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Biomedical subjects

A Revelli

Publications and source records attributed to A Revelli.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Effect of peritoneal fluid supplemented with exogenous progesterone on sperm motility in vitro.

Since progesterone has been claimed to induce acrosomal reaction and hyperactivated motility of human spermatozoa, the present study was undertaken to determine if its presence at concentrations similar to those of peri-ovulatory follicular fluid could influence the effect of peritoneal fluid on sperm motility in vitro. To this end, 11 sperm samples were incubated at 37 degrees C with five peritoneal fluids with/without exogenous progesterone, and sperm motility was assessed using a computer-assisted analyser at time (t) = 0, 2.5, 5 and 24 h. Overall there was no observable constant trend for enhancement or inhibition of sperm motility. Progesterone generally induced a negative effect on those sperm samples with high velocities in the native peritoneal fluids and a positive effect on those sperm samples demonstrating low motility in the native peritoneal fluids. The incorporation of progesterone into the incubation medium seemed to result in a 'tuning' of sperm velocity to around 30-50 micron/s. However, a given sperm sample reacted differently when incubated with various peritoneal fluids and, reciprocally, different semen samples incubated with the same peritoneal fluid showed very variable motility patterns. The greater variability of the effects exerted by progesterone on sperm motility could arise from the fact that each sperm sample may contain subpopulations of gametes with different sensitivity to progesterone.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Steroid receptors in human spermatozoa.

The presence of steroid binding sites in (or on) human spermatozoa was first suggested in the late 1970s, by studies showing that some steroids were able to influence sperm function. Subsequently, several effects exerted on spermatozoa by biological fluids, such as follicular fluid, were found to be probably linked to the action of steroids, and among them progesterone. Since the effects of progesterone on spermatozoa were rapid, dose-dependent and not affected by progesterone conjugation with high molecular weight proteins unable to cross the plasma membrane, the existence of a novel class of non-genomic progesterone receptors was strongly suspected. This hypothesis was further supported by the observation that some of the effects of progesterone on human spermatozoa were not abolished by inhibitors of the classical progesterone nuclear receptors, nor mimicked by progesterone genomic receptor agonists. Recently, surface progesterone binding sites were directly identified on the membranes of human spermatozoa, and their mechanism of action partially characterized.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

Evening administration of melatonin enhances the pulsatile secretion of prolactin but not of LH and TSH in normally cycling women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of exogenous melatonin on the spontaneous pulsatile release of PRL, TSH and LH in normal women. DESIGN: A double blind placebo-controlled protocol was designed to study seven subjects in the mid follicular phase of two non-consecutive cycles. Two mg of exogenous melatonin or placebo were given at 1600 and 2000 h, and blood samples were collected every 10 minutes from 1800 to 2400 h for hormone determination. RESULTS: Melatonin treatment caused a significant upward resetting of the pulsatile pattern of PRL in six out of seven subjects. Average maximal peak height was significantly increased (median 716 mIU/l (range 198-1433) on melatonin vs 324 mIU/l (212-688) on placebo, P < 0.001), nadir value (572 mIU/l (148-1084) vs 216 mIU/l (54-580), P < 0.001) and area under the peak (26352 mIU/l min (5904-93672) vs 12096 mIU/l min (2340-33552), P < 0.001), whereas peak number, amplitude and interpeak interval did not change significantly. TSH pulsatility was unaffected by melatonin administration in four out of six subjects. Distribution of LH patterns after melatonin was inhomogeneous: level of pulsatility was higher in two cases and reduced in three; group analysis did not therefore show significant variation of pulsatility parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous melatonin has a stimulatory effect on PRL release without affecting the temporal pattern of its pulsatile secretion in normal women. Melatonin has minor, if any, effect on TSH secretion whereas the effect on LH may depend on individual sensitivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Immunohistochemical detection of estrogen and progesterone receptors in the normal urinary bladder and in pseudomembranous trigonitis.

