In vivo MRI evaluation of anabolic steroid precursor growth effects in a guinea pig model

Anabolic steroids are widely used to increase skeletal muscle (SM) mass and improve physical performance. Some dietary supplements also include potent steroid precursors or active steroid analogs such as nandrolone. Our previous study reported the anabolic steroid effects on SM in a castrated guinea pig model with SM measured using a highly quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol. The aim of the current study was to apply this animal model and in vivo MRI protocol to evaluate the growth effects of four widely used over-the-counter testosterone and nandrolone precursors: 4-androstene-3 17-dione (androstenedione), 4-androstene-3β 17β-diol (4-androsdiol), 19-nor-4-androstene-3β-17β-diol (bolandiol) and 19-nor-4-androstene-3 17-dione (19-norandrostenedione). The results showed that providing precursor to castrated male guinea pigs led to plasma steroid levels sufficient to maintain normal SM growth. The anabolic growth effects of these specific precursors on individual and total muscle volumes, sexual organs, and total adipose tissue over a 10-week treatment period, in comparison with those in the respective positive control testosterone and nandrolone groups, were documented quantitatively by MRI.     

The effect of trenbolone acetate on the bovine oestrous cycle

The anabolic steroid, trenbolone acetate, affected the bovine oestrous cycle in different ways depending on the timing of administration relative to oestrus and the plasma concentration of trenbolone achieved. Administration before oestrus caused failure of ovulation and a high incidence of a syndrome similar to cystic ovarian disease. High plasma concentrations of trenbolone during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle prevented luteolysis and maintained progesterone secretion for up to 42 days. Subsequent cycles were not affected.     

Effects of a synthetic prostaglandin analogue, cloprostenol, on the corpus luteum of the guinea pig

The effects of a synthetic prostaglandin analogue, cloprostenol, on luteal function in a guinea pig were studied. At a dose of 250μg, cloprostenol administered I-P on day 9 of the oestrous cycle caused a reduction in the length of the oestrous cycle from 17.4±s.d. 0.9 to 14.5±1.1 days (p<0.01). Lower doses were ineffective, and post-treatment cycles were not different in length from pre-treatment cycles. Cloprostenol also caused a dose-dependent reduction in luteal weight, which fell from 3.52±0.82 to 1.82±0.4mg (<0.01) 48 h after administation of a 250μg dose on day 9. Plasma progesterone, measured by radioimmunoassay, was reduced from 4.67±0.59 to 2.69±0.66 ng ml⁻¹(p<0.01) 48 h after administration of 250μg cloprostenol on day 9. 250μg cloprostenol also reduced blood flow per corpus luteum, measured by ⁸⁵Sr-labelled 15μm microspheres, both at 3 h (20.20±10.36 to 9.40±4.2μ1 min⁻¹; p0.05) and at 48 h 18.47±8.27 to 5.23±1.90μl min⁻¹; p<0.01) after administration on day 9. No adverse side-effects were observed at any dose level of cloprostenol used. It was concluded that cloprostenol is a useful experimental luteolysin in the guinea pig.     

The effects of superior ovarian nerve sectioning on ovulation in the guinea pig

The effects on spontaneous ovulation associated with the unilateral or bilateral sectioning of the superior ovarian nerves (SON) were analyzed in guinea pigs at different time intervals of the estrous cycle. Day 1 of the estrous cycle was defined as the day when the animal presents complete loss of the vaginal membrane (open vagina). Subsequent phases of the cycle were determined by counting the days after Day 1. All animals were autopsied on the fifth day of the estrous cycle after surgery. Sectioning the right, left, or both SONs on day 5 (early luteal phase) resulted in a significant increase in the number of fresh corpora lutea. Ovulation increased significantly when the left SON (L-SON) was sectioned during late follicular phase (day 1) and medium luteal phase (day 8). When surgery was performed on days 1 or 8, neither sectioning the right SON (R-SON) nor sectioning the SON bilaterally had an apparent effect on ovulation rates. Similarly, ovulation rates were not affected when unilateral (right or left) or bilateral sectioning of the SON was performed during late luteal phase two (day 12). Unilateral or bilateral sectioning of the SON performed during the early luteal phase (day 5) was associated with a significant decrease in uterine weight. A comparable effect was observed when the L-SON was sectioned during late follicular phase (day 1), or medium luteal phase (day 8). No effects on uterine weight were observed when unilateral or bilateral sectioning of the SON was performed during late luteal phase. Our results suggest that in the guinea pig the SON modulates ovulation, and that the degree of modulation varies along the estrous cycle. The strongest influence of the SONs on ovulation occurs during early luteal phase, and decrease thereafter, being absent by late luteal phase. In addition, sectioning the left or the right SON caused different responses by the ovaries of adult guinea pigs. This paper discusses the mechanisms by which ovulation increased when the SON was surgically cut.     

