Cadmium (Cd) is a nonessential metal present in sublethal concentrations within the aquatic environment. Cd is an endocrine disruptor and high concentrations of this metal suppress stressor-induced cortisol production in fish. However, few studies have examined the effect of Cd at concentrations that are environmentally relevant on the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis. The HPI axis activity is essential in the stressor-induced cortisol production, a highly conserved adaptive response to stress in vertebrates. Elevation of plasma glucose in response to a rise in plasma cortisol is mediated through steroid activation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs), but the mechanism of action of Cd in disrupting target tissue cortisol action is not known in fish. The overall objective of this thesis was to examine the impact of sublethal and environmentally relevant levels of Cd on the stress response and target tissue metabolic capacities, and to investigate the mechanisms of action of this metal in disrupting cortisol production and target tissue cortisol action in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The impact of subchronic exposure to environmentally relevant levels of Cd on metabolic capacity and stress performance was identified through a 28 day (d) in vivo exposure of juvenile rainbow trout to either of two Cd concentrations (0.75 µg/L or 2.0 µg/L). During the exposure period, juvenile rainbow trout accumulated Cd within the liver, kidney and gills, but were able to adapt to exposure concentrations as no changes were observed in plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate levels. However, changes in abundance of mRNAs encoding proteins involved in corticosteroidogenesis, including melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and P450 side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and liver GR protein expression suggesting endocrine disruption over the 28 d period. Also, target tissue metabolic capacities, including lower liver glycogen content and changes in intermediary metabolic enzyme activities in the liver and gill, were compromised by the 28 d exposure to Cd. The response to a secondary handling stressor at either 7 or 28 d exposure was attenuated suggesting that subchronic exposure to low levels of Cd disrupts the highly conserved adaptive stress response in rainbow trout. Upon further investigation using in vitro head kidney slices exposed to 0, 10, 100 or 1000 nM of Cd and stimulated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a similar inhibition of cortisol production was observed, as demonstrated in vivo, suggesting that Cd disrupts interrenal corticosteroidogenesis in fish. The impact of Cd on ACTH-stimulated cortisol production involved the suppression in the abundances of MC2R, StAR and P450scc transcripts. This response was also mimicked when head kidney slices from 7 d Cd exposed fish were incubated ex vivo with ACTH confirming that interrenal tissue is a key target for endocrine disruption by Cd. In both the in vitro and ex vivo incubations of head kidney slices 8-Bromo-cAMP (a cAMP analog) completely abolished the Cd-mediated cortisol inhibition demonstrating for the first time that Cd disruption of corticosteroidogenesis is occurring upstream of cAMP production. Further investigation of Cd-mediated impact on MC2R showed alterations in MC2R mRNA transcripts during in vivo exposure after 7 days and an attenuation of MC2R mRNA levels after Cd-exposed fish were subjected to a handling stressor. Disruptions in the mRNA abundance of MC2R was associated with disruptions of melanocortin receptor accessory protein 1 (MRAP1), but not MRAP2; a phenomenon that was also observed in ex vivo head kidney slices. Cell transfection studies confirmed that rainbow trout MC2R/MRAP1 receptor complex displayed decreased activity in the presence of Cd. Taken together these results suggest that Cd directly targets the MC2R/MRAP1 complex to inhibit ACTH-stimulated cortisol production in juvenile rainbow trout. In addition to Cd inhibiting interrenal steroidogenesis, the results also suggest that Cd may impact the negative feedback regulation of cortisol through the suppression of brain mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), but this requires further investigation. At the target tissue level, Cd by itself did not significantly affect liver metabolism, but inhibited the cortisol-induced glucose production in liver slices. This involved suppression of GR protein expression along with the suppression of GR-responsive genes, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and suppressor of cytokines signaling 1 (SOCS1) and changes in enzyme activities, including hexokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase and PEPCK, pointing to a disruption in liver GR signaling by Cd. Altogether, Cd exposure disrupts the organismal stress responses in juvenile rainbow trout. Furthermore, Cd impairs the ability of juvenile rainbow trout to respond to a secondary stressor, which is a vital adaptive process that is fundamental to successful stress performance. Most importantly, these studies highlight for the first time that disruption of the HPI axis to attenuate cortisol production occurs at the level of the MC2R/MRAP1 complex, suggesting that the mechanism of action for attenuation of cortisol occurs at the level of MC2R activation. Also, GR signaling is a key target for Cd and may be a mechanism leading to altered metabolic capacities in stressed fish from Cd-contaminated sites. Overall environmentally relevant levels of Cd disrupt cortisol production and target tissue action of this steroid in rainbow trout.