According to recent studies showing the presence of estrogens receptors (ERs) in the human female lower urinary tract, we performed ER and progesterone receptor (PR) assays in fresh frozen and paraffin embedded biopsies taken from the urinary bladder. Fourteen females undergoing endoscopy during staging for gynecological cancer (endometrium, cervix, ovary) and 15 women complaining of recurrent abacterial cystitis (pseudomembranous trigonitis) were enrolled in the study as Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. After informed consent, they were submitted to cystoscopy, during which two biopsies were taken: one on the trigonum and the other on the bladder lateral wall. ERs were identified in both groups only in the trigonum (7/14 patients in Group 1 and 8/15 in Group 2), whereas the bladder lateral wall always stained negative. PRs were found at both sites in both groups (11/14 cases on the trigonum and 7/14 on the bladder lateral wall in Group 1; 11/15 and 2/15 respectively in Group 2). Morphological localization of PRs showed intense omogeneous staining in the nuclei of the stromal fibroblasts too. A clear correspondence between the presence of steroid receptors at the squamous metaplasia of the trigonum was observed. These data are discussed speculating about a possible endocrine pathogenesis of pseudomembranous trigonitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effect of volumetric mixtures of peritoneal and follicular fluid from the same woman on sperm motility and acrosomal reactivity in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of peritoneal (PF) and follicular fluids (FF from the same woman) as well as of given volumetric combinations thereof on sperm motility and acrosomal reactivity. DESIGN: Prospective. Peritoneal fluid and FF were incubated separately or in given volumetric combinations (PF/FF = 100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, 0/100; vol/vol) with swim-up sperm suspensions. SETTING: In vitro fertilization and general infertility clinic and laboratories. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Women participants of the gamete intrafallopian transfer program (motility study, n = 20; acrosomal reaction study, n = 14). Sperm donors of the artificial insemination program and men with given sperm parameters. INTERVENTIONS: Hormonal stimulation. Laparoscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Progressive velocity and percentage of motile gametes measured with multiple-exposure photography. Acrosomal reactivity measured by an immunofluorescent technique. RESULTS: Follicular fluid always influenced progressive motility and also sustained the number of motile gametes, as function of time, better than PF or the PF/FF mixtures (P less than 0.05). The acrosomal reactivity of sperm incubated in the various PF/FF combinations was low; after 5 hours only the FF-sperm suspensions showed a significant enhancement of acrosomally reacted gametes. CONCLUSION: At ovulation, FF transmit positive (motility- and acrosomal reactivity-enhancing) signals to sperm, whereas PF may transmit positive, neutral, or negative signals (noise signals). The volumetric combination of FF and PF in the tubal environment, which may differ from cycle to cycle and from woman to woman, could therefore result in synergic (or antagonistic) effects on the sperm fertility potential.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1992

Hormonal profiles in Italian late-onset adrenal hyperplasia correlate with HLA class III polymorphisms.

To investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the HLA region in late-onset adrenal hyperplasia, 13 Italian patients affected by the disease were analyzed for: (1) HLA-A and -B typing; (2) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of DR beta, DQ beta, DQ alpha, 21-hydroxylase A and B genes; (3) fourth complement fraction loci A and B (C4A and C4B), second complement fraction (C2) and properdin B factor (Bf) complement typing; (4) hormonal characteristics associated with some HLA haplotypes. HLA alleles B14 and DR beta 1 were found to be significantly more frequent in patients with respect to controls (relative risk: 8.7 and 7.2, p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.0001, respectively). Also C4B*2, 1 duplication was more frequent in patients than in normal subjects (23% vs. 1.5%, p less than 0.0001). Moreover, patients carrying a duplicated C4B (as well as those having the B14 antigen) showed higher 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels after ACTH stimulation. RFLP analysis of 21-hydroxylase genes with a specific probe revealed a duplication of 21-hydroxylase A gene in 40% of patients. All these individuals carried the C4A*2 B*2,1 phenotype and 75% of them displayed a clearly recognizable duplication at the C4B locus. These data support the hypothesis that in late-onset adrenal hyperplasia the 21-hydroxylase A pseudogene, even if inactive, may play a negative role in the regulation of 21-hydroxylase biosynthesis. Furthermore, we suggest analyzing class III phenotypes to screen the enzymatic defect.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗
PubMed1990

Detection of estrogen receptors in the trigonum and urinary bladder with an immunohistochemical technique.

In order to detect estrogen receptors (ER) in the female bladder, 5 premenopausal and 10 postmenopausal women affected by gynecological diseases were submitted to cystoscopy, during which both the trigonum and the bladder lateral wall were biopsied. A new, simple, cost-effective immunohistochemical technique was employed to stain the estrogen specific binding sites. ER were found in the trigonum of 3 premenopausal and 4 postmenopausal subjects, while the bladder lateral wall was always ER-negative. A comparison with previously used ER detection methods and a discussion of further hypothetical applications of the immunohistochemical technique in the study of the lower female urogenital tract are reported.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of peritoneal fluid from spontaneous and stimulated cycles on sperm motility in vitro.

