scholarly journals Prenatal low-dose methyltestosterone, but not dihydrotestosterone, treatment induces penile formation in female mice and guinea pigs†

2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (6) ◽  
pp. 1248-1260
Author(s):  
Shanshan Wang ◽  
John Lawless ◽  
Zhengui Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Androgen Receptors ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Sex Differentiation ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Gene Expressions ◽  
Female Mice ◽  
Genital Tubercle

Abstract Genital tubercle has bisexual potential before sex differentiation. Females exposed to androgen during sex differentiation show masculinized external genitalia, but the effects of different androgens on tubular urethral and penile formation in females are mostly unknown. In this study, we compared the masculinization effects of commonly used androgens methyltestosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and testosterone on the induction of penile formation in females. Our results suggested that prenatal treatment with low doses of methyltestosterone, but not same doses of dihydrotestosterone or testosterone, could induce penile formation in female mice. The minimum dose of dihydrotestosterone and testosterone for inducing tubular urethral formation in female mice was, respectively, 50 and 20 times higher than that of methyltestosterone. In vivo methyltestosterone treatment induced more nuclear translocation of androgen receptors in genital tubercles of female mice, affected Wnt signaling gene expressions, and then led to similar patterns of cell proliferation and death in developing genital tubercles to those of control males. We further revealed that low-dose methyltestosterone, but not same dose of dihydrotestosterone or testosterone, treatment induced penile formation in female guinea pigs. Exposure of female mouse genital tubercle organ culture to methyltestosterone, dihydrotestosterone, or testosterone could induce nuclear translocation of androgen receptors, suggesting that the differential effect of the three androgens in vivo might be due to the hormonal profile in mother or fetus, rather than the local genital tissue. To understand the differential role of these androgens in masculinization process involved is fundamental to androgen replacement therapy for diseases related to external genital masculinization.

scholarly journals Examination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor mutants using low-dose aerosol infection of guinea pigs suggests a role for SigC in pathogenesis

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (6) ◽  
pp. 1591-1600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell K. Karls ◽  
Jeannette Guarner ◽  
David N. McMurray ◽  
Kristin A. Birkness ◽  
Frederick D. Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Sigma Factors ◽  
Respiratory Pathogen ◽  
Growth Deficiency ◽  
Aerosol Infection

Secondary sigma factors in bacteria direct transcription of defence regulons in response to specific stresses. To identify which sigma factors in the human respiratory pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis are important for adaptive survival in vivo, defined null mutations were created in individual sigma factor genes. In this study, in vitro growth virulence and guinea pig pathology of M. tuberculosis mutants lacking functional sigma factors (SigC, SigF, or SigM) were compared to the parent strain, H37Rv. None of the mutant strains exhibited a growth deficiency in Middlebrook 7H9 broth, nor were any impaired for intracellular replication in the human monocytic macrophage cell-line THP-1. Following low-dose aerosol infection of guinea pigs, however, differences could be detected. While a SigM mutant resulted in lung and spleen granulomas of comparable composition to those found in H37Rv-infected animals, a SigF mutant was partially attenuated, exhibiting necrotic spleen granulomas and ill-defined lung granulomas. SigC mutants exhibited attenuation in the lung and spleen; notably, necrotic granulomas were absent. These data suggest that while SigF may be important for survival in the lung, SigC is likely a key regulator of pathogenesis and adaptive survival in the lung and spleen. Understanding how SigC mediates survival in the host should prove useful in the development of anti-tuberculosis therapies.

scholarly journals Morphology of the external genitalia of the adult male and female mice as an endpoint of sex differentiation

2012 ◽  
Vol 354 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 94-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana A. Weiss ◽  
Esequiel Rodriguez ◽  
Tristan Cunha ◽  
Julia Menshenina ◽  
Dale Barcellos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Sex Differentiation ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Female Mice

scholarly journals Prolonged low-dose dioxin exposure impairs metabolic adaptability to high-fat diet feeding in female but not male mice

Endocrinology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geronimo Matteo ◽  
Myriam P Hoyeck ◽  
Hannah L Blair ◽  
Julia Zebarth ◽  
Kayleigh R C Rick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Homeostasis ◽  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Plasma Insulin ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Female Mice ◽  
Insulin Levels ◽  
Plasma Insulin Levels

