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Biomedical subjects

L J Carrington

Publications and source records attributed to L J Carrington.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Diet and the developing immune system.

Undernutrition during fetal life is known to have programming effects upon tissue morphology and function. This generally promotes poor health in adult life, with increased risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular mortality noted among individuals whose growth was constrained in utero. Undernutrition in early life impacts upon the development of the immune organs and appears to diminish cellular immunity and increase the risk of atopic disorders during childhood. A limited body of evidence implicates fetal programming in the development of autoimmune disorders. This area represents an interesting target for further research and preventive medicine.

Animals↗

Effects of natural and synthetic estrogens and progestins on glycogen deposition in female mice.

Glycogen deposition and glucose tolerance were examined in female mice after 24 days of oral treatment with natural (17 beta-estradiol and progesterone) and synthetic (ethinyl estradiol and norethisterone acetate) sex steroids, administered individually and in estrogen-progestin combination. Doses were 5 micrograms/kg/day for estrogens and 1 mg/kg/day for progestins. Compared with diestrus control mice, each treatment increased glycogen deposition in liver, uterus, heart and biceps femoris muscle. 17 beta-Estradiol produced the greatest increments. Progesterone produced considerably smaller increments and antagonized the glycogenic effects of 17 beta-estradiol. Ethinyl estradiol and norethisterone acetate generally induced similar changes in glycogen deposition. Treatments containing 17 beta-estradiol improved glucose tolerance. Although glucose tolerance was not significantly altered by the other sex steroid treatments, the changes in glycogen deposition indicate important effects on tissue carbohydrate metabolism.

Animals↗

Influence of administration route and treatment duration on the glucoregulatory effects of sex steroids in female mice.

Glucose tolerance and plasma insulin concentrations were determined in intact female mice treated orally, subcutaneously and intramuscularly for 4 and 24 days with estradiol-17 beta (5 micrograms/kg/day), ethinyl estradiol (5 micrograms/kg/day) and progesterone (1 mg/kg/day). Estradiol-17 beta improved glucose tolerance and raised plasma insulin concentrations. These effects were generally greater after the longer treatment period and the s.c. administration route produced the greatest improvement in glucose tolerance with the smallest increase in plasma insulin. Ethinyl estradiol produced qualitatively similar effects to estradiol-17 beta, but quantitatively smaller. Progesterone raised plasma insulin concentrations after the longer treatment period, notably with oral and intramuscular administration, although glucose tolerance was not significantly altered. The results demonstrate the important influence of administration route and treatment duration on the changes in glucose homeostasis induced by sex steroids.

Administration, Oral↗