, Kim HC, Kang SG. Changes in mRNA levels of a pituitary-specific trans-acting factor, Pit-1, and prolactin during the rat estrous cycle. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;132:771–6. ISSN 0804–4643
The present study examined the changes in mRNA levels of a pituitary-specific trans-acting factor, Pit-1, and prolactin during the rat estrous cycle. Total cytoplasmic RNA was analyzed by Northern blot and slot-blot hybridization to examine the prolactin mRNA level. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to examine the Pit-1 mRNA level. Proestrous and estrous prolactin mRNA levels were significantly higher than the metestrous and diestrous levels, whereas Pit-1 mRNA levels of the estrous and metestrous stages were about two- to threefold higher than those of the proestrous and diestrous stages. Proestrous Pit-1 mRNA levels increased gradually from 10.00 h to 20.00 h, while prolactin mRNA levels slightly decreased until 14.00 h but increased later until 20.00 h. During the rat estrous cycle, especially in the afternoon of the proestrous day, changes of prolactin mRNA levels seem to follow a prior increase of Pit-1 mRNA. Therefore, Pit-1 may be partly involved in the regulation of prolactin gene expression according to the rat estrous cycle. Estradiol administration to ovariectomized rats significantly increased both the mRNA levels of prolactin and Pit-1, which suggests that the gene expression of Pit-1 is regulated by estrogen through indirect extracellular pathways.
Byung Ju Lee, Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Ulsan 680-749, Ulsan, South Korea
Calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, adrenomedullin and amylin: homologous peptides, separate receptors and overlapping biological actions
Authors: Muff Roman , Born Walter , Fischer Jan A 
Published: December 2008

Muff R, Born W, Fischer JA. Calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, adrenomedullin and amylin: homologous peptides, separate receptors and overlapping biological actions. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:17–20. ISSN 0804–4643
Calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, adrenomedullin and amylin are structurally related peptides with N-terminal 6–7 amino acid ring structures linked by a disulfide bridge and with amidated C-termini. Among the related bioactive peptides, the structures of the calcitonin receptor and subtypes thereof have been identified so far through molecular cloning. Cross-reaction between receptors of calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, adrenomedullin and amylin, as well as overlapping biological actions, anticipate that the respective receptors belong to a family of G-protein-coupled receptors that include those of parathyroid hormone, secretin and vasointestinal peptide.
Jan A Fischer, Klinik Balgrist, Forchstrasse 340, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland
Glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit production and plurihormonality in human corticotroph tumours—an in vitro and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Desai Bhaloo , Burrin Jacqueline M , Nott Catherine A , Geddes Jennian F , Lamb Edmund J , Aylwin Simon JB , Wood Diana F , Thakkar Chandra , Monson John P 
Published: December 2008

Desai B, Burrin JM, Nott CA, Geddes JF, Lamb EJ, Aylwin SJB, Wood DF, Thakkar C, Monson JP. Glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit production and plurihormonality in human corticotroph tumours—an in vitro and immunohistochemical study. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:25–32. ISSN 0804–4643
Glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit (αSU) is a recognized product of clinically non-functioning, glycoprotein hormone-secreting and somatotroph adenomas but has not been studied systematically in corticotroph tumours. We have performed immunohistochemistry for αSU in a consecutive series of four corticotroph tumours causing Nelson's syndrome, three corticotroph macroadenomas, 12 corticotroph microadenomas and one adrenocorticotrophin-secreting bronchial carcinoid tumour. In addition we have assessed αSU secretion in vitro in corticotroph adenomas from two subjects with Cushing's disease and two subjects with Nelson's syndrome. Immunohistochemistry, performed after microwave treatment of sections to enhance antigen retrieval, demonstrated αSU positivity in 3/4 Nelson's tumours, 2/3 corticotroph macroadenomas, 7/12 microadenomas and one bronchial carcinoid. Eight of the 13 tumours positive for αSU were also immunostained after microwave pretreatment of sections for thyrotrophin (six positive), follicle-stimulating hormone (four positive), luteinizing hormone (three positive), β-chorionic gonadotrophin (five positive), growth hormone (three positive) and prolactin (two positive) immunoreactivity. In vitro cell cultures of all four tumours studied secreted adrenocorticotrophin and three secreted αSU, with the variable presence of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, thyrotrophin, growth hormone and prolactin, in basal culture. The αSU secretion was augmented by phorbol ester (160 ± 15%, sem, n = 3 wells; p < 0.01) and 8-bromo-cAMP (138 ± 8%; p < 0.05) in one tumour. These data indicate that plurihormonality and, in particular, αSU elaboration and secretion by corticotroph tumours is more common than hitherto recognized. Possible mechanisms include abnormal or deregulated gene expression, autocrine or paracrine effects or a stem cell origin of tumour. The possible relationship of αSU production to corticotroph tumour behaviour and prognosis remains to be established.
John P Monson, Dept of Endocrinology, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London El 1BB, UK
Hormonal serum profiles and follicular development after intramuscular and pulsatile intravenous administration of human menopausal gonadotrophin
Authors: Duijkers Ingrid JM , Hollanders Hans MG , Willemsen Wim NP , Thomas Chris MG , Borm George F , Vemer Hans M 
Published: December 2008