Abstract Objective Human studies consistently show an association between exposure to persistent organic pollutants, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, aka “dioxin”), and increased diabetes risk. We previously showed that a single high-dose TCDD exposure (20 µg/kg) decreased plasma insulin levels in male and female mice in vivo, but effects on glucose homeostasis were sex-dependent. The current study assessed whether prolonged exposure to a physiologically relevant low-dose of TCDD impacts glucose homeostasis and/or the islet phenotype in a sex-dependent manner in chow-fed or high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Methods Male and female mice were exposed to 20 ng/kg/d TCDD 2x/week for 12 weeks and simultaneously fed standard chow or a 45% HFD. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by glucose and insulin tolerance tests, and glucose-induced plasma insulin levels were measured in vivo. Histological analysis was performed on pancreas from male and female mice, and islets were isolated from females for Tempo-Seq® analysis. Results Low-dose TCDD exposure did not lead to adverse metabolic consequences in chow-fed male or female mice, or in HFD-fed males. However, TCDD accelerated the onset of HFD-induced hyperglycemia and impaired glucose-induced plasma insulin levels in female mice. TCDD caused a modest increase in islet area in males but reduced % beta cell area within islets in females. RNAseq analysis revealed abnormal changes to endocrine and metabolic pathways in TCDDHFD females. Conclusions Our data suggest that prolonged low-dose TCDD exposure has minimal effects on glucose homeostasis and islet morphology in chow-fed male and female mice, but promotes maladaptive metabolic responses in HFD-fed females.

scholarly journals Tinospora cordifolia chloroform extract inhibits LPS-induced inflammation via NF-κB inactivation in THP-1cells and improves survival in sepsis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheena Philip ◽  
Greeshma Tom ◽  
Padmaja Balakrishnan Nair ◽  
Sankar Sundaram ◽  
Asha Velikkakathu Vasumathy
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Chloroform Extract ◽  
Inflammatory Biomarkers ◽  
Tinospora Cordifolia ◽  
Rat Tissues ◽  
Gene Expressions ◽  
Inflammatory Proteins ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Tinospora cordifolia (Willd).Miers is a perennial climbing medicinal shrub that has been traditionally used for the treatment of chronic inflammatory ailments. Our previous pre- clinical studies on anti-inflammatory effects, proved that the chloroform extract of T. cordifolia (CETC) suppressed the LPS induced up-regulation of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, hence, further follow up study was carried out to evaluate whether CETC can exhibit a protective effect against LPS induced lethal endotoxemia in vivo and also to analyze the impact of CETC pre-treatment on the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro by THP-1 cells. Methods To corroborate our previous preclinical studies on inflammation, we investigated the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of T. cordifolia on THP-cells which were pre-incubated with CETC (30 min) and stimulated subsequently with LPS (1 μg/ml) for 20 h. Levels as well as gene expressions of various cytokines were compared with that of LPS alone incubated cells. Alongside, in vivo oral anti-inflammatory efficacy against LPS induced endotoxemia study was effectuated, wherein rats were administered with CETC 48, 24, 12 and 1 h prior to the injection of LPS and the survival of rats were monitored upto 10 days. Cytokine levels were quantified by ELISA. Nitrite levels were measured using Griess reagent. Expression of pro-inflammatory proteins was inspected in rat tissues by histochemical and immuno -histochemical examinations. Results CETC was able to down-regulate the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory biomarkers in THP-1 macrophages though blockade of NF-κB nuclear translocation and could improve the survival rate during endotoxemic episodes with a marked suppression of the tissue expression of pro-inflammatory proteins. Conclusion These findings concomitantly reveal the anti-inflammatory mechanism of CETC and support us to move forward for the development of drugs against disorders resulting from deregulated immune reactions.

scholarly journals Aloe vera gel homogenate shows anti-inflammatory activity through lysosomal membrane stabilization and downregulation of TNF-α and Cox-2 gene expressions in inflammatory arthritic animals

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Subhashis Paul ◽  
Debabrata Modak ◽  
Sutanuka Chattaraj ◽  
Deblina Nandi ◽  
Aditi Sarkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Dose ◽  
Protein Denaturation ◽  
Aloe Vera ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Gene Expressions ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Cox 2

Abstract Background Aloe vera leaf gel has proven efficacious roles in the amelioration of several human diseases and illness-conditions. Specific purified gel-derived bio-constituents as well as the naturally harvested unprocessed A. vera gel have shown promise in modifying systemic inflammation. However, the synergistic role of natural herbal remedies, a mainstay of traditional Indian Ayurveda, has not been evaluated rigorously in this plant. In this study, the prevention of membrane lysis and protein denaturation in the presence of A. vera gel homogenate up to the concentration of 1000 μg/ml of gel has been assessed in vitro. Also, regulation of expression of inflammation-mediator genes (TNF-α and Cox-2) has been investigated in vivo in Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced inflammatory arthritic Wistar albino rats in a 28-day long study following the daily oral supplementation of Aloe vera gel homogenate doses up to 0.40 and 0.80 g/kg body weight (low-dose and high-dose groups respectively). Results Our results indicated that A. vera gel homogenate inhibits hypotonicity-induced (74.89 ± 1.26%) and heat-induced (20.86 ± 0.77%) RBC membrane lyses respectively at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml, compared to indomethacin standard (80.52 ± 0.65% and 43.98 ± 1.52% respectively at 200 μg/ml concentration). The similar concentration of gel also showed 39.35 ± 4.25% inhibition of protein denaturation compared to standard diclofenac sodium (46.74 ± 1.84% at 100 μg/ml concentration) in vitro. When assessed in vivo, TNF-α expression was found to be decreased by 35.88% and 38.52%, and Cox-2 expression was found to be decreased by 31.65% and 34.96%, in low-dose and high-dose groups respectively, when compared to the arthritic controls. Conclusions Our findings justify the role of unprocessed A. vera gel homogenate in preventing tissue damage and in the downregulation of TNF-α and Cox-2 gene expressions for the immune-modulation of inflammatory arthritis condition.