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid peptide hormone with a unique octanoic acid modification that has an extensive range of physiological effects, including stimulation of growth hormone (GH) release, appetite regulation, and modulation of reproductive functions. The cognate receptor for ghrelin is the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), a G protein-coupled receptor with two documented isoforms, the functional GHS-R type 1a and the C-terminally truncated GHS-R type 1b. Several ghrelin variants have also been identified in addition to the n-octanoylated form of ghrelin. In our laboratory, we have identified a novel exon 3-deleted preproghrelin variant that retains sequence for the mature ghrelin hormone and also encodes a novel C-terminal peptide (designated as C-terminal 3 peptide). There is emerging evidence to suggest that the ghrelin axis, encompassing ghrelin, several ghrelin variants and both forms of the GHS-R, is implicated in tumour growth. The objective of this project is to investigate the role of the ghrelin axis in hormone-dependent cancer and to further characterise the expression and function of the novel exon 3-deleted preproghrelin isoform. Hormone-dependent cancers, including prostate and breast cancers, are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Improved diagnoses and treatments earlier in the progression of the disease are urgently required to improve patient outcomes. Growth factors play an integral role in prostate and breast cancer, particularly in the emergence of aggressive, hormone-refractory disease that is resistant to standard therapies. We have previously identified ghrelin as being a novel growth factor for prostate cancer cells in vitro and have hypothesised that this may be extended to other hormone-dependent cancer types including breast cancer. In the current study, techniques including real-time quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry have been used to determine and quantitate ghrelin, exon 3-deleted preproghrelin and GHS-R expression in prostate and breast cancer. Ghrelin and exon 3-deleted preproghrelin are highly expressed in prostate cancer tissues compared to expression levels in normal prostate glands. Similarly, breast carcinoma specimens display greater immunoreactivity for ghrelin and exon 3-deleted preproghrelin than normal breast tissues. Expression of the exon 3-deleted preproghrelin mRNA isoform is upregulated in the oestrogen-independent, highly malignant MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cell line compared to the non-tumourigenic MCF-10A breast epithelial cell line, suggesting that augmented transcription of the isoform is associated with an increased malignant potential in breast cancer. The functional GHS-R type 1a is expressed in normal breast tissue and breast cancer specimens and cell lines. In contrast, the truncated GHS-R type 1b isoform is exclusively expressed in breast carcinoma. These data suggest that GHS-R type 1b, ghrelin and exon 3-deleted preproghrelin display potential as novel diagnostic markers for prostate and breast cancer. These studies have been the first to demonstrate that ghrelin may have an important role in cell proliferation in breast and prostate cancer. Functional assays demonstrated that (10nM) ghrelin stimulated proliferation in the LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines (45.0 ± 1.7% above control, P &lt0.01) and rapidly activated the ERK 1/2 mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) pathway in both PC3 and LNCaP cell lines. It does not, however, protect these cells from chemically-induced apoptosis. The MAPK inhibitors PD98059 and U0126 blocked ghrelin-induced MAPK activation, as well as cell proliferation, in both cell lines. Prostate cancer cells secrete mature ghrelin in vitro, and may therefore stimulate MAPK pathways in an autocrine manner. Ghrelin also appears to act as a growth factor in breast cancer cell proliferation, as the growth of MDA-MB-435 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines is significantly increased by ghrelin treatment. Our findings suggest that the ghrelin axis could provide an important new target for adjunctive therapies for both breast and prostate cancer. The C-terminal 3 peptide derived from exon 3-deleted preproghrelin may be an important new component of the ghrelin axis and studies into its function are currently in progress. Although it did not induce MAPK cascades or stimulate proliferation in prostate or breast cancer cell lines, the discovery of a murine counterpart, exon 4-deleted