Peritoneal fluids (PFs) from spontaneous (n = 14) and gonadotrophin-stimulated cycles (n = 20) were obtained during diagnostic laparoscopy and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) procedures, respectively. The effects of these fluids on the linear component of sperm motility and on the percentage of motile spermatozoa were studied in vitro by objective motility assessments and compared to a control medium (B2-Ménézo). Overall, the two types of PFs were found to have rather similar effects on the motility parameters studied. However, the fluids from hormonally-stimulated cycles sustained motility better (i.e., sperm velocity and percentage of motile sperm) and in a rather constant manner as a function of time (narrower range distributions of the motility measurements). Furthermore, it was observed that under identical experimental conditions motility measurements depended not only on the type of PF used but also on the sperm sample. These results suggest that assisted reproduction procedures in which PF is the medium where the gametes eventually meet and interact, such as direct peritoneal insemination (DIPI) or peritoneal oocyte and sperm transfer (POST), could have different success rates if performed in spontaneous rather than in stimulated cycles. At the same time, our results may help to explain why different pregnancy rates were reported in different studies using DIP or POST.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preincubation in peritoneal fluid decreases the follicular fluid-induced acrosomal reactivity of human spermatozoa.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of preincubation in peritoneal fluid on the follicular fluid-induced acrosomal reactivity of human spermatozoa in vitro. Thirty women participating in our IVF-ET program were given a GnRH-analogue, highly purified FSH and hCG in order to induce superovulation. Peritoneal and follicular fluids were aspirated during pick-up laparoscopy, centrifuged, filtered and frozen until use. An aliquot of swim-up suspension from normospermic semen specimens (n = 30) was incubated with peritoneal fluid or HAM-F10 for 30-180 min, and follicular fluid (in volumetric proportion approximately 50/50 with peritoneal fluid) was subsequently added. The percentage of acrosomally-reacted spermatozoa was assessed using the FITC-conjugated Pisum sativum lectin before and after incubation in peritoneal fluid or control medium, as well as after follicular fluid addition. Peritoneal fluid was not able to stimulate acrosomal reactivity; further, preincubation in peritoneal fluid decreased, but not abolished, the follicular fluid-induced acrosomal reactivity. A longer pre-incubation in peritoneal fluid was associated with a lower percentage of reacted spermatozoa in response to the addition of follicular fluid. In conclusion, our data suggest that peritoneal fluid acts maintaining spermatozoa in an unreacted status in the upper female genital tract. After mixing with follicular fluid, a phenomenon that is likely to occur at ovulation, peritoneal fluid reduces, but does not abolish, the stimulating effect of follicular fluid on acrosomal reactivity.

Acrosome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Heart valve prosthesis, pregnancy and anticoagulant therapy].

The reproductive possibilities of cardiopathic patients with cardiac valvular prostheses have greatly improved in the past forty years. The correct management of this risk pregnancies remains a problem, however, especially as regards the chronic anticoagulant treatment to which these patients are subjected. The thirty years experience of a heart surgery-obstetric team is reported here. This included 14 pregnancies in women with aortic or mitral valvular prostheses. The problems relating to anticoagulant treatment in pregnancy and during labour are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Is voluntary abortion to be regarded now as a contraceptive?].

The first part of the work deals with voluntary abortion recidivity. A casuistry of about 200 cases, divided into several groups according to the age, is considered. It is compared to the official data of Italy and other countries. The second part deals with the relationship between voluntary abortion and contraception. Some concrete proposals to reduce the number of voluntary abortions are presented.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Surgical cardiopathies and pregnancy (a 30-year report)].

The advent of heart-surgery in obstetrics has been determinant, in as much as it has improved therapeutic treatment and above all it has resulted in achievement which were impossible 30 years ago. The concepts already put forward by the school of cardio-obstetric surgery of Turin on haemodynamics in pregnancy and childbirth as biologic risk factors for the patient with a bad heart continue to be upheld. The results of Actis Dato Group's in cardiac surgery are reported. Almost all types of congenital and acquired cardiopathies in their relationships to pregnancy are described. 1750 Pregnancy cases in 997 heart diseased women are analised. The cooperation with the obstetrical team is stressed.

Adolescent↗