Biomedical subjects

M Sagara

Publications and source records attributed to M Sagara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Can foods with added soya-protein or fish-oil reduce risk factors for coronary disease? A factorial randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To develop functional foods which are capable of reducing key risk factors for coronary heart disease in an at risk population. The specific hypothesis tested here was that providing bread, cracker biscuits and snack bars fortified with DHA (long-chain omega 3) and soya-protein would havd a positive impact on cholesterol and blood pressure. METHODS AND RESULTS: A pragmatic, double-blind, factorial placebo-controlled randomised trial recruiting 213 middle-aged men and women with untreated elevated total cholesterol or blood pressure. The factors examined were the effect of giving supplies of bread, cereal bars and cracker biscuits fortified with 2 g fish oils (DHA, 22: 6n-3), or 25 g soya-protein (containing 50 mg of isoflavonoids) for five weeks. Primary and secondary outcomes included total, low-density and high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Compliance was assessed using biomarkers and food intake histories. DHA enriched foods increased HDL-C by 6.0% (95% CI 2.5%, 9.6%) but had no effect on total or low-density cholesterol or blood pressure. Overall, soya-protein did not influence any of the outcomes assessed. However, in women only, soya-protein increased systolic blood pressure by 5.9% (95% CI 1.73, 9.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Adding DHA (fish-oils) to staple foods might supplement existing methods to help reduce CVD morbidity and mortality. However, these findings highlight the importance of ensuring that functional foods do not present any harms to particular subgroups within a general population, if they are to be made freely available to consumers. This latter point requires further attention by the research community in relation to soya-protein.

Blood Pressure↗

PubMed2001

The sulphydryl reagent, N-ethylmaleimide, disrupts sleep and blocks A1 adenosine receptor-mediated inhibition of intracellular calcium signaling in the in vitro ventromedial preoptic nucleus.

To explore the neuronal signaling mechanisms underlying sleep regulation in the rat, the present study examined continuous intra-third ventricle infusion of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), a sulphydryl reagent that inhibits G(i/o) protein-coupled receptor-mediated signaling pathways. The diurnal infusion of NEM (0.01-10 micromol/10 h) dose-dependently inhibited both non-rapid eye movement sleep and rapid eye movement sleep. A maximal dose of NEM (10 micromol/10 h) dramatically inhibited day-time sleep (-57% for non-rapid eye movement sleep and -89% for rapid eye movement sleep) with a compensatory increase of sleep during the subsequent night-time (+33% for non-rapid eye movement sleep and +259% for rapid eye movement sleep). The day-time brain temperature was also increased by NEM, demonstrating effects of NEM on both sleep and body temperature levels. Immunostaining of the rat hypothalamus with a monoclonal antibody against the A1 adenosine receptor (A1R) was used to explore the distribution of a sleep-related G(i/o) protein-coupled receptor. Robust A1R-like immunoreactivity was found in the ventromedial preoptic nucleus and the supraoptic nucleus. Fura-2-based Ca(2+) imaging analysis of acute hypothalamic slices further demonstrated that the A1R agonist N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA; 200 nM) inhibited spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations and high potassium (80 mM)-induced Ca(2+) flux in the ventromedial preoptic nucleus, while NEM (100-300 microM) and an A1R antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-dipropylxanthine (300 nM) blocked the CPA actions and increased the high potassium-induced Ca(2+) flux. From these results we suggest that NEM-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor(s) may play an important role in the regulation of sleep and body temperature in the rat and one possible mechanism is an A1R-mediated regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in the ventromedial preoptic nucleus.

Adenosine↗

PubMed2001

Leisure-time physical activity and other factors in relation to blood pressure in Japanese-Americans in Hawaii, USA.

