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Query: UMLS:C0338671 (Steroids)
 9,479 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

While the mechanisms governing genomically mediated glucocorticoid actions are becoming increasingly understood, relatively little is known with regard to the cell signaling pathways that transduce rapid glucocorticoid actions. Studies of the cultured tilapia rostral pars distalis (RPD), a naturally segregated region of the fish pituitary gland that contains a 95-99% pure population of prolactin (PRL) cells and is easily dissected and maintained in a completely defined, serum-free media, indicate that physiological concentrations of cortisol rapidly inhibit PRL release. The attenuative action of cortisol on PRL release occurs within 10-20 min, is insensitive to the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, and mimicked by its membrane impermeable analog, cortisol-21 hemisuccinate-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA). Cortisol and somatostatin, a peptide known to work through membrane receptors to inhibit PRL release, rapidly and reversibly reduces intracellular free Ca(2+) (Ca(i)(2+)), and inhibits 45Ca(2+) influx and BAYK-8644 induced PRL release. Preliminary investigations show cortisol, but not somatostatin, suppresses phospholipase C (PLC) activity in PRL cell membrane preparations. In addition, cortisol and somatostatin reduce intracellular cAMP and membrane adenylyl cyclase activity. These findings indicate that the acute inhibitory effects of cortisol on PRL release occur through a nongenomic mechanism involving interactions with the plasma membrane and inhibition of both the Ca(2+) and cAMP signal transduction pathways. Cortisol may reduce Ca(i)(2+) by inhibiting influx through L-type voltage-gated channels and possibly release through a PLC/inositol triphosphate sensitive intracellular Ca(2+) pool. In addition, it is also likely the steroid inhibits adenylyl cyclase activity in events leading to reduced cAMP production and the subsequent release of PRL.
Steroids 2002 May
PMID:Signal transduction mechanisms mediating rapid, nongenomic effects of cortisol on prolactin release. 1196 Jun 33

Hydrocortisone, cortexolone, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate, and budesonide were oxidized into alpha-ketoaldehydes by air exposure in the presence of Cu(OAc)(2). When free hydroxyl functions were present at position 17, hydrocortisone and cortexolone, the formed oxidation products, were identified as hemiacetal dimeric structures involving the free hydroxyl functions at position 17 and the newly formed aldehydes at position 21. Dimeric structures were established by using 1H913C0 correlations (HSQC and HMBC) and 1H-1H correlations (COSY and ROESY). The hemiacetal function was further confirmed by reaction of the dimer formed from hydrocortisone with two equivalents of 3-methyl-2-benzotriazolinone hydrazine (MTBH), giving quantitatively two equivalents of the 3-methyl-2-benzotriazolinone hydrazone of 21-dehydrohydrocortisone. When no free hydroxyl function was present as in the case of hydrocortisone-17-butyrate and budesonide, the expected alpha-ketoaldehydes were obtained.
Steroids 2003 Apr
PMID:Air oxidation of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids catalyzed by cupric acetate: formation of hemiacetal dimers. 1278 97

7alpha-Hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and its 7beta-hydroxyepimer, which act as local immunomodulatory agents, dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, and major androgens, together with four cytokines-interleukins 2, 4, 10, and IFN-gamma, reflecting the activity of TH1 or TH2 cells present in semen, were measured in seminal plasma from 35 male donors. Cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, its sulfate, 7-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone epimers, testosterone, and estradiol were also measured in their blood serum. Steroids and interleukins in semen as well as serum steroids and seminal interleukins were mutually correlated to find out whether a relationship between immunomodulatory steroids and cytokines influencing the immune environment does exist. A highly significant (P<0.001) positive correlation was found between seminal 7beta-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and IFN-gamma, while a negative correlation was found between cortisol and IL-10. Highly significant positive correlations were also found between serum 7alpha-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and seminal IFN-gamma and between serum 7beta-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and seminal IL-2, while a negative correlation was found between serum dehydroepiandrosterone and seminal IL-10. Different and in some instances, even contradictory findings concerning the influence of dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol on TH1 and TH2 cytokines were observed in seminal plasma as compared to those found by others in serum. The differences can be ascribed to the different environments of mucosal and systemic immunity. Correlations between the levels of steroids and cytokines in seminal plasma did not always correspond to the correlations between given cytokines and hormones in sera. The results, however, are in agreement with our recent finding of an autonomous production of these steroids in the male reproductive tract.
Steroids 2003 Oct
PMID:Immunomodulatory cytokines in human seminal plasma correlate with immunomodulatory steroids. 1462 4

