Osamu Shinkawa

Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone in amniotic fluid

Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone in the amniotic fluid of both human beings and rats was measured by a specific radioimmunoassay. In human subjects the hormone was detectable in all amniotic fluid samples (obtained during the sixteenth and eighteenth weeks of gestation) (2.5 +/- 1.7 fmol/ml, mean +/- SD, n = 17) and the thirty-eighth to fortieth weeks (9.3 +/- 5.4 fmol/ml, n = 24). The levels of concentration of this hormone in this amniotic fluid correlated significantly with the levels in both maternal plasma and placenta for each patient. Gel filtration of amniotic fluid extracts revealed two major peaks of immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone, one at the elution position of the rat hormone and the other at a small-molecular-weight region. Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone was not detectable in rat amniotic fluid or placenta. We concluded that immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone, which may be derived from the placenta, is present in human amniotic fluid and that its detection in the human placenta but not in rat placentas suggests that the mechanism of corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression in the placenta is species specific.

Concentrations of luteinizing hormone--human chorionic gonadotropin, beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, cortisol, and testosterone in cord sera and their correlations.

Abstract Luteinizing hormone-human chorionic gonadotropin (LH-hCG), beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, cortisol, and testosterone were determined and correlated with each other in 62 samples of cord serum. Cortisol levels in male cord serum were significantly higher than those in female cord serum. Regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation between LH-hCG or β-hCG levels and testosterone levels in male cord serum. These data suggest that there are sex differences in the maturation of the fetal pituitary-gonadal axis.

Serum Cortisol Levels of Maternal Vein, Umbilical Artery, and Umbilical Vein Classified by Mode of Delivery

We measured maternal venous (MV), umbilical arterial (UA), and umbilical venous (UV) cortisol levels of 180 pregnancies at term. The cortisol level of MV was higher than that of UA and UV in all deliveries. The cortisol levels of three samples had no difference between the induced labor group and the spontaneous onset of labor group regardless of delivery mode. In spontaneous vaginal delivery the cortisol levels of three individual samples were significantly higher in primipara than in multipara. The positive correlations were observed in any modes of deliveries between the cortisol levels of MV and UA, and MV and UA and UV. These data suggest that the fetus may produce cortisol by itself and maternal cortisol may inflow to the fetus.

Effects of Synthetic LH-RH and TRH on Pituitary Function in Anencephalic Infants

The pituitary endocrine function in 4 anencephalic infants was studied by measuring the concentrations of growth hormone, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in umbilical venous serum. There was no significant difference in hormone levels between the anencephalic and normal infants. The response of FSH and LH was negative after administration of 10 micrograms of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. The TSH levels after administration of 50 micrograms of TRH elevated about 4- to 6-fold over pre-administration levels. These results indicate that the hypothalamo-pituitary axis of the human fetus initiates its function from mid-pregnancy; TSH may have an autoregulating system of the pituitary itself.

Correlation of Birth Weights with Umbilical Cord Serum LH-hCG, FSH, β-hCG, Estradiol, Cortisol and Testosterone Levels

Luteinizing hormone-human chorionic gonadotropin (LH-hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG), estradiol, cortisol and testosterone levels were determined in cord venous serum and the correlation of birth weights with those hormone levels was investigated in 32 male and 35 female fetuses. There were significant negative correlations between LH-hCG or FSH levels and birth weights in the male fetus. Also there was a significant positive correlation between LH-hCG levels and birth weights in the female fetus. This data suggests that there is a sex difference during the development of the pituitary-gonadal axis.

Plasma β-Endorphin Levels in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension Patients

We measured the plasma β-endorphin (β-EP) levels in 11 normal pregnant women at term, 5 severe pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) patients at term, 11 normal and 5 severe PIH mothers at labor, 11 fetuses who were delivered from normal mothers and 5 fetuses who were delivered from severe PIH mothers. There was a significant(p<0.05) difference in the maternal plasma β-EP at labor between the group without PIH (n=11, 186.9 ± 21.9 pg/ml, mean ± S.E.) and PIH patients (n=5, 108.5 ± 16.4 pg/ml). These data suggests that β-endorphin have a depressor role of a eodogenous cardiovascular regulatory factor in PIH patients during labor.

Cord Serum Growth Hormone in the Human Fetus

Cord venous growth hormone (GH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 88 infants and 11 anencephalic infants. The mean GH levels decreased gradually from midgestation, preterm to term fetus. There was a significant (p less than 0.01) sex difference in the GH level of term fetuses. Anencephalic infants had low GH levels. There was a significant (p less than 0.01) negative correlation between the cord GH level and birth weight in the normal infant. These data suggest that there is a sex difference for fetal GH secretion and that GH is not so important for fetal growth, but the hypothalamus plays an essential role in the regulation of fetal GH secretion.

Cephalothoracopagus: Case report with endocrine study

SummaryA case of cephalothoracopagus syncephalus conjoined twins was diagnosed by pre-natal amniography. Hormone levels in maternal blood, umbilical blood and amniotic fluid were measured.

Sex Difference in the Human Peripheral Plasma Beta-Endorphin and Beta-Lipotropin Levels

Human plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) were measured simultaneously by radioimmunoassay in 4 women with regular menstrual cycle (4 follicular phase and 4 luteal phase), 5 normal men and 10 term fetuses. Mean plasma beta-EP level in the total samples of 8 women was 30.7 +/- 5.8 pg/ml (+/- SE), significantly (p less than 0.03) higher than the beta-EP level in men (12.2 +/- 2.0 pg/ml). There was no significant sex difference in fetal plasma beta-EP level. These data suggest that the existence of sex differences for beta-EP secretion and release, and opioid peptides secretion and release mechanism might change with sexual maturation, due to changing sex steroids secretion.

Human ACTH, β-Lipotropin and β-Endorphin Levels in Maternal Plasma at Delivery

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), Β-lipotropin (Β-LPH) and Β-endor-phin (Β-EP) were measured simultaneously in maternal plasma at delivery. Mean concentrations of Β-LPH and