To examine physical activity at work and during leisure-time as well as other factors related to blood pressure (BP) in Japanese-Americans living in Hilo, Hawaii, USA, we performed a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 238 participants aged 42-64 years old. This survey was carried out between 19 February and 1 March 2000 in Hilo. All participants were invited to Hilo Medical Center for a free physical examination and experimental tests including an examination of blood and urine samples. A self-administered health questionnaire was used that included items related to demographics, smoking, alcohol consumption, and habitual physical activity at work and during leisure-time. A summary score of physical activity (PA) was calculated. BP was measured using an automated BP measurement system (Khi machine, VINE Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan). The results showed the following. 1) Mean (SD) PA scores at work (WPA) and during leisure-time (LTPA) were 2.9 (0.5) and 2.5 (0.5) in men, and 3.0 (0.5) and 2.4 (0.3) in women, respectively; 2) Pearson correlation analyses (adjustment for age) indicated that WPA and LTPA in men show significant negative associations with SBP and DBP (p<0.05 and p<0.01), while LTPA shows significant negative associations with SBP and DBP in women (p<0.05 and p<0.01). After further adjustment for education, occupation, smoking, and alcohol consumption status, LTPA continued to show significant and negative associations with both SBP and DBP in men (p<0.01) and with DBP alone in women (p <0.01). 3) Hypertensive subjects had significantly lower mean LTPA scores than normotensive men (2.39 vs. 2.61, p<0.05) and women (2.32 vs. 2.45, p<0.05). 4) Body mass index and the ratio of sodium to potassium excretion showed significant and positive associations with SBP and DBP in multiple linear regression analyses. In conclusion, the results further emphasize that the health benefits of LTPA, control of body weight, and reduction in salt intake should continually receive strong attention in population-based high BP control.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Continuous exposure to dim illumination uncouples temporal patterns of sleep, body temperature, locomotion and drinking behavior in the rat.

Dissociable circadian rhythms of sleep and body temperature in primates are thought to be regulated by independent oscillators whereas the uncoupling of circadian rhythms has not been well described in other mammals. Therefore, we made simultaneous recordings of non-rapid-eye-movement-sleep (NREMS), rapid-eye-movement-sleep (REMS), brain temperature, intraperitoneal temperature, locomotion and drinking activity under light-dark (LD) and continuous dim illumination (dim LL) and analyzed their interrelations. The rhythmic patterns of body temperature, locomotion and drinking were modified on the 12th circadian day of dim LL, while the mean body temperature as well as mean occurrence of drinking and locomotor activities did not change significantly. In contrast, dim LL exposure significantly increased the total time spent in NREMS during the resting phase of dim LL and increased REMS episodes during the active phase of dim LL. The diverse effects of dim LL exposure on the recorded phenomena suggest that temporal patterns of sleep were the most sensitive to perturbations of lighting and that differential oscillatory mechanisms may regulate sleep and other circadian rhythms in the rat.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Adjuvant-induced improvement of glucose intolerance in type 2 diabetic KK-Ay mice through interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

We reported that administration of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) improved glucose tolerance test (GTT) results in obese diabetic KK-Ay mice. In this study, we investigated its mechanism. An injection with CFA remarkably improved GTT for more than a week in KK-Ay mice, although insulin response was not changed compared with saline controls. The hypoglycemic effect of insulin was significantly, but partially, potentiated in the CFA-treated mice compared with the controls, suggesting that CFA stimulated insulin-mediated and non-insulin-mediated glucose disposal. Improvement in the GTT with CFA was partially transferable to nontreated mice by peritoneal exudative cells, but not spleen or lymph node cells. Pretreatment with anti-interleukin (IL)-1 alpha and -1 beta antibodies or anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antibody significantly abrogated the improvement in the GTT with CFA. The results indicate that CFA-induced improvement in glucose intolerance in KK-Ay mice was mediated at least by IL-1 and TNF-alpha.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Assessment of in vivo oxidative stress in hypertensive rats and hypertensive subjects in Tanzania, Africa.

