Daidzein but not other phytoestrogens preserves bone architecture in ovariectomized female rats in vivo

Ovariectomy of immature female rats, results in significant decrease of trabecular bone volume and in cortical bone thickness. Previously, we found that estradiol-17beta (E(2)) restored bone structure of ovariectomized (Ovx) female rats to values obtained in intact sham-operated female rats. E(2) also selectively stimulated creatine kinase (CK) specific activity a hormonal-genomic activity marker. In the present study, we compared the effects of E(2) and the phytoestrogens: daidzein (D), biochainin A (BA), genistein (G), carboxy-derivative of BA (cBA), and the SERM raloxifene (Ral) in Ovx, on both histological changes of bones and CK, when administered in multiple daily injections for 2.5 months. Bone from Ovx rats, showed significant disrupted architecture of the growth plate, with fewer proliferative cells and less chondroblasts. The metaphysis underneath the growth plate, contained less trabeculae but a significant increased number of adipocytes in the bone marrow. D like E(2) and Ral but not G, BA, or cBA, restored the morphology of the tibiae, similar to that of control sham-operated animals; the bony trabeculeae observed in the primary spongiosa was thicker, with almost no adipocytes in bone marrow. Ovariectomy resulted also in reduced CK, which in both epiphysis and diaphysis was stimulated by all estrogenic compounds tested. In summary, only D stimulated skeletal tissues growth and differentiation as effectively as E(2) or Ral, suggesting that under our experimental conditions, D is more effective in reversing menopausal changes than any of the other isolated phytoestrogens which cannot be considered as one entity.     

Organizational effects of testosterone,estradiol, and dihydrotestosterone on vasopressin mRNA expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

In adulthood, male rats express higher levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) mRNA in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) than do female rats. We tested whether this sex difference is primarily due to differences in neonatal levels of testosterone. Male and female rats were gonadectomized on the day of birth and treated with testosterone propionate (TP) or vehicle on postnatal days 1, 3, and 5 (P1, P3, and P5). Three months later, all rats were implanted with testosterone‐filled capsules. Two weeks later, brains were processed for in situ hybridization to detect AVP mRNA. We found that neonatal TP treatment significantly increased the number of vasopressinergic cells in the BST over control injections. We then sought to determine the effects of testosterone metabolites, estradiol and dihydrotestosterone, given alone or in combination, on AVP expression in the BST. Rat pups were treated as described above, except that instead of testosterone, estradiol benzoate (EB), dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP), a combination of EB and DHTP (EB+DHTP), or vehicle was injected neonatally. Neonatal treatment with either EB or EB+DHTP increased the number of vasopressinergic cells in the BST over that of DHTP or oil treatment. However, treatment with DHTP also significantly increased the number of vasopressinergic cells over that of oil treatment. Hence, in addition to bolstering evidence that estradiol is the more potent metabolite of testosterone in causing sexual differentiation of the brain, these data provide the first example of a masculinizing effect of a nonaromatizable androgen on a sexually dimorphic neuropeptide system. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 54: 502–510, 2003     

性激素对大鼠诱发肝癌中胎盘型谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GST-P)表达的影响

本实验利用Solt-Farber顺序诱发大鼠肝癌,观察肝组织中GST活性及GST-P含量在化学诱癌中的变化,并观察性激素对大鼠化学诱发肝癌的早期病变中GST-P表达的作用。结果显示无论是GST活性或GST-P的含量,在诱癌至第三周开始升高,第五周升至最高。利用此模式,选择诱癌至第五周,免疫组化法检测各种处理后肝组织中GST-P的表达。发现睾丸假切除的雄性大鼠经化学诱癌后,肝中有高的GST-P表达,睾丸假切除的雄性大鼠诱癌合并雌二醇处理,明显降低肝组织GST-P阳性灶的面积和数量;合并睾丸酮处理,虽减少GST-P阳性灶的面积,但其数量略有升高。与睾丸假切除后诱癌的雄性大鼠相比,切除睾丸的大鼠经诱癌,有更低的GST-P阳性灶的面积;睾丸切除合并雌二醇处理,GST-P阳性灶的面积进一步降低。与仅化学诱癌的卵巢假切除雌性大鼠比,卵巢切除鼠诱癌后,GST-P阳性灶的面积稍有增加;对卵巢切除合用睾丸酮的大鼠诱癌,阳性灶的面积进一部增加。无论性腺切除与否,雄性大鼠比雌性大鼠有更高的GST-P表达。这些结果提示雌激素可抑制而雄激素则可促进化学诱癌大鼠肝中GST-P的表达。这一结果可能与临床上男性较女性易患肝癌有关。     