scholarly journals Low-dose naltrexone rescues inflammation and insulin resistance associated with hyperinsulinemia

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (48) ◽  
pp. 16359-16369
Author(s):  
Abhinav Choubey ◽  
Khyati Girdhar ◽  
Aditya K. Kar ◽  
Shaivya Kushwaha ◽  
Manoj Kumar Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Inflammatory Mediators ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Systemic Insulin Resistance ◽  
Low Dose Naltrexone

The incidence of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic diseases has reached an epidemic status worldwide. Insulin resistance is a common link in the development of these conditions, and hyperinsulinemia is a central hallmark of peripheral insulin resistance. However, how hyperinsulinemia leads to systemic insulin resistance is less clear. We now provide evidence that hyperinsulinemia promotes the release of soluble pro-inflammatory mediators from macrophages that lead to systemic insulin resistance. Our observations suggest that hyperinsulinemia induces sirtuin1 (SIRT1) repression and stimulates NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and transactivation of NF-κB to promote the extracellular release of pro-inflammatory mediators. We further showed that low-dose naltrexone (LDN) abrogates hyperinsulinemia-mediated SIRT1 repression and prevents NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. This, in turn, attenuates the hyperinsulinemia-induced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reinstates insulin sensitivity both in in vitro and in vivo diet-induced hyperinsulinemic mouse model. Notably, our data indicate that Sirt1 knockdown or inhibition blunts the anti-inflammatory properties of LDN in vitro. Using numerous complementary in silico and in vitro experimental approaches, we demonstrated that LDN can bind to SIRT1 and increase its deacetylase activity. Together, these data support a critical role of SIRT1 in inflammation and insulin resistance in hyperinsulinemia. LDN improves hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance by reorienting macrophages toward anti-inflammation. Thus, LDN treatment may provide a novel therapeutic approach against hyperinsulinemia-associated insulin resistance.

Involvement of 5-Hydroxytryptamine in Platelet Aggregation In Vivo in Rats and Guinea Pigs

1989 ◽  
Vol 61 (03) ◽  
pp. 463-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
G M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Platelet Adhesion ◽  
Adenosine Diphosphate ◽  
Rate Of Return ◽  
Low Doses ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
Higher Doses ◽  
Rat Platelets

SummaryIn this study, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) caused a dose- dependent fall in the circulating platelet count suggesting that 5-HT receptors are activated in rat platelets to cause platelet adhesion and aggregation. When low doses of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were simultaneously injected with 5-HT, there was a significant potentiation of the responses to ADR Ketanserin significantly reduced the potentiated responses. When higher doses of ADP were infused with bolus injections of 5-HT there was no potentiation and ketanserin did not reduce these responses. Ketanserin did not inhibit the collagen-induced fall in circulating platelet count, but did significantly increase the rate of return to the basal platelet count compared with control. 5-HT did not cause a fall in platelet count in guinea-pigs

Investigation of the Interaction of Blood Platelets with the Coagulation System at the Site of Plug Formation In Vivo in Man - Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin

1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (01) ◽  
pp. 062-066 ◽  
Author(s):  
P A Kyrle ◽  
J Westwick ◽  
M F Scully ◽  
V V Kakkar ◽  
G P Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Activation ◽  
Thrombin Generation ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Bleeding Time ◽  
Blood Platelets ◽  
Dose Aspirin ◽  
Low Dose Aspirin ◽  
Plug Formation ◽  
Granule Release

SummaryIn 7 healthy volunteers, formation of thrombin (represented by fibrinopeptide A (FPA) generation, α-granule release (represented by β-thromboglobulin [βTG] release) and the generation of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) were measured in vivo in blood emerging from a template bleeding time incision. At the site of plug formation, considerable platelet activation and thrombin generation were seen within the first minute, as indicated by a 110-fold, 50-fold and 30-fold increase of FPA, TxB2 and PTG over the corresponding plasma values. After a further increase of the markers in the subsequent 3 minutes, they reached a plateau during the fourth and fifth minute. A low-dose aspirin regimen (0.42 mg.kg-1.day-1 for 7 days) caused >90% inhibition of TxB2formation in both bleeding time blood and clotted blood. At the site of plug formation, a-granule release was substantially reduced within the first three minutes and thrombin generation was similarly inhibited. We conclude that (a) marked platelet activation and considerable thrombin generation occur in the early stages.of haemostasis, (b) α-granule release in vivo is partially dependent upon cyclo-oxygenase-controlled mechanisms and (c) thrombin generation at the site of plug formation is promoted by the activation of platelets.

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