The chronotropic action of neurotensin in the guinea pig isolated heart

Neurotensin (NT) infusions into isolated, perfused, spontaneously beating hearts of guinea pigs evoked a concentration-dependent, positive chronotropic effect which was preceded in some hearts by transient bradycardia. The tachycardia caused by NT was not affected by propranolol, cimetidine, indomethacin, a mixture of methysergide and morphine or by atria removal. The incidence and amplitude of bradycardia caused by NT were increased by neostigmine but reduced by atropine. Neostigmine and atropine also tended to decrease and increase respectively, the tachycardia caused by NT. These results suggest that the positive chronotropic effect of NT in guinea pig isolated heart results from a direct effect on the specialized conduction system of the heart while its negative chronotropic effect is likely to reflect the activation by NT of cardiac vagal cholinergic neurons.     

Endometrial arylamidase activity in the guinea pig: changes during the oestrous cycle, decidualization and ovarian steroid hormone treatment.

1. As suggested by comparative studies done in various species, amino acid arylamidases (amino peptidases) may play a role in blastocyst implantation. 2. Histochemical studies of the guinea pig endometrium indicate that arylamidase increases in the stroma during pregnancy but is depleted in the vicinity of the blastocyst during implantation. 3. To further explore the possible significance of arylamidases in uterine function, endometrial arylamidase activity was measured in guinea pigs during the reproductive cycle, decidualization and after ovariectomy with and without estrogen (E) and/or progesterone (P) treatment. Arylamidase activity was maximal during pro-oestrus-oestrus (40.0 +/- 10.0 mu/mg protein). 4. Enzyme activity was markedly depleted in decidualized endometrial stroma (12.3 +/- 1.6, P less than 0.01); reduced by ovariectomy (20.5 +/- 2.7); and stimulated by E (29.2 +/- 1.2); P had little effect (21.9 +/- 3.5). 5. The physiological significance of modulation of endometrial arylamidase activity by steroid hormones is discussed.     

Immune modulation in the guinea pig using cortisone acetate.

Cortisone acetate was administered to a group of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) at 0 (control), 20 (low) or 200 (high) mg/kg. Steroid was given daily for two individual 7 day periods, separated by 7 days of no treatment. The effects of this steroid on body weight gain, thymic weight, total and differential leukocyte counts, serum antibody titer against a bacterin, dermal hypersensitivity response to a sensitizing agent and histological evaluation of lymphoid and other tissues were evaluated. Significant differences in body weight gain (p less than 0.05) and thymic weight (p less than .01) were noted. For total leukocyte count, no significant difference among treatment groups at individual time points was noted (p greater than .10), while significant differences were seen in lymphocyte and neutrophil counts (p less than .01). A significant difference in antibody titer among the treatment groups was observed (p less than .01). For the dermal hypersensitivity response, there was no consistent pattern among the treatment groups in gross (macroscopic) skin reactions. Microscopically, differences were seen in the inflammatory response among the treatment groups. Histologically, steroid related changes were seen in thymus, spleen, lymph node and liver. At necropsy, 24 of 40 animals had lesions of focal necrotizing hepatitis. Three affected animals died and remaining animals showed no clinical illness. The cause of the necrotizing hepatitis could not be determined by culture, special stains, electron microscopy, serology or by attempts at transmission with affected liver samples.     