Cortisol is metabolized to 6beta-hydroxycortisol by human cytochrome p450-3A4 (CYP3A4), an important enzyme involved in the metabolism of a variety of exogenous and endogenous compounds. Both cortisol and 6beta-hydroxycortisol are excreted in urine, and the ratio of these steroids has been proposed as an indicator of CYP3A4 activity. We evaluated within-person variability of this biomarker in 10 healthy Caucasian women, aged 23-58 years. Each study participant was asked to provide a fasting morning urine sample once a week consecutively for 8 weeks. Urinary cortisol and 6beta-hydroxycortisol were determined by immunoassay kits purchased from the DiaSorin (Stillwater, MN) and the Stabiligen (Nancy, France), respectively. The coefficients of variation (CV) of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to cortisol ratios from study participants ranged from 16.7 to 51.4% (mean, 31.1%) over the study period. The level of the ratio measured in any single urine sample was correlated reasonably well with the average of the ratios over the 8-week study period from the same woman, with the mean correlation coefficient of 0.79. These results indicated that urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to cortisol ratios measured in a spot urine sample may reflect the level of this biomarker over a relatively longer time period in Caucasian women, and thus, it can be used in epidemiologic studies as a biomarker to evaluate the association between CYP3A4 activity and disease risk.
Steroids 2004 Jan
PMID:Within-person variability of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to urinaryl ratios in Caucasian women. 1471 79

Cortisol is involved in the distribution and deposition of fat, and its action is regulated by the activity of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Glycyrrhetinic acid, the active principle of licorice root, blocks 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, thus reducing the availability of cortisol at the level of adipocytes. We evaluated the effect of topical application of a cream containing glycyrrhetinic acid in the thickness of fat at the level of the thigh. Eighteen healthy women (age range 20-33 years) with normal BMI were randomly allocated to treatment, at the level of the dominant thigh, with a cream containing 2.5% glycyrrhetinic acid (n=9) or with a placebo cream containing the excipients alone (n=9). Before and after 1 month of treatment both the circumference and the thickness of the superficial fat layer of the thighs (by ultrasound analysis) were measured. The circumference and the thickness of the superficial fat layer were significantly reduced in comparison to the controlateral untreated thigh and to control subjects treated with the placebo cream. No changes were observed in blood pressure, plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone or cortisol. The effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on the thickness of subcutaneous fat was likely related to a block of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 at the level of fat cells; therefore, glycyrrhetinic acid could be effectively used in the reduction of unwanted local fat accumulation.
Steroids 2005 Jul
PMID:Glycyrrhetinic acid, the active principle of licorice, can reduce the thickness of subcutaneous thigh fat through topical application. 1589 38

Septic shock occurs in 6 % of paediatric cancer patients with neutropenia and fever. The mortality of the septic shock is 40 % in BMT patients and 5 % in others. One third of paediatric ARDS cases affect immunocompromised individuals with a total mortality of 45 % and 80 % after BMT. Septic shock is caused by gram-negative bacteria in more than 75 %. ARDS is due to pneumonia in more than 50 %, sepsis in about 25 %. This article provides the recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI) and the German Society for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (GPOH) for treatment of septic shock and ARDS. Therapy of septic shock includes early antibiotic therapy and volume expansion (> or = 40 ml/kg initially). Refractory shock requires vasopressors (noradrenaline), followed by a judicious circulatory management. Hydrocortisone is indicated in patients with high probability of adrenal insufficiency. Mainstay of ARDS therapy is ventilation with sufficient end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to prevent loss of functional residual capacity and with limited tidal volumes (< or = 6 ml/kg) and limited inspiratory pressure (< 35 cm H(2)O) respectively, to minimize ventilator induced lung injury. Volume therapy consists of maintenance of sufficient preload to counteract the impaired venous return, induced by positive pressure ventilation. Diuretics and eventually veno-venous haemofiltration are used to reduce free lung water. Surfactant application may be considered in severe cases. Steroids are indicated in pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and in engraftment pneumonitis.
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PMID:[Management of septic shock and acquired respiratory distress syndrome in pediatric cancer patients]. 1628 59

Aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of hydrocortisone on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and hemodynamic parameters during different sympathoexcitatory manoeuvres in humans. The study focuses on the interaction of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system and the sympathetic nervous system. Hydrocortisone 100 mg or placebo was administered intravenously to eight young healthy subjects in a double-blind crossover design. After 6 h, blood pressure, heart rate and MSNA from the peroneal nerve were recorded at rest, during an arithmetic stress task, an apnea and a cold pressor test. Hydrocortisone treatment increased serum cortisol levels to the upper physiological range and suppressed basal levels of adrenocorticotropin. During mental stress, MSNA, heart rate and blood pressure levels were elevated independently of hydrocortisone pre-treatment. However, hydrocortisone induced a sustained increase in basal heart rate throughout the whole experiment. A stronger increase in diastolic blood pressure was observed during apnea and cold pressor test in the hydrocortisone experiments. MSNA or plasma catecholamines at rest or during the manoeuvres were not affected by hydrocortisone. The observed hydrocortisone effects may be due to an increased responsiveness of adrenergic receptors towards catecholamines or a central modulation of the baroreflex involving parasympathetic mechanisms. Further studies are needed to confirm that the increase in MSNA during mental stress does not depend on a concomitant activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system.
Steroids 2006 Mar
PMID:Differential effects of hydrocortisone on sympathetic and hemodynamic responses to sympathoexcitatory manoeuvres in men. 1638 32