Oxidative stress has been reported to be involved in not only cardiovascular diseases but in hypertension, which is a major risk for cardiovascular diseases. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been recognized as a sensitive biomarker of oxidative DNA damage and also of oxidative stress. In the present study, we assessed the oxidative stress in human subjects with hypertension and in hypertensive rats. In stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats at the age of 14 weeks, the excretion of urinary 8-OHdG was significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared with that in age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Next, we investigated the relationship between oxidative DNA damage and cardiovascular risk factors among Tanzanians aged 46-58 years in a population study carried out in 1998 in at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, according to the WHO-CARDIAC Study Protocol. Sixty subjects (male/female, 28/32) were selected by SPSS Base 8.0 from those who completed a 24-h urine collection. The 24-h urinary 8-OHdG of the hypertensive subjects (SBP > or =140 mmHg and/or DBP > or =90 mmHg) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the normotensive subjects (SBP <140 mmHg and DBP <90 mmHg) after adjusting for age and gender (Hypertensives: 17.31 +/- 2.0 ng/mg creatinine, n=38; Normotensives: 10.10 +/- 2.64 ng/mg creatinine, n=22). Oxidative stress was thought to be involved in hypertensive subjects and in hypertensive rats.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed1999

Expression of mucin 1 (MUC1) in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma: its relationship with prognosis.

Using 2 anti-mucin 1 (MUC1) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), DF3 and BCP8, we examined MUC1 expression immunohistochemically in 192 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas (SCCs). In normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus, DF3 was not expressed, but BCP8 was expressed on the cell membrane, mainly in the surface layer. In esophageal SCCs, DF3 and BCP8 were expressed mainly on the cell membrane of SCC cells, but also in the cytoplasm in several cases. To analyze the correlation of MUC1 expression and the prognosis of the patients, the 192 cases were divided into 2 groups: high-expression group (HEG, > 50% of the neoplastic cells stained) and low-expression group (LEG, < 50% of neoplastic cells stained). DF3-HEG (24 patients) showed a significantly poorer survival rate than DF3-LEG (168 patients), whereas there was no significant difference in survival between BCP8-HEG (43 patients) and BCP8-LEG (149 patients). Also, in the analysis of 162 patients with advanced stage (submucosal or deeper invasion) to exclude the influence of low expression of DF3 and BCP8 in 30 patients with early stage (up to the level of muscularis mucosae), DF3-HEG (24 patients) showed significantly poorer survival than DF3-LEG (138 patients), whereas there was no significant difference in survival between BCP8-HEG (42 patients) and BCP8-LEG (120 patients). The results of our study on esophageal SCC suggest that the expression of sialyl oligosaccharides detected by DF3 is related to poor prognosis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1999

Gold alloys for resin bonding including small amount base metals--structural changes of alloy surface by the high-temperature oxidation.

To achieve durable bonding with adhesive resin, the surface roughness and the kinds of oxides, respectively to increase mechanical retention to enhance the chemical affinity of adhesive monomer with the gold alloy, were regulated by high-temperature oxidation together with the addition of small amounts of base metals. Alloys containing 2 mass% of Ni, In, or Cr with Cu were oxidized at 800 degrees C for 20 min in air, pickled in thioglycolic acid, and subsequently oxidized at 500 degrees C for 10 min in air. The morphology of the internal oxidation zone changed markedly according to the added base metals. Although the internal oxide particle composed of only Cu2O was removed by pickling, NiO, In2O3, and chromium oxides could not removed and remained on the alloy surface. The surface roughness was increased by addition of Ni, In, or Cr. Applying the present method can control the roughness and chemical states on a gold alloy surface to increase its adhesive ability with adhesive resins.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed1998

Selectins induced by interleukin-1beta on the human liver endothelial cells act as ligands for sialyl Lewis X-expressing human colon cancer cell metastasis.