Duijkers IJM, Hollanders HMG, Willemsen WNP, Thomas CMG, Borm GF, Vemer HM, Hormonal serum profiles and follicular development after intramuscular and pulsatile intravenous administration of human menopausal gonadotrophin, Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:57–64. ISSN 0804–4643
A study was performed to compare, in a randomized way, the effect of pulsatile intravenous (iv) and intramuscular (im) human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) administration on hormonal serum profiles and follicular development in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Fourteen IVF patients participated in the study, aged between 20 and 40 years, with a normal endocrine profile, no hormonal medication used for at least 3 months previously, no endometriosis, both ovaries present and a normal male factor. Seven patients were treated with im hMG at a daily dose of 150IU and seven patients with pulsatile iv hMG at a daily dose of 112.5IU, in both cases in combination with buserelin. Ultrasonography was performed every other day during the stimulation phase and blood samples were collected once daily up to five times a day during the entire IVF cycle. Serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 17β-oestradiol, progesterone and human chorionic gonadotrophin were determined. There were no differences in hormonal profiles between the two groups. The numbers of retrieved oocytes, fertilization rates and mean embryo quality were identical in this study, as was follicular growth. In conclusion, in the present randomized study no differences were observed in hormonal levels or follicular development after im and pulsatile iv hMG treatment.
Ingrid JM Duijkers, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Nijmegen St Radboud, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF binding proteins 1 and 3 and growth hormone binding protein in obese women and the effects of growth hormone administration: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Jørgensen Jens OL , Pedersen Sten B , Børglum Jens , Frystyk Jan , Ho Ken KY , Christiansen Jens S , Ørskov Hans , Blum Werner F , Richelsen Bjørn 
Published: December 2008

Jørgensen JOL, Pedersen SB, Borglum J, Frystyk J, Ho KKY, Christiansen JS, Ørskov H, Blum WF, Richelsen B. Serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF binding proteins 1 and 3 and growth hormone binding protein in obese women and the effects of growth hormone administration: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:65–70. ISSN 0804–4643
Obesity is associated with suppressed growth hormone (GH) concentrations but relatively little is known about insulin-like growth factors(IGFs) and binding proteins for GH and IGFs (GHBP and IGFBPs) and the modulatory effect of GH administration. In a double-blind, crossover design we studied the impact of 5 weeks of placebo or GH administration (0.03 mg·kg−1 body wt·day−1) in nine obese women (mean± sem; age 30.4 ± 2.4 years; body mass index 37.0 ± 2.8kg/m2) on IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-1 and -3 and GHBP. Serum IGF-I (μg/l) levels were subnormal and increased significantly following GH (117 ± 16 (placebo) vs 434 ± 33 (GH) vs 198 ± 15 (control (p < 0.01)). By contrast, serum IGF-II (μg/l) levels were in the normal range and remained unchanged (608 ± 20 (placebo) vs 647 ± 40 (GH) (NS)). Serum IGFBP-3 was in the normal range and increased significantly during GH treatment, although relatively less than IGF-I, such that the molar ratio between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 increased with GH treatment, whereas the ratio between IGF-I + IGF-II and IGFBP-3 remained unchanged. Serum IGFBP-1 was low in the placebo situation but became further and almost completely suppressed during GH treatment. During a 2-h hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic glucose clamp, IGFBP-1 decreased in the placebo study and remained suppressed during GH. Serum GHBP (nmol/l) levels were elevated substantially compared to non-obese controls (p < 0.001) and did not change during GH treatment (2.37 ± 0.36 (placebo) vs 2.21 ± 0.25 (GH) vs 0.80 ± 0.19 (control)). In conclusion. obese subjects have low total IGF-I levels but may exhibit relatively increased free IGF-I levels due to the suppression of IGFBP-1. This presumed elevation in free IGF-1 in obesity may explain the normal levels of IGFBP-3 and IGF-II, which contrasts with classic GH deficiency. Furthermore, obese subjects are responsive to exogenous GH in terms of total IGF-I generation and normalization of the ratio between IGF-I and IGFBP-3. Finally, obesity is associated with marked elevations in GHBP levels that were unaffected by 5 weeks of GH administration.
Jens OL Jørgensen, Medical Department M, Aarhus Kommunehospital, DK-8000 C, Aarhus, Denmark
Influence of meal composition on the postprandial response of the pituitary–thyroid axis
Authors: Kamat Vinay , Hecht Wendy L , Rubin Robert T 
Published: December 2008

