Functional interactions between steroid hormones and neurotrophin BDNF

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical neurotrophin, regulates many neuronal aspects including cell differentiation, cell survival, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system (CNS). Though BDNF has two types of receptors, high affinity tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk)B and low affinity p75 receptors, BDNF positively exerts its biological effects on neurons via activation of TrkB and of resultant intracellular signaling cascades including mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, phospholipase Cγ, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways. Notably, it is possible that alteration in the expression and/or function of BDNF in the CNS is involved in the pathophysiology of various brain diseases such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and mental disorders. On the other hand, glucocorticoids, stress-induced steroid hormones, also putatively contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. Interestingly, in addition to the reduction in BDNF levels due to increased glucocorticoid exposure, current reports demonstrate possible interactions between glucocorticoids and BDNF-mediated neuronal functions. Other steroid hormones, such as estrogen, are involved in not only sexual differentiation in the brain, but also numerous neuronal events including cell survival and synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, it is well known that estrogen plays a role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and mental illness, while serving to regulate BDNF expression and/or function. Here, we present a broad overview of the current knowledge concerning the association between BDNF expression/function and steroid hormones (glucocorticoids and estrogen).     

脂溶性维生素A、D、E与妊娠期糖尿病的相关性分析

目的:探讨妊娠期糖尿病(gestational diabetes mellitus,GDM)孕妇血清中维生素A、25-羟基维生素D、维生素E的水平及其临床意义。方法:选取在大连大学附属中山医院就诊并诊断为GDM的孕妇1000例为实验组;另选取无GDM孕妇1000例为对照组。采用反向高频液相色谱荧光法(high-performance liquid chromatography,HPLC)测定其血清维生素A、E水平;高效液相色谱液相色谱串联质谱法(high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer,HPLC-AS/MS)测定血清25-羟基维生素D水平。结果:GDM孕妇血清中维生素A水平与无GDM孕妇比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);GDM孕妇血清25-羟基维生素D水平明显低于对照组(P<0.05);GDM孕妇血清维生素E水平明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。GDM孕妇血清25-羟基维生素D水平与血清维生素E水平呈显著负相关(r=-0.351,P<0.05)。结论:GDM孕妇血清25-羟基维生素D水平低,维生素E水平高,且两者有一定相关性,可能共同参与了GDM的发生。     

Ovarian steroid hormones and endometrial response

As a bioassay of the steroidogenic function of the corpus luteum, endometrial biopsy has been proposed as the most efficient way of diagnosing corpus luteum insufficiency. However, analysis of our data on luteal phase evaluation in infertility shows that most cases (86%) of endometrial luteal inadequacy are associated with normal hormone (progesterone, estradiol) stimulation. This apparent lack of endometrial progestational response may be explained by an end organ defect localized to the endometrial steroid receptors.     

Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of steroid hormones

The use of europium chelates as labels in immunoassays and their sensitive quantitation based on time-resolved fluorescence is reviewed. The technique is applied on competitive solid-phase immunoassays for direct determination of progesterone and estradiol in serum samples. Both antigen- and antibody-labelled competitive assays are described. The nonisotopic label technology, which provides a very high specific activity, as well as the antibody-labelled competitive assays, present several advantages in the assay of haptens as e.g. steroids. As the optimal sensitivity of competitive methods is not limited by the specific activity of the label the steroid assays which employ europium chelates as labels do not show any marked increase in sensitivity as compared to that achieved by using 125I. The potential sensitivity provided by the high specific activity of the label is optimally utilized in noncompetitive immunometric assays.     

Nongenomic actions of steroid hormones

Steroid hormones modulate many physiological processes. The effects of steroids that are mediated by the modulation of gene expression are known to occur with a time lag of hours or even days. Research that has been carried out mainly in the past decade has identified other responses to steroids that are much more rapid and take place in seconds or minutes. These responses follow nongenomic pathways, and they are not rare.     

圈养林麝粪样类固醇激素水平与麝香分泌的关系

基于非损伤取样和放射免疫法(RIA),于2018年9月1日—10月15日期间对四川马尔康林麝繁育场的36头雄性圈养林麝(Moschus berezovskii)的粪样类固醇激素水平进行了检测,结合麝香分泌数据采集,探究了林麝的粪样睾酮和皮质醇水平与其麝香分泌的关系,结果表明:四川马尔康圈养林麝的麝香分泌(12.53±0.76) g (n=36)与粪样睾酮水平(106.03±12.34) ng/g (n=36)呈显著正相关(r=0.436,P<0.01),泌香较多雄麝(16.50±0.61) g (n=17)的睾酮水平(141.51±21.86) ng/g (n=17)显著地高于泌香较少(8.98±0.59) g (n=19)雄麝(74.27±7.93) ng/g (n=19)(t=-3.252,df=34,P<0.01),方程y=0.021x+10.270(R²=0.120,P<0.05)可较好地拟合二者间关系。麝香分泌与皮质醇浓度(47.49±1.53) ng/g (n=36)相关不显著(r=0.078,P>0.05),泌香较多雄麝的皮质...     

A preliminary study of steroid reproductive hormones in human hair

Nowadays research and clinical studies of human reproductive endocrinology are generally carried out using human blood reproductive hormone assays. However the acquisition of human blood samples has some shortcomings. In search of new approaches, we paid attention to the fact that progesterone can be detected in cow's hair. Consequently we investigated whether or not steroid hormones are measurable in human hair. The results showed that the levels of steroid hormones in hair are not affected by shampoo and do not significantly vary between different segments of hair (i.e. top, middle and basal segments). The menstrual estradiol and progesterone rhythm of female hair is similar to that of female serum. The ratio of hair estradiol to serum estradiol in the female is 41.2% and that of hair progesterone to serum progesterone is 59.0%; the ratio of hair testosterone to serum testosterone in male is 116%. There are significant correlations between hair and serum steroid hormones of healthy human adult: γ (estradiol)=0.395 (n=20), p<0.05; γ (progesterone)=0.440 (n=22), p<0.025 and γ (testosterone)=0.395 (n=25), p<0.05.