We have previously reported that colon cancer cells metastasized to the liver expressed an increased amount of sialyl Lewis X (SLeX) antigen compared to their corresponding primary lesions. It is now well known that SLeX antigen and sialyl Lewis A (SLeA) antigen are ligands for the selectins expressed on the endothelial cells. Therefore, it is assumed that SLeX-rich colon cancer cells could be easily adhered to the endothelial cells that express selectins. In this report we have tried to induce selectin expression on the human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and have examined the adhesion of SLeX-high or -low expressing colon cancer cells to the interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-treated liver specimens using Stamper-Woodruff assay. These human colon cancer cells are termed KM12HX or KM12LX cells, respectively. A significantly increased number of KM12HX cells adhered to the IL-1beta-treated liver specimens compared to KM12LX cells. The adhesion of KM12HX cells was inhibited by the pretreatment of tumor cells with anti-SLeX antibody or by the pretreatment of liver specimens with anti-selectin antibodies. Selectin expression on the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels after IL-1beta treatment was confirmed by immunohistochemically using anti-selectin monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). These findings strongly suggest that SLeX-expressing cancer cells could adhere to the sinusoidal endothelial cells via an SLeX-selectin interaction system and this could be a first step for colon cancer cells that metastasize to the liver. The mechanism by which these selectins can be induced in vivo is the next problem to be considered.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed1998

Methylcobalamin amplifies melatonin-induced circadian phase shifts by facilitation of melatonin synthesis in the rat pineal gland.

Effects of methylcobalamin (methyl-B12), a putative drug for treating human circadian rhythm disorders, on the melatonin-induced circadian phase shifts were examined in the rat. An intraperitoneal injection of 1-100 microg/kg melatonin 2-h before the activity onset time (CT 10) induced phase advances of free-running activity rhythms in a dose-dependent manner (ED50=1.3 microg/kg). Injection of methyl-B12 (500 microg/kg) prior to melatonin (1 microg/kg) injection induced larger phase advances than saline preinjected controls, while the injection of methyl-B12 in combination with saline did not induce a phase advance. These results indicate amplification of melatonin-induced phase advances by methyl-B12. Pinealectomy abolished the phase alternating effect of methyl-B12, suggesting a site of action within the pineal gland. In fact, methyl-B12 significantly increased the content of melatonin in the pineal collected 2-h after activity onset (CT 14). In contrast, no difference in melatonin content was found at CT 10, indicating that the effect of methyl-B12 may be gated after the activity onset time when endogenous melatonin synthesis is known to increase. These results suggest that methyl-B12 amplifies melatonin-induced phase advances via an increase in melatonin synthesis during the early subjective night at a point downstream from the clock regulation.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Value of glutathione S-transferase pi and the oncogene products c-Jun, c-Fos, c-H-Ras, and c-Myc as a prognostic indicator in endometrial carcinomas.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the expressions of glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-pi) and four oncogene products, c-Jun, c-Fos, c-H-Ras, and c-Myc, and clinicopathological prognostic factors and patients' prognosis in endometrial carcinomas, and to assess their prognostic value in endometrial carcinomas. METHODS: Specimens of endometrial carcinoma obtained from 63 patients were investigated immunohistochemically using respective specific antibodies. RESULTS: The overall positive rates in 63 carcinoma specimens were 34.9% for GST-pi, 44.4% for c-Jun, 34.9% for c-Fos, 47.6% for c-H-Ras, and 54.0% for c-Myc. Multivariate analysis revealed that GST-pi expression correlated independently with paraaortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis, and c-Jun expression was independently related to pelvic lymph node (PLN) and PAN metastasis. The prognosis of patients with a GST-pi-positive tumor was significantly poorer than that of those with a GST-pi-negative tumor (P < 0.05). The patients with c-Jun-positive tumor also had a significantly worse prognosis than those with c-Jun-negative tumor (P < 0.05). No significant relationship between the expressions of the remaining three oncogene products, c-Fos, c-H-Ras, and c-Myc, and the examined prognostic factors and clinical outcome was apparent. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the expressions of GST-pi and c-Jun may reflect the metastatic potential of endometrial carcinomas and that their expressions of endometrial carcinoma may be useful as a prognostic indicator for predictive testing.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1998