Mechanism of action of leukotrienes on the guinea pig bronchus

The pharmacological activity of leukotrienes (LT) A4, C4, D4, E4, and histamine was investigated on guinea pig upper and lower bronchi. The contractions of the upper bronchi to histamine, LTA4, C4 and D4 were enhanced by cyclooxygenase inhibitors aspirin (1.67 X 10(-5) and 1.67 X 10(-6) M) and indomethacin (2.8 X 10(-6) and 2.8 X 10(-5) M) whereas the responses to LTE4 were not affected. The myotropic activity of the lower bronchi to all agonists were either very slightly or not at all modified by the presence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors. The thromboxane synthetase inhibitor OKY-046 (1.77 X 10(-5) and 1.77 X 10(-6) M) did not change the responses of higher bronchi to the agonists which suggested that the response of the upper bronchi may be mediated by prostaglandins but not by thromboxanes. The responses of the lower bronchi to leukotrienes A4, C4, D4 and E4 were inhibited by compound OKY-046. Blockade of thromboxane receptors together with inhibition of lipoxygenases by compound L-655,240 (2.53 X 10(-8) to 2.53 X 10(-5) M) had a slight effect on the stimulation of upper and lower bronchi by leukotrienes and histamine. The compound FPL-55712 (1.92 X 10(-6) and 1.92 X 10(-5) M) strongly reduced the contractions of the upper and lower bronchi to leukotrienes but did not affect the responses to histamine. These results suggest that the contractile effects of leukotrienes on upper bronchi is modulated by bronchorelaxant prostaglandins whereas the responses of the lower bronchi are mediated by thromboxanes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The hypotensive action of bradykinin in the guinea pig and cat]

In the guinea-pig as in the cat, the duration of the bradykinin general arterial hypotension is reduced by indometacine. This decrease is due to the inhibition of the synthesis of endogenous vasodilatator prostaglandins. The guinea-pig and the cat present the same type of reactivity for bradykinin as the rabbit, the dog and the rat.     

Changes in follicular populations, in serum estrogen and progesterone, and in ovarian steroid secretion in vitro during the guinea pig estrous cycle

It has been proposed that the guinea pig estrous cycle manifests biphasic follicular development. The follicles of one cohort apparently achieve their greatest diameter by approximately Day 10 of the cycle and then undergo atresia while the second cohort ovulates; this constitutes an uninvestigated and novel model for the evaluation of atresia. In this study, follicular development was evaluated in vivo and in vitro to confirm this pattern. On cycle Day 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 or 0 (ovulation), guinea pigs were killed and trunk blood was collected; ovaries were excised, weighed, and measured, and size and number of large (greater than 400 microns) follicles were determined. Ovaries were quartered and placed into culture dishes for incubation. Culture variables were presence or absence of human follicle-stimulating hormone (100 ng/ml) and time. Ovarian fragments were processed for histology. Estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) in sera and culture media were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. The abundance of large follicles on both the ovarian surface (greater than 635 microns) and in histologic section (greater than 500 microns) relative to all follicles observed was high on Day 7 and Day 10, respectively; lower on Day 10 and Day 12; and high again at Day 12 and Day 15. Mean secretion of E in culture was elevated on Day 10 (253.0 +/- 60.3 pg/ml/mg ovary), low on Day 12 (67.9 +/- 13.0), and high again on Day 0 (185.8 +/- 56.8). Peripheral P reached a maximum of 2.93 +/- 0.09 ng/ml (Day 5), and then declined to Day 15.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

镉对豚鼠乳头肌动作电位的影响

目的:研究氯化镉(CdCl2)对正常豚鼠心室乳头肌细胞动作电位(AP)的影响。方法:用常规细胞内微电极方法记录乳头肌细胞AP。结果:在生理条件下,CdCl2可使APo期振幅(APA)和最大除极速率(Vmax)降低,动作电位时程(APD)缩短,且具有剂量依赖性。结论:CdCl2可使心室肌AP的APA、Vmax、APD发生改变,提示CdCl2有抑制Na 、Ca2 内流和激活K 外流作用。