Browsing by Author "Serón-Ferré, M"

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    Bilateral oophorectomy in a pregnant woman
    (2005) Villaseca, P; Campino, C; Oestreicher, E; Mayerson, D; Serón-Ferré, M; Arteaga, E
    Background: A 16 week pregnant woman presented with massive theca-lutein cysts requiring bilateral oophorectomy. Pregnancy progressed uneventfully and spontaneous lactation ensued after delivery. Methods: To study the role of the ovary on the hormonal profile at the end of gestation and in post-partum, we measured FSH, estradiol (E-2), unconjugated estrone (E-1), unconjugated estriol (E-3), sex hormone-binding globulin, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and prolactin at 37 weeks gestation and at 8 h, 4 days, 5 weeks, and 2 months post-partum. Results: These hormones were within the range expected for ovary-intact pregnant and puerperal women until 4 days post-partum. At 5 weeks post-partum, FSH increased to a peri-menopausal range (31.4 IU/l) while estrogens remained within the normal puerperal range (E-2=239 pmol/l; E-1=102 pmol/l), contrasting with their rapid changes in non-pregnant women after bilateral oophorectomy. At 2 months, while partially breastfeeding, FSH, E-2 and E-1 were closer to menopausal range (68 IU/l, 136 and 70.2 pmol/l respectively), and hormone replacement was started. Conclusions: We conclude that the ovary is not required to maintain a normal hormonal profile in late pregnancy and early puerperium. However, the increase in FSH to peri-menopausal levels at 5 weeks post-partum, despite breastfeeding, suggests that the ovary is needed to maintain low FSH concentrations during lactation.
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    Bioactivity of prolactin isoforms
    (1999) Campino, C; Torres, C; Ampuero, S; Díaz, S; González, GB; Serón-Ferré, M
    To assess whether plasma prolactin (PRL) characteristics relate to lactogenesis and absence or presence of menstrual cycles, we measured bioactive PRL (BIO;PRL) using the Nb2 assay, immunoreactive PRL (TR-PRL) by radioimmunoassay, calculated equations describing the BIO-PRL-IR-PRL relationship and separated charged PIiL isoforms (by chromatofocusing) in five amenorrhoeic and five cycling nursing women at 6 months postpartum and in 10 cycling non-nursing women, Plasma samples were drawn before and 30 min after a suckling episode at 0800, 1600 and 2400 h in nursing women and at the same hours ih non-nursing women. BIO-PRL and IR-PRL concentrations were highest in amenorrhoeic nursing women, intermediate in cycling nursing women and lowest in cycling non-nursing women. The BIO-PRL-IR-PRL relationship shows that a given amount of IR-PRL corresponds to equivalent amounts of BIO-PRL in cycling nursing and cycling nonnursing women, and to a larger extent in amenorrhoeic nursing women. IR-PRL was present In plasma as several charge isoforms, Bioactive isoforms eluting at PH 6.0-5.1 were found in amenorrhoeic and cycling nursing women, reaching similar concentrations after suckling. Bioactive isoforms eluting at pH 7.0-6.1 were found only in amenorrhoeic nursing women. We speculate that isoforms eluting at pH 6.0-5.1 may play a role in lactation and isoforms eluting at pH 7.0-6.1, in lactational amenorrhoea.
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    Immunocytochemical demonstration of day/night changes of clock gene protein levels in the murine adrenal gland
    (2006) Torres-Farfan, C; Serón-Ferré, M; Dinet, V; Korf, HW
    The circadian system comprises several peripheral oscillators and a central rhythm generator that, in mammals, is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Expression of clock genes is a characteristic feature of the central rhythm generator and the peripheral oscillators. With regard to the rhythmic production of glucocorticoids, the adrenal gland can be considered as peripheral oscillator, but little is known about clock gene expression in this tissue. Therefore, the present study investigates the levels of three clock gene proteins PER1, BMAL1 and CRY2 in the murine adrenal cortex and medulla at seven different time points of a 12-hr light/12-hr dark cycle. To determine a potential role of melatonin we compared the patterns of clock gene proteins in the adrenal gland of melatonin-proficient mice (C3H) with those of melatonin-deficient mice (C57BL). In C3H mice, both, the adrenal cortex and medulla displayed day/night variation in PER1-, CRY2- and BMAL1-protein levels. PER1 and CRY2 peaked in the middle of the light phase, whereas BMAL1 peaked in the dark phase. This pattern was also observed in the adrenal medulla of C57BL, but in the adrenal cortex of C57BL clock gene protein levels did not change with time and were consistently lower than in C3H mice. These results support the hypothesis that the adrenal gland is a peripheral oscillator and raise the possibility that melatonin may be involved in the control of clock gene protein levels in the adrenal cortex of mice.
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    Impact of lactation upon fertility in the New World primate capuchin monkey (Cebus apella)
    (2000) Recabarren, MP; Vergara, M; Martínez, MC; Gordon, K; Serón-Ferré, M
    In the present paper, we have studied the impact of lactation upon fertility in the capuchin monkey, Cebus apella, under laboratory conditions. Nursing females (ten females, 12 postpartum periods) presented lactational amenorrhea (first menses at 159.2 +/- 9.0 vs 42.6 +/- 5.8 days postpartum in five non-nursing females, seven postpartum periods). Plasma estradiol and progesterone concentrations during lactational amenorrhea were lower than those during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Prolactin was higher than in non-nursing females at 31-60 days postpartum. Interbirth interval, studied in three nonnursing (four intervals) and six nursing females (eight intervals) lasted for 349.5 +/- 11.8 and 613.4 +/- 30.8 days, respectively. In non-nursing females, early recovery of the menstrual cycle was followed by a residual infertility (mating but no pregnancy) lasting 152.8 +/- 7.9 days. In nursing females, recovery of the menstrual cycle was followed by an extended residual infertility of 301.5 +/- 22.7 days. Thus, in the capuchin monkey, nursing prolongs the interbirth interval by inducing lactational amenorrhea and extending the residual infertility period.
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    Study of prenatal growth in the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) by ultrasound
    (1998) Corradini, P; Recabarren, M; Serón-Ferré, M; Parraguez, VH
    Capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) is a new world primate that in recent years has become important in biomedical research. The purpose of this study was to establish and correlate normal fetal growth parameters with gestational age in capuchin monkeys. In seven pregnant animals serial ultrasonic assessment of gestational sac (GS), embryo/fetal greatest length (GL), biparietal diameter (BPD), thorax height (TH), and femur length (FL) were performed. Identification of the GS was possible on day 23 +/- 2.8 (X +/- SE). The embryo and its heartbeat was detected on day 32.7 +/- 2.8, the GL being measurable thereafter. By day 45.4 +/- 1.4 BPD and TH were measurable. FL could only be measured from day 70.6 +/- 2.1. Predictive regression equations of gestational age (GA) were modeled with data obtained. In addition, preliminary data of fetal heart rate showed a decrease in frequency with advancing gestation.
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    Twenty-four-hour pattern of cortisol in the human fetus at term
    (2001) Serón-Ferré, M; Riffo, R; Valenzuela, GJ; Germain, AM
    OBJECTIVES: Indirect evidence suggests that adrenal steroid production in the human fetus may have a circadian rhythm. To assess whether there is a 24-hour rhythm of fetal cortisol in the human fetus, we investigated the relationship between fetal and maternal cortisol and cortisone concentrations in maternal, umbilical arterial, and umbilical venous blood samples over a 24-hour period.