Steroidal pathophysiology of a malignant, ACTH-producing pancreas tumor was investigated via HPLC-RIA determinations of intratissular concentrations of eleven main steroid hormones. The tumor specimen underwent extraction procedure with ethyl acetate and the extract was purified on a C18 minicolumn. Steroids were isolated by HPLC (C18-silica reversed phase stationary phase and methanol-water eluent system) and quantified by specific RIAs. Cortisol content of the tumor specimen was 15,700 pmol/g, the further steroid hormones were found in much lower concentrations (< 1.5-28 pmol/g). The extremely high cortisol concentration in the tissue witnesses the synthesis of the main glucocorticoid steroid in the ACTH-producing pancreas tumor and suggests a stimulating paracrine effect of ACTH on cortisol production. The present data verify that the determination of intratissular steroid concentrations by HPLC-RIA methods may identify even the most peculiar hormone sources and the hormone profiles facilitate studying pathophysiology of ectopic endocrine tumors.
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PMID:HPLC-RIA analysis of the ectopic cortisol production in a cancerous pancreas tumor. 1682 73

In the ovary cortisol-cortisone inter-conversion is catalyzed by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD). Its role in carcinomas of human ovary is unknown. The majority of ovarian cancers are derived from ovarian surface epithelium and the inflammation caused by successive ovulation seems to a play a role in the development of cancer. Cortisol is known to act as anti-inflammatory agent and its metabolism by type 1 and type 11beta-HSD may control the inflammatory action by cortisol in ovary. We undertook this study to investigate type 2 11beta-HSD activity which functions exclusively oxidative direction, in normal ovarian tissue compared to ovarian epithelial cancer. Ovarian tissue was obtained from patients undergoing hysterectomy for both benign and malignant disease. Tissue was placed immediately on dry ice and subsequently transferred to a freezer where they were maintained at -70 degrees C. NAD dependent 11beta-HSD activity was then determined in this tissue. T-test was performed to determine statistical significance. Mean type 2 enzyme activity was 0.87 +/- 1.65 pmol/min g tissue in normal ovarian tissue versus a mean enzyme activity of 2.96 +/- 1.37 pmol/mim g tissue in from cancer specimens. This difference was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.03. Type 2 1beta-HSD activity in ovarian cancer specimens was significantly higher than enzyme activity measured in normal post-menopausal ovarian tissue. Decreased cortisol levels due type 2 1beta-HSD activity may play a role neoplastic transformation as well as tumor proliferation in ovarian cancer by eliminating anti-inflammatory action of cortisol.
Steroids 2006 Nov
PMID:Type 2 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in human ovarian cancer. 1702 49

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have profound effects on the immune and nervous systems during development. However, circulating GC levels are low neonatally and show little response to stressors. This paradox could be resolved if immune and neural tissues locally synthesize GCs. Here, we measured baseline corticosterone and cortisol levels in plasma, immune organs, and brain regions of developing zebra finches. Steroids were extracted using solid phase-extraction and quantified using specific immunoassays. As expected, corticosterone was the predominant GC in plasma and increased with age. In contrast, cortisol was the predominant GC in immune tissues (bursa of Fabricius, thymus, spleen) and decreased with age. Cortisol levels in immune tissues were higher than cortisol levels in plasma. In the brain, corticosterone and cortisol levels were similarly low, providing little evidence for local synthesis of GCs in the brain. This is the first study to measure 1) cortisol in the plasma of songbirds, 2) corticosterone or cortisol in the brain of songbirds, and 3) corticosterone or cortisol in the immune system of any species. Despite the prevailing dogma that corticosterone is the primary GC in birds, these results indicate that cortisol is the predominant GC in the immune system of developing zebra finches. These results raise the hypothesis that cortisol is synthesized de novo from cholesterol in the immune system as an "immunosteroid," analogous to neurosteroids synthesized in the brain. Local production of GCs in immune tissues may allow GCs to regulate lymphocyte selection while avoiding the costs of high systemic GCs during development.
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PMID:Cortisol and corticosterone in the songbird immune and nervous systems: local vs. systemic levels during development. 1849 24


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