Cellular localization of the receptor-dependent and receptor-independent uptake of human LDL in the liver of normal and 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol-treated rats

The cellular localization in the liver of the receptor-dependent and -independent uptake of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) in normal and 17 alpha-ethinyl estradiol-treated rats was investigated by the simultaneous in vivo injection of human 131I-LDL and human reductive methylated 125I-LDL. The cells were subsequently isolated by a low temperature method. In untreated rats, after 30 min of in vivo circulation of human LDL, 57% of the receptor-dependent liver-association of human LDL occurs in non-parenchymal cells and 43% in parenchymal cells. Estradiol treatment of rats for 3 days selectively increases the receptor-dependent cell-association of human LDL with hepatocytes (17-fold), while the receptor-dependent cell-association with non-parenchymal cells is not affected.     

Gonadal hormones in experimental Ancylostoma caninum infections in male Swiss albino mice

Ismail Bhai and Pandey A. K. 1982. Gonadal hormones in experimental Ancylostoma caninum infections in male Swiss albino mice. International Journal for Parasitology12: 589–591. Orchiectomy in mice increased their resistance to Ancylostoma caninum infection. Testosterone propionate increased the susceptibility of castrated animals to infection and also increased the survival of larvae in muscles, compared with sham-operated placebo-treated controls with intact testes. Estradiol benzoate increased the resistance of castrated mice as demonstrated by differential larval recoveries. The possible involvement of the small intestine as a barrier to infection and the influence of testosterone on host susceptibility to infection is discussed.     

Estrogen increases calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐immunoreactive sensory innervation of rat mammary gland

Estrogen plays important roles in preparing mammary tissue for lactation. However, estrogen also influences innervation in some tissues. We examined the effect of estrogen on peripheral innervation of mammary tissues of ovariectomized adult virgin female rats. Seven days after ovariectomy, 17β‐estradiol or placebo pellets were implanted subcutaneously, and tissues were harvested 1 week later. Estrogen treatment decreased mammary gland mass and adipocyte content, while ductal content increased and vascular composition was unaffected. Estrogen increased total areas occupied by nerves in mammary gland sections immunostained for the pan‐neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5, and this increase persisted after normalizing for treatment‐induced differences in gland mass. Although a significant increase in tyrosine hydroxylase‐immunoreactive sympathetic nerve area was observed, no difference was detected following correction for differences in gland size, implying a conserved number of sympathetic nerves in the face of reduced gland volume. Calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐immunoreactive sensory nerve sectional area was also increased, and corrected nerve area remained 88% greater, indicating nerve proliferation during estrogen treatment. Total, sensory, and sympathetic innervation of the nipple and adjacent dermal tissue were unaffected by estrogen. We conclude that chronic estrogen elevation induces selective proliferation of rat mammary gland calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐containing nerves, which are associated primarily with blood vessels and are probably nociceptors. Because they are likely to subserve a vasodilatory function, increased innervation may promote increased blood flow necessary for milk formation during suckling. Moreover, these findings may help explain abundant anecdotal reports of increased breast sensitivity in humans under high estrogen conditions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 59: 192–204, 2004     

转铁蛋白抑制大鼠卵泡颗粒细胞FSH受体的结合与维持

转铁蛋白能抑制大鼠卵泡颗粒细胞的分化,但其机理尚不清楚。本实验用已烯雌酚处理后分离的大鼠颗粒细胞,观察了转铁蛋白对FSH结合到颗粒细胞,以及在培养过程中对颗粒细胞FSH受体量维持的影响。结果表明,生理浓度范围的转铁蛋白部分地阻断了~(125)I-rFSH结合到颗粒细胞上;将转铁蛋白与FSH一起处理细胞,发现它能剂量依赖性地抑制FSH对颗粒细胞FSH受体的维持作用,并表现为孕酮及雌二醇的分泌减少。