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J Reprod Dev 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Aomori 034-8628, Japan.

Functional relationship between nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (Nr4a3) and annexin A5 (Anxa5), which are two gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-inducible genes, has been established while evaluating pituitary gonadotropes in relation to follicle-stimulating hormone beta (Fshb) expression. However, the physiological variations that arise due to the differential expression of these genes in the pituitary gland during rat estrous cycle remain unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the Nr4a3 and Anxa5 mRNA expression during the estrous cycle in rats in comparison with the expression of the gonadotropin subunit genes, luteinizing hormone beta (Lhb) and Fshb. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2021 19;8:635255. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Medical College, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

This study was intended to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 disease and ovarian function in reproductive-aged women. Female COVID-19 patients of reproductive age were recruited between January 28 and March 8, 2020 from Tongji Hospital in Wuhan. Their baseline and clinical characteristics, as well as menstrual conditions, were recorded. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2021 Mar 16;13(6). Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Group of Skeletal, Mineral and Gonadal Endocrinology, University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are agonists for the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) which regulates male reproductive function. LHCGR may be released into body fluids. We wish to determine whether soluble LHCGR is a marker for gonadal function. Read More

Pharmaceutics 2021 Mar 3;13(3). Epub 2021 Mar 3.

Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.

Follitropin (FSH) is a heterodimeric protein composed of an subunit that is shared with the glycoprotein hormone family, including lutropin (LH), thyrotropin (TSH), human choriogonadotropin (hCG), and a unique specific subunit. Both and FSH subunits contain two sites of -linked oligosaccharides, which are important for its function. FSH has a crucial function in the reproductive process in mammals. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2021 Mar;46(5):1160-1167

Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products,College of Pharmacy,Jinan University Guangzhou 510632,China.

Chemical constituents were isolated and purified from the water extract of Artemisia annua by column chromatography of HP-20 macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, HW-40, and semi-preparative RP-HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectral analyses. As a result, Fifteen compounds were isolated and identified as vitexnegheteroin M(1), sibricose A5(2), securoside A(3), citrusin D(4), annphenone(5), E-melilotoside(6), esculetin(7), scopoletin-7-O-β-D-glucoside(8), eleutheroside B_1(9), chrysosplenol D(10), patuletin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(11), quercetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside(12), rutin(13), apigenin 6,8-di-C-β-D-glucopyranoside(14), isoschaftoside(15), among them, compounds 1-4 were identified from Artemisia for the first time. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2021 Mar;46(5):1155-1159

College of Pharmacy,Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan 750004,China.

Chemical constituents of water extracts of Asplenium ruprechtii were investigated. Five compounds were isolated by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatographies and preparative HPLC, and their structures were identified by various spectral analyses as aspleniumside G(1), trans-p-coumaric acid(2), trans-p-coumaric acid 4-O-β-D-glucoside(3), cis-p-coumaric acid 4-O-β-D-glucoside(4), and(E)-ferulic acid-4-O-β-D-glucoside(5). Among them, compound 1 is a new 9,19-cycloartane glycoside. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021 25;12:571229. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.

Background: Our study aimed to investigate if serum prolactin (PRL) levels associated with insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction in infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study performed in the reproductive medicine center of the first affiliated hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. From January 2007 to August 2018, a total of 792 PCOS and 700 non-PCOS infertile women were included. Read More

BMC Womens Health 2021 Mar 11;21(1):104. Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Department of Gynecology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, No. 116 Huanghe Road, Urumqi, 214000, Xinjiang, China.

Background: It's necessary to investigate the serum β-trophin and endostatin (ES) level and its influencing factors in patients with newly diagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: Newly diagnosed PCOS patients treated in our hospital were selected, and healthy women who took physical examination during the same period as healthy controls. We detected and compared the related serum indicators between two groups, Pearson correlation were conducted to identify the factors associated with β-trophin and ES, and the influencing factors of β-trophin and ES were analyzed by logistic regression. Read More

Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021 Mar 4;528:111212. Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA; Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA. Electronic address:

Follicle development beyond the preantral stage is dependent on gonadotropins. FSH signaling is crucial for the advancement of preantral follicles to the antral stage, and LH signaling is essential for further maturation of preovulatory follicles. Estrogen is intricately tied to gonadotropin signaling during the advanced stages of folliculogenesis. Read More

Drug Chem Toxicol 2021 Mar 3:1-8. Epub 2021 Mar 3.

Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology CePT, Warsaw, Poland.

In this study, we investigated the effects of early paracetamol treatment on the testicular level of testosterone and expression of genes important for steroid biosynthesis and reproduction in male rats offspring. Rats were continuously exposed to paracetamol at doses of 5 or 15 mg/kg b.w. Read More

Arch Toxicol 2021 Feb 27. Epub 2021 Feb 27.

UMR CNRS 6015, INSERM 1083, 3 Rue Roger Amsler - Angers University, 49000, Angers, France.

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'DDT) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Several studies showed an association between p,p'DDT exposure and reprotoxic effects. We showed that p,p'DDT was a positive allosteric modulator of human follitropin receptor (FSHR). Read More

Cureus 2021 Jan 23;13(1):e12877. Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Radiology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, TUR.

