STEROIDS IN THE AMNIOTIC FLUID OF THE RHESUS MONKEY (MACACA MULATTA)

1977 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. G. CHALLIS ◽  
PHILLIDA HARTLEY ◽  
P. JOHNSON ◽  
J. E. PATRICK ◽  
J. S. ROBINSON ◽  
...  

SUMMARY Representative C21, C19 and C18 steroids have been measured in the amniotic fluid and maternal femoral plasma of rhesus monkeys during the last 50 days of pregnancy. The concentrations of cortisol, progesterone, androstenedione, oestrone and oestrone sulphate all increased in amniotic fluid before spontaneous parturition. In contrast, amniotic fluid oestradiol levels remained low and unchanged, and were always less than the concentrations in the maternal plasma. The changes in progesterone, cortisol and oestrone concentrations in amniotic fluid occurred independently of significant changes in the concentration of these steroids in the maternal plasma. Betamethasone administered to monkeys after day 150 of pregnancy suppressed amniotic fluid and maternal plasma cortisol. This treatment markedly suppressed the concentration of progesterone in amniotic fluid, but did not alter its concentration in maternal plasma. It is concluded that during late pregnancy in the rhesus monkey there is an increase in the concentration of some steroids in amniotic fluid independent of alterations in their concentrations in maternal plasma. These changes could reflect an increase in foetal adrenal steroid secretion.

1979 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. ROBINSON ◽  
R. NATALE ◽  
L. CLOVER ◽  
M. D. MITCHELL

The concentrations of prostaglandin E (PGE), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1α (6-oxo-PGF1α) were measured by radioimmunoassay in serial samples of amniotic fluid and maternal peripheral plasma in the latter third of pregnancy in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). The samples were collected under ketamine-induced anaesthesia. The concentration of PGE was undetectable in amniotic fluid until a few days before delivery when a large increase was observed in three of the five animals. There were small increases of TXB2 and 6-oxo-PGF1α in amniotic fluid before delivery. In maternal plasma the concentrations of PGE, TXB2 and 6-oxo-PGF1α were generally higher and more variable than in amniotic fluid and did not increase with advancing gestation. It is suggested that increased production of primary prostaglandins occurs before, and is involved in, the onset of parturition in the rhesus monkey.


1974 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 601-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. T. K. Bosu ◽  
E. D. B. Johansson ◽  
C. Gemzell

ABSTRACT The influence of bilateral oophorectomy, luteectomy, dexamethasone injections and foetal death on the peripheral plasma levels of oestrogens1) and progesterone was studied in pregnant rhesus monkeys. After bilateral oophorectomy and luteectomy, pregnancy proceeded normally and the plasma levels of oestrogens and progesterone attained levels similar to those in intact monkeys, but the progesterone levels after parturition were comparatively lower. Dexamethasone injections into pregnant monkeys had no deleterious effect on the outcome of gestation. Abrupt and dramatic decreases in total oestrogens, oestrone and oestradiol levels occurred during dexamethasone injections into intact and oophorectomized pregnant monkeys but no significant changes in progesterone levels in plasma were observed. Spontaneous intra-uterine foetal death was accompanied by decrease in oestrogens, but no changes in the plasma levels of progesterone. In experimentally induced foetal death, the oestrogen and progesterone levels in plasma decreased prior to abortion. These data demonstrate the relative influence of the ovaries, adrenals and the placenta on the maternal plasma levels of oestrogens and progesterone in the pregnant rhesus monkey.


1976 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. MITCHELL ◽  
J. E. PATRICK ◽  
J. S. ROBINSON ◽  
G. D. THORBURN ◽  
J. R. G. CHALLIS

SUMMARY Prostaglandin F (PGF) was measured in amniotic fluid, and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) was measured in maternal peripheral venous plasma and amniotic fluid of rhesus monkeys during late pregnancy. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGF2α was determined in the maternal peripheral venous plasma of two animals following intrauterine foetal death. The mean concentration of PGF and PGFM in amniotic fluid increased fourfold during the last 5 days of pregnancy. This increase was associated with an increase in the oestrone concentration in amniotic fluid and in maternal plasma. In normal pregnancy there was no increase in PGFM levels in the maternal peripheral vein, up to 1–2 days pre partum. After intra-uterine death, progesterone concentration in the maternal peripheral vein was unaltered, but oestrone and oestradiol declined. In plasma samples taken within 12 h of delivery, the concentration of PGFM was raised. It is concluded that an increase in prostaglandin production accompanies delivery at normal term, and at delivery past term following intra-uterine foetal death.