preproghrelin, indicates that it is highly conserved. Exon 4-deleted preproghrelin is expressed in all mouse tissues examined, with stomach being the predominant site of synthesis. Other components of the ghrelin axis were also found to be present in a wide-range of mouse tissues including brain, ovary and prostate. This comprehensive report has paved the way for future work with in vivo mouse models of cancer. This study has provided a substantial basis for the further evaluation of ghrelin, exon 3-deleted preproghrelin and the GHS-R type 1b as novel diagnostic/prognostic markers for prostate and breast cancer and supports the rationale for targeting the ghrelin axis for treatment of these tumours. Keywords: Ghrelin, exon 3-deleted preproghrelin, GHS-R, growth factors, MAPK, ERK 1/2, hormone-dependent cancer, prostate, breast, diagnostic/prognostic marker, therapeutic targets.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2010. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 67 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-67).

Thesis (M.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-122). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ99371

Thesis (M.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Also available in print.

abstract: A least total area of triangle method was proposed by Teissier (1948) for fitting a straight line to data from a pair of variables without treating either variable as the dependent variable while allowing each of the variables to have measurement errors. This method is commonly called Reduced Major Axis (RMA) regression and is often used instead of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. Results for confidence intervals, hypothesis testing and asymptotic distributions of coefficient estimates in the bivariate case are reviewed. A generalization of RMA to more than two variables for fitting a plane to data is obtained by minimizing the sum of a function of the volumes obtained by drawing, from each data point, lines parallel to each coordinate axis to the fitted plane (Draper and Yang 1997; Goodman and Tofallis 2003). Generalized RMA results for the multivariate case obtained by Draper and Yang (1997) are reviewed and some investigations of multivariate RMA are given. A linear model is proposed that does not specify a dependent variable and allows for errors in the measurement of each variable. Coefficients in the model are estimated by minimization of the function of the volumes previously mentioned. Methods for obtaining coefficient estimates are discussed and simulations are used to investigate the distribution of coefficient estimates. The effects of sample size, sampling error and correlation among variables on the estimates are studied. Bootstrap methods are used to obtain confidence intervals for model coefficients. Residual analysis is considered for assessing model assumptions. Outlier and influential case diagnostics are developed and a forward selection method is proposed for subset selection of model variables. A real data example is provided that uses the methods developed. Topics for further research are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Statistics 2012

Introdução: Endometriose é uma doença benigna que afeta mulheres em idade fértil. Tem caráter multifatorial estrogenodependente associado à resposta inflamatória generalizada na cavidade peritoneal e sendo a causa mais comum de dor pélvica crônica. Objetivos: O estudo comparou o efeito da melatonina (10 mg/dia) com placebo na dor e níveis séricos do Brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) de pacientes com endometriose. Métodos: Foi realizado um ensaio clínico randomizado, duplo-cego, em paralelo, controlado com placebo. Foram incluídas mulheres com idade entre 24 e 52 anos com diagnóstico de endometriose por laparoscopia selecionadas a partir da agenda diária de consultas do ambulatório de Ginecologia e por chamamento na mídia local, no período de setembro de 2010 a abril de 2012. Foram utilizados questionários para avaliar a frequência e a intensidade da dor (na relação sexual, na micção e no trabalho), sintomas depressivos, nível de pensamento catastrófico e o Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) para diagnósticos psiquiátricos.Resultados: Na analise por intenção de tratar a média de dor no período menstrual foi de 4,8 cm ± 0,15 no grupo que recebeu melatonina (n=20) e de 6,9 cm ± 0,13 no grupo placebo (n=20), com diferença média (ajustada para o efeito de cada paciente) de 2,147 cm na escala análogo visual de dor (EAV) (IC 95%; 1,767 a 2,527; p<0,001). Também