Introduction Excess iron accumulation occurs mainly in organs such as reticuloendothelial cells, the pituitary gland, and the pancreas in beta-thalassemia because of blood transfusions. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between T2* values on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinically diagnosed pituitary endocrinological disorders in children with thalassemia major. Methods This study enrolled patients diagnosed with beta-thalassemia at pediatric hematology outpatient clinics. Read More

Reprod Fertil Dev 2021 Mar;33(5):319-327

Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Ehime 794-8555, Japan; and Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.

Although di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) induces germ cell apoptosis, the underlying mechanism is not yet clear in quail. In this study, prepubertal quails were given a single dose of 500mg kg-1 DBP by gavage and were then killed 3, 6 and 24h after treatment. There was a significant reduction in intratesticular testosterone (ITT) concentrations and testicular steroidogenic enzyme mRNA expression and a significant increase in germ cell apoptosis in DBP-treated compared with control quails at all time points. Read More

Res Pharm Sci 2020 Oct 19;15(5):429-436. Epub 2020 Oct 19.

Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran.

Background And Purpose: D. Don (Apiaceae family) is a perennial plant whose oleo- gum resin is used as a natural remedy for various diseases, especially chronic bronchitis, and asthma. In the present study, hydromethanolic extract of root was subjected to phytochemical analyses and α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials of the isolated compounds were assessed. Read More

Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021 4;13:622405. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council, Pozzuoli, Italy.

Disinhibition of orexin-A/hypocretin-1 (OX-A) release occurs to several output areas of the lateral hypothalamus (LH) in the brain of leptin knockout obese mice. In this study, we have investigated whether a similar increase of OX-A release occurs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), an orexinergic LH output area with functional effects on dopaminergic signaling at the mesolimbic circuit. By confocal and correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) morphological studies coupled to molecular, biochemical, and pharmacological approaches, we investigated OX-A-mediated dopaminergic signaling at the LH-VTA-nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway in obese mice compared to wild-type (wt) lean littermates. Read More

Front Vet Sci 2020 2;7:597921. Epub 2021 Feb 2.

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.

Llamas are induced non-reflex ovulators, which ovulate in response to the hormonal stimulus of the male protein beta-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) that is present in the seminal plasma; this response is dependent on the preovulatory gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release from the hypothalamus. GnRH neurones are vital for reproduction, as these provide the input that controls the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland. However, in spontaneous ovulators, the activity of GnRH cells is regulated by kisspeptin neurones that relay the oestrogen signal arising from the periphery. Read More

Int J Biol Macromol 2021 Apr 13;176:260-271. Epub 2021 Feb 13.

ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Molecular Endocrinology, Functional Genomics & Systems Biology Laboratory, Animal Biochemistry Division, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India. Electronic address:

We present a novel peptide sequence identified through in silico epitope design and the later generation of peptide-directed antibodies recognizing the buffalo luteinizing hormone. Peptides and antibodies, specific to reproductive hormones, are valuable tools for developing point-of-care immunodiagnostic tools. The study predicted an epitope peptide in silico from buffalo luteinizing hormone and the generation of polyclonal antibodies against this peptide sequence. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2021 May 10;342:6-19. Epub 2021 Feb 10.

Department of Anesthesiology, Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China. Electronic address:

2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47), a flame retardant, is extensively distributed in the food chain. However, whether BDE47 affects Leydig cell development during prepuberty remains unclear. BDE47 was daily gavaged to 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley male rats with 0 (corn oil), 0. Read More

Elife 2021 Feb 12;10. Epub 2021 Feb 12.

Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.

Impaired cerebrovascular function is an early biomarker for cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a neurovascular disease characterized by amyloid-β accumulation in the cerebral vasculature, leading to stroke and dementia. The transgenic Swedish Dutch Iowa (Tg-SwDI) mouse model develops cerebral microvascular amyloid-β deposits, but whether this leads to similar functional impairments is incompletely understood. We assessed cerebrovascular function longitudinally in Tg-SwDI mice with arterial spin labeling (ASL)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) over the course of amyloid-β deposition. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2021 Feb 11;22(1):174. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

Department of Orthopaedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of abnormal Core binding factor-β expression on proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of chondrocytes, and elucidate the relationship between Core binding factor-β and osteoarthritis-related markers and degenerative joint disease.

Methods: Cartilage tissues, from healthy subjects and patients with osteoarthritis, were collected for histology and expression of Core binding factor-β, MMP-13, IL-1β, COMP, and YKL-40. Human articular chondrocytes were cultured in vitro, and a viral vector was constructed to regulate cellular Core binding factor-β expression. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2021 Jan 29;232:105767. Epub 2021 Jan 29.

Escola de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi - R. Dr. Almeida Lima, 1134 - Parque da Mooca, 03164-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address:

Pharmaceutical products can act as endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), affecting the physiological processes of animals, such as development or reproduction. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different concentrations of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) diclofenac (DCF) and ibuprofen (IBU) alone and mixed (MIX) on gonadotropin gene expression and gonadal steroid release using Astyanax lacustris pituitary and testes explant systems, respectively. The explant organs were maintained for 12 h in Leibovitz (L-15) medium supplemented with 0, 0. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Feb 3;22(4). Epub 2021 Feb 3.