1978 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. MITCHELL ◽  
B. R. HICKS ◽  
G. D. THORBURN ◽  
J. S. ROBINSON

The rates of production of thromboxane B2 in vitro by intra-uterine tissues obtained from late pregnant monkeys by Caesarean section have been determined. The general quantitative order of rates of production was decidua basalis = decidua parietalis > placenta > chorion > amnion = myometrium. Myometrial production of thromboxane B2 was greater at term than during late pregnancy; no other tissue showed a significant trend with advancing gestation. These data demonstrate that the production of thromboxane B2 by intra-uterine tissues from late pregnant monkeys is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from the production of prostaglandins described previously. It is suggested that prostaglandins rather than thromboxanes are more intimately involved in the onset of labour in the rhesus monkey.


1979 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. MITCHELL ◽  
B. R. HICKS ◽  
G. D. THORBURN ◽  
J. S. ROBINSON

The rates of production of 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1α (6-oxo-PGF1α) in vitro by intra-uterine tissues taken from late-pregnant monkeys at Caesarean section have been determined. For tissues obtained between days 140 and 149 of pregnancy (late pregnancy) the general quantitative order of rates of production (per unit weight) was decidua basalis> placenta > decidua parietalis>amnion>chorion = myometrium. When tissues were taken between days 160 and 168 of pregnancy (near term) this order was placenta > decidua parietalis = amnion> myometrium = decidua basalis > chorion. There was a significant reduction near term in the rate of production of 6-oxo-PGF1α by decidua basalis; all other tissues exhibited similar rates of production at the two gestational periods investigated.


1975 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 589-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Johnson ◽  
P. A. Manning ◽  
J. F. Hennam ◽  
J. R. Newton ◽  
W. P. Collins

ABSTRACT The concentration of prostaglandin F2α has been determined in serial samples of peripheral venous plasma from women at defined times during labour, and studied in detail throughout two consecutive uterine contractions. In addition, the same compound has been measured in single samples of uterine venous plasma, cord venous plasma, and amniotic fluid in groups of patients during early and late pregnancy, labour and at delivery of the baby. The results from the analysis of peripheral venous plasma show that there is considerable individual variation in the concentration of prostaglandin F2α during labour (mean ± sd, 33.1 ± 11.6 pg/ml). However, it is not possible to establish a definite correlation with either the latent or accelerated phases or with the time of delivery. Furthermore, there is no apparent temporal relationship between the concentrations in peripheral venous plasma and the contractile state of the uterus as assessed by external tocography. In early pregnancy (16th to 20th week) the concentration of prostaglandin F2α (pg/ml, mean ± sd) in peripheral venous plasma is 26.3 ± 4.3 and in amniotic fluid 32.7 ± 26.5. At the 36th week to the start of labour the corresponding values are 27.1 ± 8.1 and 110.0 ± 73.8. At the same time the levels in cord plasma and uterine venous plasma are 100.4 ± 74.9 and 87.9 ± 55.0 respectively. During labour there is a significant increase (P < 0.005, Student's t-test) in the concentration in amniotic fluid (335.1 ± 171.0). The results are discussed in relation to the possible role of prostaglandin F2α in the process of parturition.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 3519-3522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori M. Hansen ◽  
Jay V. Solnick

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori strain J166 recovered from experimentally inoculated rhesus monkeys had up to a 250-fold-increased urease activity over that before inoculation. This was found to result from the selection of urease positive J166 clones from a heterogenous inoculum, which was predominantly urease negative due to a 1-bp insertion in the ureA gene. These results confirm the importance of urease for H. pylori colonization. Strain J166 is particularly well adapted to the rhesus monkey, since it colonized preferentially despite the fact that less than 0.1% of the inoculum was urease positive.