houve diferença entre as médias de dor ao urinar (diferença média=0,660; IC 95%; 0,348 a 0,971; p<0,001) e dor ao evacuar (diferença média=0,515; IC 95%; 0,180 a 0,849; p=0,003). Pacientes que receberam melatonina tiveram redução nos níveis séricos de BDNF. Conclusões: O uso da melatonina foi associado à redução da dor mesmo fora do período menstrual em pacientes com endometriose. O tratamento também reduziu os níveis de BDNF, sugerindo mudança em sistemas moduladores de dor. Tais achados sugerem que a melatonina é eficaz no tratamento da endometriose. / Background: Endometriosis is a benign condition that affects women in childbearing age. It is a estrogen-dependent disease, multifactorial, associated with a generalized inflammatory response in the peritoneal cavity, being the most common cause of chronic pelvic pain. Objective: This study have compared the effect of melatonin 10 mg / day with placebo in pain and in serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with endometriosis. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebocontrolled trial. We included women at aged between 24 and 52 years with the diagnosis of endometriosis by laparoscopy selected from the daily schedule of consultations of the Gynecology outpatient clinic and by calling the local media, for the period September 2010 to April 2012. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the frequency and intensity of pain (during intercourse, urination and work), depressive symptoms, level of catastrophic thinking and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) for psychiatric diagnoses. Results: In the analysis by intention to treat, the mean pain during menstruation was 4.8 ± 0.15 cm in the group receiving Melatonin (n = 20) and 6.9 ± 0.13 cm in the group placebo (n = 20), with mean difference (adjusted for the effect of each patient) of 2.147 cm in VAS (95% CI 1.767 to 2.527, p <0.001). There were also differences between the means of pain when urinating (mean difference = 0.660 95% CI 0.348 to 0.971, p <0.001), and pain when defecating (mean difference = 0.515 95% CI 0.180 to 0.849, p = 0.003). Patients who received melatonin had reduced serum levels of BDNF. Conclusion: The use of melatonin was associated with reduced pain even outside the menstrual period in women with endometriosis. The treatment also reduced levels of BDNF, suggesting change in pain modulatory systems. These findings suggest that melatonin is effective in the treatment of endometriosis.

The turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is an increasingly popular model species for comparative vertebrate research. As such, the basic physiology, including responses to one or multiple stress events are of primary interest to the present study. After successful rearing, adult male and female killifish were exposed to one or more acute confinement events. Whole-blood was taken from adult males, in addition to male and female whole-body samples for cortisol analysis. Separate adults were also sampled for tissue specific expression of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA within the cranium, gills, and liver. Following a 30 minute confinement stress, male plasma cortisol significantly differed from baseline at 30 minutes (P=0.04). Similarly, both male and female whole-body cortisol were significantly increased (P=0.004 and P=0.04, respectively) at 15 and 30 minutes post-stress. Whole-body cortisol did not differ between the sexes at any sampling point, however; expression of gill MR at 15 minutes was significantly higher in males (P=0.05). Exposure to daily repeated confinement affected the cortisol response in both males and females, resulting in lower baseline and 60 minutes post-stress values in repeatedly-stressed males (P=0.04 and P=0.006, respectively) and lower cortisol at 30 and 120 minutes post-stress in repeatedly-stressed females (P=0.04 and P=0.04). Repeated exposure also resulted in increased cranial CRH and MR at 15 minutes post-stress (P=0.02 and P=0.05, respectively) compared to singly-stressed males. In females, repeated exposure increased gill MR at 120 minutes (P=0.05), but a single stressor resulted in relatively greater expression of cranial CRH at 120 minutes (P=0.02) and MR at 15 minutes (P=0.05). Collectively, the reduced cortisol production observed in repeatedly-stressed adults coupled with only transient changes in receptor expression suggest acclimation to daily stressors can be detected in as little as one week in adult turquoise killifish. This is also the first description of the stress response on this important model species.

