No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1966 M596 / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

The physiological mechanisms that control energy homeostasis are reciprocally linked to reproduction. However, the neuroendocrine circuitry that registers endocrine cues to direct homeostatic responses in energy balance and reproduction remain unknown. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons have emerged as a key central target of estrogen and leptin that are capable of modulating both reproduction and energy balance. The hypothesis was generated that NPY neuronal subpopulations act as an integration centre to regulate the effects of estrogen and leptin on these important physiological processes through specific signaling pathways. Using hypothalamic cell lines that express the leptin receptor (Ob-R), estrogen receptor (ER) and NPY, this hypothesis was tested in three aims. 17β-estradiol (E2) was previously demonstrated to biphasically regulate NPY mRNA in the mHypoE-38 neuronal cell line; where 24 h E2 exposure induced NPY gene expression that our group proposed may be involved in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) preovulatory surge. E2 also acts as an anorexigenic hormone through unknown hypothalamic targets. E2 directly decreased NPY secretion in the mHypoE-42 and mHypoA-2/12 neuronal cell lines through ER-α. The anorexigenic action of E2 was mediated through the energy sensing 5’ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. NPY secretion was also decreased by leptin in mHypoA-59 and NPY-GFP cell models through AMPK- and PI3K-dependent mechanisms. Prolonged exposure to leptin in NPY-GFP cell lines prevented AMPK signaling and the leptin-mediated reduction in NPY secretion, indicating NPY neuronal resistance with prolonged leptin exposure. Leptin also stimulated NPY secretion in mHypoE-38 neurons, which was blocked by pharmacological inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K pathways. Importantly, conditioned medium from the mHypoE-38 NPY neuronal cells induced GnRH transcripts in GT1-7 neurons, which was inhibited by Y1-receptor antagonists. Pharmacological inhibitors of the MAPK and PKA signal transduction pathways attenuated the NPY-mediated increase in GnRH transcription. Based upon these findings, I propose NPY neurons in the hypothalamus consist of a heterogeneous population of neurons, and provide the first evidence of intrinsically different responses to function as physiological integrators for two different systems: NPY secretion can be suppressed to decrease food intake and induced to stimulate GnRH neurons.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The recent discovery of a number of metabolites of estrogens has necessitated the development of new methods for their analysis. The available methods of proven merit fall short of determining these newer fractions. Moreover, these methods are too time consuming to determine the daily excretion of estrogenic steroids. The development of a relatively rapid and highly sensitive methodfor the estimation of several estrogens was, therefore, undertaken. The procedure involves hydrolysis, extraction, preliminary purification and separation, acetylation and gas chromatography of the steroids. Simultaneous separation and quantification by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) not only allows a more rapid analysis but sensitivity is also increased by the use of ionization detectors. Determination of the optimal flow rate of hydrogen, air and carrier gas was found necessary for obtaining maximum detection response. Detector linearity for seven estrogens over an adequate range was established. Since free estrogens suffer severe adsorption on the gas chromatographic column and generally do not separate well, the steroids were analyzed as suitable derivatives. After examining several such derivatives (acetates, formate, trifluoroacetate, trimethylsilyl ethers) the acetates were found to be most suitable for the specific purpose. Optimal conditions for the acetylation of steroids in submicrogram quantities were established. The effect of the solid support, stationary phase, priming of the column with estrogens and solvent impurity in quantitative analysis by gas chromatography was also investigated. Preliminary separation of estrogens into separate groups was necessary because of poor resolution and long retention times resulting in poor detector response. Moreover, in a crude urine extract, the large number of contaminants obscuring the peaks of the lesser estrogen components, mandated preliminary purification. Thin-layer chromatography crtc) was found to be a versatile tool for this purpose. Among several solvent systems developed, three were found to be eminently suitable. TLC in System I (benzene:ethyl acetate 1:1) separates the estrogens into four fractions: (a) estrone and 2-methoxyestrone, (b) ring-D-alpha-ketols and estradiol, (c) 16-epiestriol, and (d) estriol. Further TLC of fraction (b) in System II (pet. ether:dichloromethane:ethanol 10:9:1) was found necessary to separate these estrogens from the neutral 17-ketosteroid. An alternate method of preliminary purification and separation for the measurement of the three classical estrogens in low titer urine, involving alumina chromatography, has been developed. Following these preliminary procedures GLC permitted rapid separation and highly sensitive quantification of the individual fractions [TRUNCATED] / 2031-01-01

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: l. 74-86.

acase@tulane.edu / 1 / Rakesh Gurrala

Abstract not available