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I Carrasco

Publications and source records attributed to I Carrasco.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Hydrosalpinx fluid affects murine embryonic development in a coculture system with epithelial endometrial cells.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present investigation was to assess whether a coculture system protects from the effect of hydrosalpinx fluid (HF) on murine embryo development, evaluated through blastocyst cell number. DESIGN: Controlled prospective study. SETTING: Academic research center. PATIENT(S): Endometrium and HF from six patients and endometrium from six normal patients. INTERVENTION(S): Murine embryos were exposed to the absence or presence of different concentrations of human HF: 0% HF (control), 50% HF, 70% HF in human tubal fluid, and 100% HF, in a simple culture system (SCS), epithelial coculture system (ECS), and hydrosalpinx epithelial coculture system (HECS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Embryonic development at 72 hours and blastocyst cell number determined by the Tarcowsky method. RESULT(S): In SCS, 91.9% of the embryos reached the blastocyst stage, and no significant differences were shown in the presence of HF. However, significant differences were observed in the blastocyst cell number. Of the embryos cultured in ECS, 97.1% reached the blastocyst stage, and high concentrations of HF caused a decrease in embryonic development. A significant difference was observed between ECS and HECS in embryo development without HF. When HF was added, a significant decrease in blastocyst cell number was seen in embryos exposed to HECS compared with ECS. CONCLUSION(S): Our data suggest that normal and hydrosalpinx endometria do not protect from the deleterious effect of HF on embryo development at the concentrations evaluated. This effect is dose dependent and was determined through the blastocyst cell number.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Procedure for radiolabeling gizzerosine and basis for a radioimmunoassay.

A method for the labeling of gizzerosine (GZ), a biogenic amine found in fish meal, is described. The labeling procedure with (125)I using a water-soluble Bolton-Hunter reagent and a mild water-insoluble oxidant (Iodogen) reagent is rapid and reproducible. The (125)I-GZ hapten was demonstrated to be immunologically active in a radioimmunoassay developed with polyclonal antibodies to GZ absorbed with a histamine-Sepharose column. The curves were linear in the range of 0.0001 and 0.1 microgram/mL. Samples of fish meal previously extracted of histamine with methanol and submitted to acid hydrolysis were contaminated with known amounts of GZ and submitted to the assay. The fish meal samples contaminated with GZ show a dose-response effect similar to the standard curve, and apparently the other component present in the sample did not interfere with the binding of the antibodies to (125)I-GZ. These data indicate the suitability of the radioimmunoassay to determine specifically GZ in fish meal.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Development of monoclonal antibodies to gizzerosine, a toxic component present in fish meal.

This study is the first report of the development of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against gizzerosine (GZ), one of the causative agents of black vomit, a serious poultry disease. Balb/c mice were immunized with different GZ conjugates; the most immunogenic conjugate in experimental animals was determined by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays (ELISA). Somatic fusions were carried out using splenic lymphocytes from GZ-immune mice and the NSO/2 myeloid cell line. Primary selection of hybridomas secreting antibodies to GZ was done using a direct ELISA, with GZ bound to bovine serum albumin (BSA), GZ directly bound to maleinimide preactivated plates and histamine bound to BSA, a GZ related biogenic amine present in fish meal. Four MAbs--3H4, 3H10, and 5B1 of the IgG1 isotype, and 8G7 of the Ig2a isotype-were specific to GZ and did not cross-react with histamine. Only monoclonals 3H4 and 8G7 bound GZ in solution by means of a competitive ELISA. Finally, to determine the performance of the competitive ELISA developed with the MAbs, experiments were conducted with GZ in solution (0 to 10 microg/ml) and with GZ labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as the tracer; the antibody complex was captured by using rabbit anti-mouse IgG preactivated ELISA plates. These experiments showed that monoclonal anti-GZ-3H4 generates a more sensitive assay close to linearity in the range about of 0.1 to 10 microg/ml of GZ. No cross-reaction was observed with histamine, histidine, or lysine at all concentrations tested.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1997

[Trichomonas in pleural empyema].