Kamat V, Hecht WL, Rubin RT. Influence of meal composition on the postprandial response of the pituitary–thyroid axis. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:75–9. ISSN 0804–4643
Ingestion of food can result in an acute decline of serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations, but it is not known whether meal composition and/or stomach distension are influential. Normal men and women were given a normocaloric or hypocaloric, isobulk meal at lunch and at dinner in a randomized design. The normocaloric, but not the isobulk, meal resulted in a significant decline in serum TSH at both lunch and dinner; thyroid hormones and cortisol were not affected significantly. These findings suggest that meal composition is influential in the acute postprandial decline of serum TSH in man. A possible mechanism is food-induced elevation of somatostatin and consequent suppression of TSH secretion.
Robert T Rubin, Neurosciences Research Center, Allegheny General Hospital, 320 E North Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4772, USA
Ectopic posterior pituitary tissue and paracentric inversion of the short arm of chromosome 1 in twins
Authors: Siegel Selma F , Ahdab-Barmada Mamdouha , Arslanian Silva , Foley Thomas P 
Published: December 2008

Siegel SF, Ahdab-Barmada M, Arslanian S, Foley Jr TP. Ectopic posterior pituitary tissue and paracentric inversion of the short arm of chromosome 1 in twins. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:87–92. ISSN 0804–4643
Twin boys with hypopituitarism, hypoplasia of the anterior pituitary gland, ectopic posterior pituitary tissue and paracentric inversion of the short arm of chromosome 1 are described. The smooth appearance at the base of the median eminence and the absence of a pituitary stalk at autopsy in these boys implies that the hypopituitarism resulted from a developmental aberration. It remains to be determined if there is a causal relationship between the chromosome 1 anomaly and hypopituitarism.
Selma F Siegel, Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
Growth hormone (GH)-releasing heptapeptide, but not GH-releasing hormone, inhibits thyrotropin-stimulated thyroid hormone secretion and cAMP formation in cultured human thyroid follicles
Authors: Kraiem Z , Bowers CY , Sobel E , Laron Z 
Published: December 2008

Kraiem Z., Bowers CY, Sobel E, Laron Z. Growth hormone (GH)-releasing heptapeptide, but not GHreleasing hormone, inhibits thyrotropin-stimulated thyroid hormone secretion and cAMP formation in cultured human thyroid follicles. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:117–20. ISSN 0804–4643
Synthetic heptapeptide growth hormone-releasing peptide-1 (GHRP-1) potently stimulates GH release in many species, including humans. We investigated the direct in vitro effect of this peptide, compared to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), on cultured human thyroid follicles. The results indicate that whereas GHRP-1 (6–600 μg/l) or GHRH (6–600 μg/l) alone had no effect on basal triiodothyronine (T3) secretion or cAMP formation, the heptapeptide (6–600 μg/l), but not GHRH (6–1200 μg/l), dose-dependently inhibited thyrotropin (TSH)-stimulated T3 secretion and cAMP formation. Moreover, GHRP-1 also dose-dependently inhibited forskolin-stimulated T3 secretion. It would seem, therefore, that the GHRP-1-induced inhibitory effect on thyroid function is located downstream of cAMP formation, without necessarily excluding an additional inhibitory action at a pre-cAMP site. These results additionally demonstrate differences in the mode of action of GHRP-1 and GHRH.
Z Kraiem, Endocrine Research Unit, Carmel Medical Center, 7 Michal Street, Haifa 34362, Israel
Dexamethasone-induced changes in glucose transporter 4 in rat heart muscle, skeletal muscle and adipocytes
Authors: Oda Naohisa , Nakai Akira , Mokuno Takehiko , Sawai Yoshikuni , Nishida Yuko , Mano Toshiki , Asano Kiyoshi , Itoh Yasutoshi , Kotake Motoko , Kato Sumio , Masunaga Rumi , Iwase Katsumi , Tsujimura Toru , Itoh Mitsuyasu , Kawabe Tetsuya , Nagasaka Akio 
Published: December 2008

Oda N, Nakai A, Mokuno T, Sawai Y, Nishida Y, Mano T, Asano K, Itoh Y, Kotake M, Kato S, Masunaga R, Iwase K, Tsujimura T, Itoh M, Kawabe T, Nagasaka A. Dexamethasone-induced changes in glucose transporter 4 in rat heart muscle, skeletal muscle and adipocytes. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;133:121–6. ISSN 0804–4643
To clarify the effect of glucocorticoid on glucose transporters (GLUT) in adipocytes and muscle, we examined the changes of GLUT4 in rat heart muscle, skeletal muscle and adipocytes during long-term administration of dexamethasone and the translocation of GLUT4. The levels of GLUT4 in the plasma membrane and the low-density microsome fraction were measured by Western blotting using anti-GLUT4 peptide antibody. The levels of GLUT4 in the heart and skeletal muscles of rat were unchanged by treatment of dexamethasone. In the adipocytes the level of GLUT4 in plasma membrane was changed, but it was decreased in the low-density microsome fraction. Although adipocytes are less involved in blood sugar regulation than skeletal muscle, this finding suggests that glucose metabolism in Cushing's syndrome is affected partly by a decrease of GLUT4 in the adipocytes.
Akio Nagasaka, Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi 470-11, Japan