Département de Biomédecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité (CRRF), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada.

Members of the Tribbles (TRIB) family of pseudokinases are critical components of intracellular signal transduction pathways in physiological and pathological processes. TRIBs, including TRIB2, have been previously shown as signaling mediators and scaffolding proteins regulating numerous cellular events such as proliferation, differentiation and cell death through protein stability and activity. However, the signaling network associated with TRIB2 and its binding partners in granulosa cells during ovarian follicular development is not fully defined. Read More

Hum Cell 2021 Mar 4;34(2):300-309. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Human ovarian follicular fluid (HOFF) contains proteins, extracellular matrixes necessary for growth and maturation of oocytes as well as granulosa cells. Epithelial cells and stem cells can be isolated from HOFF. However, information regarding stem cells derived from HOFF is still lacking. Read More

Arch Med Sci 2021 5;17(1):189-195. Epub 2021 Jan 5.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Memorial Ankara Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Thyrotropin (TSH) is classically known to be regulated by negative feedback from thyroid hormones and stimulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus. At the end of the 1990s, studies showed that thyrotroph cells from the pars tuberalis (PT) did not have TRH receptors and their TSH regulation was independent from TRH stimulation. Instead, PT-thyrotroph cells were shown to have melatonin-1 (MT-1) receptors and melatonin secretion from the pineal gland stimulates TSH-β subunit formation in PT. Read More

Nutrients 2021 Jan 18;13(1). Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Research Center for Healthcare Industry Innovation, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, 365 Ming-Te Road, Beitou District, Taipei 112, Taiwan.

Diets could play an important role in testicular function, but studies on how adherence to the dietary patterns influences human testicular function in Asian countries are scarce. Herein, we examined the association between testosterone-related dietary patterns and testicular function among adult men in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study recruited 3283 men who attended a private medical screening program from 2009 to 2015. Read More

Reprod Fertil Dev 2021 Feb;33(3):239-244

Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department II of Surgical Oncology, Tumor Hospital of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia Medical University, Shengli Street 1160#, Yinchuan 750004, China; and Corresponding authors. Email:

Connexin (Cx) 43 is the most widely expressed gap junction protein in follicle granulosa cells and plays an important role in follicle development and growth. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of LH on the expression of Cx43 and key proteins in the downstream Wnt-β/catenin signalling pathway and to explore the mechanism underlying the regulation of Cx43 expression in granulosa cells. Primary culture granulosa cells were obtained from 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and were treated with different concentrations of LH (150, 300 and 600 IU L-1). Read More

J ASEAN Fed Endocr Soc 2020 4;35(2):215-219. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Department of Endocrinology, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, San Juan City, Philippines.

Primary partial empty sella occurs when less than 50% of an enlarged or deformed sella turcica is filled with cerebrospinal fluid in the setting of unidentified etiologic pathological conditions. Prepubertal hypogonadotropic hypogonadism presenting as its main manifestation is rare since its peak incidence commonly occurs late at 30 to 40 years of age and has a sexual predilection for female. We described a case of 20-year-old male who presented with micropenis and absent secondary sex characteristics. Read More

Nutrients 2020 Dec 30;13(1). Epub 2020 Dec 30.

Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.

The aim of this study was to determine whether, after 8 days of water-only fasting, there are changes in the efficiency of the lower urinary tract, the concentration of sex hormones, and the symptoms of prostate diseases in a group of middle-aged men ( = 14). For this purpose, before and after 8 days of water-only fasting (subjects drank moderately mineralized water), and the following somatic and blood concentration measurements were made: total prostate specific antigen (PSA-T), free prostate specific antigen (PSA-F), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotropic hormone (LH), prolactin (Pr), total testosterone (T-T), free testosterone (T-F), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), sex hormone globulin binding (SHGB), total cholesterol (Ch-T), β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB). In addition, prostate volume (PV), volume of each testis (TV), total volume of both testes (TTV), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) values were determined. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2020 Dec 31;13(1). Epub 2020 Dec 31.

Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjöldsväg 20, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden.

Here, we report the investigation of transforming growth factor beta-receptor 3 like (TGFBR3L), an uncharacterised pituitary specific membrane protein, in non-neoplastic anterior pituitary gland and pituitary neuroendocrine tumours. A polyclonal antibody produced within the Human Protein Atlas project (HPA074356) was used for TGFBR3L staining and combined with SF1 and FSH for a 3-plex fluorescent protocol, providing more details about the cell lineage specificity of TGFBR3L expression. A cohort of 230 pituitary neuroendocrine tumours were analysed. Read More

Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue 2020 Jul;26(7):625-630

Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.

Objective: To explore the feasibility of biological fatherhood in nonobstructive azoospermia patient with Kennedy's disease and review the relevant literature.

Methods: A twenty-eight man complaining of weakness in the lower extremities for a year underwent physical and laboratory examinations and was found with azoospermia. At the request of the patient for assisted reproduction, we performed microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). Read More