Inhibitory effect of troglitazone on diabetic neuropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Free-radical scavengers and inhibitors of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) such as N-acetylcysteine and pentoxifylline have been shown to inhibit the development of peripheral neuropathy in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. In this study we examined the effect of troglitazone, an anti-diabetic thiazolidinedione, on diabetic neuropathy, since it also is a free-radical scavenger and a TNF-alpha inhibitor. Rats were fed powder chow mixed with troglitazone at 0.5% and 0.125% ad libitum. Although blood glucose concentrations were remarkably higher and body weight lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic rats, troglitazone had no effect on these throughout the 24-week experiment. Serum lipoperoxide concentrations, tibial nerve lipoperoxide content and serum TNF-alpha activity induced by lipopolysaccharide was increased in diabetic rats, but inhibited in troglitazone-treated rats. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of the tibial nerve slowed in diabetic rats, compared with that in nondiabetic rats. On the other hand, the slowed MNCV was (p < 0.05-0.01) inhibited after weeks 12 and 16 of the experiment in diabetic rats treated with high and low doses of troglitazone, respectively. Morphometric analysis showed that troglitazone suppressed the decrease of the myelinated fibre area (p < 0.05), axon/myelin ratio (p < 0.01) and fascicular area (p < 0.05) and suppressed the increase of myelinated fibre density (p < 0.001) in diabetic rats. These results indicate that troglitazone has a beneficial effect on peripheral neuropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats irrespective of blood glucose concentrations.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Gliclazide inhibits diabetic neuropathy irrespective of blood glucose levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

N-acetylcysteine and pentoxifylline, free radical scavengers and inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production, inhibit the development of peripheral neuropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. This study was designed to elucidate the effect of gliclazide, an oral hypoglycemic sulfonylurea, on diabetic neuropathy, because it has been indicated to be a free radical scavenger and TNF-alpha inhibitor. Rats were fed with powder chow mixed with gliclazide or glibenclamide as a control ad libitum. Blood glucose levels and body weight were remarkably higher and lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic rats, respectively, while gliclazide and glibenclamide had no effect on these in both diabetic and nondiabetic rats throughout a 24-week experiment. Serum lipoperoxide levels and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced serum TNF-alpha activities were significantly increased in diabetic rats, whereas these were significantly inhibited in gliclazide-treated rats. Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of the tibial nerve significantly slowed in diabetic rats compared with nondiabetic rats. On the other hand, the slowed MNCV was significantly inhibited in gliclazide-treated diabetic rats after 16 experimental weeks. Morphometric analysis showed that gliclazide prevented decreased myelinated fiber area (P < .05), increased fiber density (P < .001), and decreased axon/myelin ratio (P < .05) in diabetic rats. Glibenclamide treatment did not affect serum lipoperoxide, TNF-alpha, MNCV, or nerve morphology in this experiment. These results indicate that gliclazide has a beneficial effect on peripheral neuropathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats, irrespective of blood glucose levels.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

A distamycin A-inducible fragile site, FRA8E, located in the region of the hereditary multiple exostoses gene, is not involved in HPV16 DNA integration and amplification.

The rare fragile site is a specific point on a chromosome that is expressed as an isochromatid gap or break under certain conditions of cell culture and is inherited in a Mendelian codominant fashion. Five folate-sensitive fragile sites were cloned, and the molecular basis of fragile site mutation was shown to be a new class of mutation, called dynamic mutation, resulting from an allelic expansion of (CCG)n repeats. The mechanism responsible for other types of rare fragile sites, i.e., distamycin A-inducible and BrdU-requiring, is unknown, although cytogenetic studies suggested that these fragile sites play a mechanistic role in breakage and recombination and may also be integration and modification sites of foreign viral DNA genomes. A distamycin A-inducible fragile site, FRA8E, is mapped to 8q24.1 in which various loci implicated in genomic instability are located. Here we identified a YAC clone spanning both FRA8E and the hereditary multiple exostosis (EXT1) gene, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) contig. By using P1 clones as probes, the FRA8E locus was further localized to a 400-kb region including the EXT1 gene. Furthermore, the integration and amplification site of human papillomavirus 16 DNA in the ASCC (argyrophil small cell carcinoma) cells were shown not to coincide with FRA8E, but to be involved in an extensively broad genomic region of 8q24.1, including the c-myc gene.