Trichomonas sp. was found in a patient with empyema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is a uncommon finding. A wet mount of pleural fluid is recommended to be observed by light microscopy.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Differential steroidogenic response of human luteal cell subpopulations.

The differential capacity for steroid synthesis of human luteal cell subpopulations was investigated in a well defined cell culture system. Corpora lutea were enzymatically dissociated, and the two cell types were obtained by a discontinuous Percoll gradient. Both cell types were cultured for 24 h with dibutyryl cAMP (1 mM), oestradiol (2.5 microM) and testosterone (1 microM). Steroid production was measured in the culture media and aromatase activity for both cell type subpopulations was also determined. Basal production of progesterone, oestradiol and testosterone was significantly greater in large cells than that in small cells (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, a greater response of small cells to several in-vitro treatments was observed. Thus, synthesis of progesterone, oestradiol and testosterone was significantly stimulated in these cells (P < 0.05) by dibutyryl cAMP. Interestingly, a 3.3-fold increase of progesterone production was also observed in the large luteal cell subpopulation. When oestradiol was added to the culture media, a 36% decrease of progesterone production (P < 0.05) by small cells was obtained, while progesterone synthesis by large cells was not significantly affected. Testosterone treatment of cells enhanced oestradiol production by both cell subtypes (P < 0.05), although the stimulatory action was greater in the small cell cultures (5.9-fold). These data indicate that the steroidogenic activity of the small cell subpopulation is highly dependent on endocrine and paracrine stimulatory mechanisms, while large cells possess a greater intrinsic steroidogenic capacity.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Functional luteolysis in response to hydrogen peroxide in human luteal cells.

To evaluate the effect of reactive oxygen species in human corpus luteum function, we investigated whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) affects the in vitro luteal cell production of steroids. H2O2 treatment (1.0-100 microM) of mid and late luteal cell cultures elicited a dose-dependent decrease in basal progesterone production. However, treatment of mid luteal cells with a low concentration of H2O2 (0.01 microM) significantly stimulated progesterone secretion (P < 0.05). In addition, H2O2 (100 microM) markedly inhibited human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-stimulated progesterone and estradiol secretion. cAMP production was enhanced (2.4-fold, P < 0.05) by hCG treatment of luteal cells. The addition of H2O2 (0.1-100 microM) to hCG-stimulated luteal cell cultures elicited a decrease in cAMP concentration (P < 0.05) and in the specific binding of radiolabeled hCG by luteal cells. Progesterone and estradiol production stimulated by dibutyryl cAMP were significantly inhibited by H2O2 (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that H2O2 interferes with basal steroid production and, in hCG-stimulated conditions, it may inactivate the gonadotropin-receptor complex. The anti-steroidogenic action of H2O2 therefore raises the possibility of a modulatory role of H2O2 in human luteal steroidogenesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Morpho-functional study of human luteal cell subpopulations.

It has been reported that the mammalian corpus luteum is composed mainly of two subpopulations of luteal cells (large and small) of different morphology and function. The aims of this study were first to characterize cytologically the human corpus luteum throughout the luteal phase, and second to establish the in-vitro steroidogenic capacity of a well-defined human mid-luteal cell system. The results show that the most predominant (> 70%) cell shape, is polyhedric, and the number of cells per unit area is significantly different in the early, mid- and late corpus luteum (P < 0.005). Moreover, small cells (< 22 microns) were most common (56.8%) in all tissues analysed. On the other hand, both subpopulations synthesized progesterone, oestradiol and testosterone, although a significantly greater production of basal steroids was observed in large luteal cells (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, the response of small cells to human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of large cells, in agreement with the preferential specific binding obtained for [125I]HCG to the small cell subpopulation. In summary, these results indicate that the human corpus luteum possesses distinct cell types, which may be related to endocrine function and its control.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Bacteremia after fibrobronchoscopy. Prospective study].

We prospectively evaluated in 88 inpatients the incidence of fever and bacteremia after fiberoptic bronchoscopy and its predisposing variables. Fever was present in 27% of cases and no bacteremia could be demonstrated neither associated nor intercurrent . Chronic Hepatic Disease, endobronchial pathology and bronchial biopsy practice were predisposing factors for fever development in the univariant analysis.

Adult↗