1951 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. H. GREEN ◽  
S. ZUCKERMAN

Estimates have been made of the total number of oocytes in ovaries removed on different days of the menstrual cycle from twelve sexually mature rhesus monkeys. They have been analysed on two assumptions: (a) that no relation exists over the range of age studied between age and the number of oocytes present; and (b) that such a relation exists. The data were grouped in the following three temporal phases of the menstrual cycle: days 1–9, days 10–18, days 19–27. Statistical analysis failed to reveal any significant difference between the average total number of oocytes present at the beginning, the middle, or the end of the menstrual cycle.


2004 ◽  
Vol 183 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ramaswamy ◽  
C R Pohl ◽  
G R Marshall ◽  
T M Plant

This study examined the ontogeny of the testicular testosterone response to precocious pulsatile LH stimulation in the juvenile rhesus monkey. LH stimulation was achieved with an i.v. infusion (one pulse every 3 h) of either single-chain human (sch)LH, administered alone or in combination with recombinant human (rh)FSH, or recombinant monkey (rm)LH in combination with rmFSH. Homologous gonadotropin treatment resulted in an adult profile of circulating mLH concentrations. The schLH infusions produced a similar pulsatile pattern in circulating LH with peak concentrations of approximately 5 IU/l. Although a robust testicular testosterone response was observed after 24 h of intermittent LH stimulation, surprisingly testosterone release at this time was continuous. The apulsatile mode of testosterone secretion, however, did not persist, and a switch to an unequivocal episodic mode of secretion, comparable to that observed in adult monkeys, occurred by day 4 of LH stimulation. FSH did not influence the pattern of the testosterone response. We conclude from these findings that progenitor Leydig cells in the primate testis are able to respond rapidly to a physiological LH stimulus. While the cell biology underlying the switch from a continuous to a pulsatile mode of testosterone secretion remains unclear, we suggest that this phenomenon may be related to the hypothesis that episodic testosterone secretion is required for the operation of the neuroendocrine axis governing testicular function.


1991 ◽  
Vol 260 (2) ◽  
pp. R389-R395 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Keller-Wood ◽  
C. E. Wood

In the sheep, maternal plasma cortisol is increased in late pregnancy, and fetal plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) rise precipitously in late gestation. In many species, the placenta contains ACTH. These experiments were designed to test whether the ovine placenta contains ACTH and whether there is net secretion of ACTH by the uteroplacental unit into either the maternal or fetal circulation. Pregnant ewes and their fetuses were prepared with maternal and fetal arterial and uterine and umbilical venous catheters. Arterial and venous samples were taken from both sides of the placenta before and during hypoxia induced by the ewe breathing 9-11% O2, and arteriovenous (a-v) differences in ACTH, PO2, PCO2, and progesterone were analyzed. A positive a-v difference in PO2 (48.2 +/- 3.4 mmHg) and negative a-v differences in PCO2 and progesterone (-3.5 +/- 0.7 mmHg and -25 +/- 5 ng/ml, respectively) were found across the placenta in the ewe, and a positive a-v difference in PCO2 (4.8 +/- 0.9 mmHg) and negative a-v differences in PO2 and progesterone (-8.1 +/- 1.5 mmHg and -13 +/- 3 ng/ml, respectively) were found across the placenta in the fetus, indicating that the umbilical and uterine venous catheters were properly placed. Hypoxia decreased fetal and maternal arterial PO2 from 22.8 +/- 1.3 to 13.8 +/- 0.7 and from 98.8 +/- 3.3 to 37.0 +/- 2.6 mmHg, respectively, and increased fetal and maternal arterial ACTH immunoreactivity from 95 +/- 60 to 2,676 +/- 795 and from 149 +/- 21 to 275 +/- 88 pg/ml, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


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