Introdução: Endometriose é uma doença benigna que afeta mulheres em idade fértil. Tem caráter multifatorial estrogenodependente associado à resposta inflamatória generalizada na cavidade peritoneal e sendo a causa mais comum de dor pélvica crônica. Objetivos: O estudo comparou o efeito da melatonina (10 mg/dia) com placebo na dor e níveis séricos do Brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) de pacientes com endometriose. Métodos: Foi realizado um ensaio clínico randomizado, duplo-cego, em paralelo, controlado com placebo. Foram incluídas mulheres com idade entre 24 e 52 anos com diagnóstico de endometriose por laparoscopia selecionadas a partir da agenda diária de consultas do ambulatório de Ginecologia e por chamamento na mídia local, no período de setembro de 2010 a abril de 2012. Foram utilizados questionários para avaliar a frequência e a intensidade da dor (na relação sexual, na micção e no trabalho), sintomas depressivos, nível de pensamento catastrófico e o Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) para diagnósticos psiquiátricos.Resultados: Na analise por intenção de tratar a média de dor no período menstrual foi de 4,8 cm ± 0,15 no grupo que recebeu melatonina (n=20) e de 6,9 cm ± 0,13 no grupo placebo (n=20), com diferença média (ajustada para o efeito de cada paciente) de 2,147 cm na escala análogo visual de dor (EAV) (IC 95%; 1,767 a 2,527; p<0,001). Também houve diferença entre as médias de dor ao urinar (diferença média=0,660; IC 95%; 0,348 a 0,971; p<0,001) e dor ao evacuar (diferença média=0,515; IC 95%; 0,180 a 0,849; p=0,003). Pacientes que receberam melatonina tiveram redução nos níveis séricos de BDNF. Conclusões: O uso da melatonina foi associado à redução da dor mesmo fora do período menstrual em pacientes com endometriose. O tratamento também reduziu os níveis de BDNF, sugerindo mudança em sistemas moduladores de dor. Tais achados sugerem que a melatonina é eficaz no tratamento da endometriose. / Background: Endometriosis is a benign condition that affects women in childbearing age. It is a estrogen-dependent disease, multifactorial, associated with a generalized inflammatory response in the peritoneal cavity, being the most common cause of chronic pelvic pain. Objective: This study have compared the effect of melatonin 10 mg / day with placebo in pain and in serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with endometriosis. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebocontrolled trial. We included women at aged between 24 and 52 years with the diagnosis of endometriosis by laparoscopy selected from the daily schedule of consultations of the Gynecology outpatient clinic and by calling the local media, for the period September 2010 to April 2012. Questionnaires were used to evaluate the frequency and intensity of pain (during intercourse, urination and work), depressive symptoms, level of catastrophic thinking and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) for psychiatric diagnoses. Results: In the analysis by intention to treat, the mean pain during menstruation was 4.8 ± 0.15 cm in the group receiving Melatonin (n = 20) and 6.9 ± 0.13 cm in the group placebo (n = 20), with mean difference (adjusted for the effect of each patient) of 2.147 cm in VAS (95% CI 1.767 to 2.527, p <0.001). There were also differences between the means of pain when urinating (mean difference = 0.660 95% CI 0.348 to 0.971, p <0.001), and pain when defecating (mean difference = 0.515 95% CI 0.180 to 0.849, p = 0.003). Patients who received melatonin had reduced serum levels of BDNF. Conclusion: The use of melatonin was associated with reduced pain even outside the menstrual period in women with endometriosis. The treatment also reduced levels of BDNF, suggesting change in pain modulatory systems. These findings suggest that melatonin is effective in the treatment of endometriosis.