Chromosome Fragile Sites↗

PubMed1998

Sociocultural influences and care of dying children in Japan and the United States.

Caring for dying children and their families is one of the most difficult and challenging aspects of professional nursing. An analysis of cultural influences provides insight into the diverse worldviews held by people in Japan and the United States that affect nursing care of dying children. Selected cultural aspects that influence behaviors in Japanese and American cultures are reviewed in this article. Characteristics of support models for dying children and their families established in Western cultures are discussed. This cross-cultural review of prevalent sociocultural influences on the care of dying children and their families in Japan and the United States clearly demonstrates numerous contrasts and parallels.

Attitude to Death↗

PubMed1997

The structure and organization of the human NPAT gene.

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is an autosomal recessive gene disorder, and ATM, a housekeeping gene, has been identified as the gene responsible for AT. Recently we found that another housekeeping gene, NPAT, is located upstream of ATM on human chromosome 11. The two housekeeping genes are transcribed in opposite directions and share a 0.5-kb 5' flanking sequence. The structure and organization of NPAT were determined by direct sequencing of cosmid clones carrying the gene and by application of the long and accurate (LA)-PCR method to amplify regions encompassing the exon/intron boundaries and all of the exons. The gene spans at least 44 kb and consists of 18 exons and 17 introns. It has been suggested that AT heterozygotes have an increased risk of developing cancer, especially breast cancer in women. Frequently, loss of heterozygosity at loci on 11q22-q24 has been observed in DNA isolated from tumors of the breast, uterine cervix, and colon, perhaps suggesting the location of a tumor suppressor gene in 11q22-q24. For investigation of the role of NPAT in AT and these tumors with allelic loss of 11q22-q24, appropriate primer sequences and PCR conditions for amplification of all the NPAT exons from genomic DNA were determined. We previously reported that no recombinations are found among Atm, Npat, and Acat1 (acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase) loci as determined by fine genetic linkage mapping of the mouse AT region. The results of the LA-PCR analysis using NPAT- and ACAT-specific primers and human genomic DNA allowed us to map ACAT 12 kb centromeric to NPAT.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Effect of long-term treatment with complete Freund's adjuvant on KK-Ay mouse, a model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Nonspecific stimulation with immunoadjuvants significantly improves glucose tolerance in animal models for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). In this study, we observed the effect of long-term treatment with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) on serum factors and histology of various organs in KK-Ay mice with NIDDM. The mice were injected with CFA weekly or every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Glucose tolerance was significantly improved in the CFA-treated mice throughout the experiment. At the end of the experiment, hypertriglyceridemia was significantly reduced, but serum total protein, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, creatinine, and nonfasting insulin levels were not changed by the treatment. Fatty change of the liver and index of glomerular lesions of the kidney were significantly inhibited in the CFA-treated mice, whereas the pancreatic islet morphology remained unchanged. No toxic effect was observed by the CFA treatment. These results imply that the novel treatment with CFA could control NIDDM and inhibit the development of diabetic glomerular lesions in KK-Ay mice.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

A prospective randomized comparison between long and discontinuous-long protocols of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a discontinuous-long protocol in an IVF program. DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): One hundred thirty-seven IVF cycles of 92 patients in an outpatient IVF program from April 1995 to December 1995. INTERVENTION(S): In the discontinuous-long protocol group (n = 68), GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) was administered from the luteal phase until cycle day 7, when pure FSH administration was begun. In the long protocol group (n = 69), GnRH-a was administered until the day before hCG administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum LH and ovarian steroid hormone levels, and IVF outcome. RESULT(S): The period and the total dosage of hMG were increased in the discontinuous-long protocol group. Although the fertilization rate was similar under both protocols, the number of embryos transferred was smaller and the cancellation rate was higher in the discontinuous-long protocol group because of the greater failure of oocyte retrieval and fertilization. Serum E2 levels in the late follicular phase were lower in the discontinuous-long protocol group. CONCLUSION(S): Early discontinuation of GnRH-a is not beneficial because of its adverse effects on follicular development.

Adult↗