Disparidad global por sexo de Covid-19: una revisión descriptiva de las hormonas sexuales y consideración del uso terapéutico potencial de la terapia de reemplazo hormonal en adultos mayores / COVID-19 global gender disparity: a descriptive review of sex hormones and consideration of the potential therapeutic use of hormone replacement therapy in older adults

La pandemia de coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) relacionada con el SARS 2019-2020 ha traído desafíos sin precedentes a los sectores de la salud en todo el mundo. Hasta noviembre de 2020, ha habido más de 64 millones de casos confirmados y se acercan a 2 millones de muertes en todo el mundo. A pesar de la gran cantidad de casos positivos, existen muy pocos estándares establecidos de atención y opciones terapéuticas disponibles. Hasta la fecha, (Diciembre 2020) todavía no existe una vacuna aprobada por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA) para COVID-19, aunque existen varias ensayos clínicos en diferentes. etapas de desarrollo. En este documento, hemos realizado una revisión global que evalúa los roles de la edad y el sexo en las hospitalizaciones por COVID-19, las admisiones a la UCI, las muertes en hospitales y las muertes en hogares de ancianos. Hemos identificado una tendencia en la que las personas mayores y los pacientes masculinos se ven afectados significativamente por los resultados adversos.

The influence of dehydroepiandrosterone on effector functions of neutrophils

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, gonads and brain. It is a precursor to sex hormones and also is known to have immune modulatory activity. However, little is known about the relationship between DHEA and neutrophils and thus our study evaluates the influence of DHEA in the effector functions of neutrophils. Human neutrophils were treated in vitro with DHEA and further infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The treatment of neutrophils with 0.01 µM of DHEA increased the phagocytosis of Salmonella independent of TLR4 as the treatment did not modulate the TLR4 expression. Additionally, DHEA caused a decrease in ROS (reactive oxygen species) production and did not influence the formation of the neutrophil extracellular trap (NET). Steroid treated neutrophils, infected or stimulated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide), showed reduced production of IL-8, compared to untreated cells. Also, the protein levels of p-NFκB were decreased in neutrophils treated with DHEA, and this reduction could explain the reduced levels of IL-8. These results led us to conclude that the steroid hormone DHEA has important modulatory functions in neutrophils

In vitro effects of steroid hormones on arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) activity in the pineal of fish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) during different phases of breeding cycle.

In vitro effects of gonadal hormones (testosterone, 17beta-estradiol estriol and estrone) and corticosteroid hormones (corticosterone and cortisol) were studied on arylalklyamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) activity in the pineal organ of the fish, C. gariepinus during quiescent, progressive, breeding and regressive phases of its annual breeding cycle. The pineals were collected under dim red light, maintained in organ culture for 7 hr and incubated with three concentrations (10(-6), 10(-5) and 10(-4) M) of hormones for 6 hr. The treatments with gonadal hormones and corticosteroid hormones inhibited pineal AA-NAT activity in a dose-dependent manner during all the phases of the breeding cycle. AA-NAT activity was comparatively more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of the gonadal hormones during the regressive phase and less sensitive during the quiescent phase. Further, the enzyme activity was more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of corticosteroid hormones (corticosterone and cortisol) during the breeding phase and less sensitive during the quiescent phase. These findings seem to suggest that gonadal hormones and corticosteroid hormones have direct inhibitory influence on AA-NAT activity and, hence melatonin synthesis in the photoreceptive pineal organ of C. gariepinus.

Avaliaçao audiológica em mulheres que fazem uso de anticoncepcionais hormonais orais / Audiological assessment in womwn taking oral hormonal contraceptive

Tema: avaliaçao audiológica am mulheres que fazem uso de anticoncepcionais hormonais orais. Objetivo: verificar a açao de anticoncepcionais hormonais orais sobre o sistema auditivo periférico. Método: investigaçao da capacidade auditiva e da auto-percepçao auditiva em mulheres (18 a 25 anos), distribuídos em dois grupos: I (Controle) - 19 que nunca fizeram uso da droga; II(Estudo) - 19 estavam fazendo uso da droga (período médio=67 meses). Resultados: Gráficos e Tabelas mostraram os achados das avaliaçoes e das análises estatísticas nos dois grupos. Conclusao: o uso de anticoncepcionais orais nao determina alteraçao da capacidade auditiva, mas favorece a ocorrência de zumbido.

Sex hormone modulation of serotonin-induced coronary vasodilation in isolated heart

The present study was designed to evaluate the differences in the coronary vasodilator actions of serotonin (5-HT) in isolated heart obtained from naive or castrated male and female rats that were treated with either estrogen or testosterone. Hearts from 12 groups of rats were used: male and female naive animals, castrated, castrated and treated with 17ß-estradiol (0.5 æg kg-1 day-1) for 7 or 30 days, and castrated and treated with testosterone (0.5 mg kg-1 day-1) for 7 or 30 days. After treatment, the vascular reactivity of the coronary bed was evaluated. Baseline coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) was determined and dose-response curves to 5-HT were generated. Baseline CPP differed between male (70 Ý 6 mmHg, N = 10) and female (115 Ý 6 mmHg, N = 12) naive rats. Maximal 5-HT-induced coronary vasodilation was higher (P<0.05) in naive female than in naive male rats. In both sexes, 5-HT produced endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilation. After castration, there was no significant difference in baseline CPP between hearts obtained from male and female rats (75 Ý 7 mmHg, N = 8, and 83 Ý 5 mmHg, N = 8, respectively). Castration reduced the 5-HT-induced maximal vasodilation in female and male rats (P<0.05). Estrogen treatment of castrated female rats restored (P<0.05) the vascular reactivity. In castrated male rats, 30 days of estrogen treatment increased (P<0.05) the responsiveness to 5-HT. The endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilator actions of 5-HT are greater in female rats and are modulated by estrogen. A knowledge of the mechanism of action of estrogen on coronary arteries could aid in the development of new therapeutic strategies and potentially decrease the incidence of cardiovascular disease in both sexes

Regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities in male and female rat macrophages by sex steroids

Human and animal immune functions present sex dimorphism that seems to be mainly regulated by sex hormones. In the present study, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes total superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured in intraperitoneal resident macrophages from adult male and female rats. In addition to comparing males and females, we also examined the regulation of these enzyme activities in macrophages by sex steroids. GSH-Px activity did not differ between male and female macrophages. However, both total SOD and CAT activities were markedly higher in females than in males (83 and 180 percent). Removal of the gonads in both males and females (comparison between castrated groups) increased the difference in SOD activity from 83 to 138 percent and reduced the difference in CAT activity from 180 to 86 percent. Castration and testosterone administration did not significantly modify the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in male macrophages. Ovariectomy did not affect SOD or GSH-Px activity but markedly reduced (48 percent) CAT activity. This latter change was fully reversed by estrogen administration, whereas progesterone had a smaller effect. These results led us to conclude that differences in the SOD and CAT activities may partially explain some of the differences in immune function reported for males and females. Also, estrogen is a potent regulator of CAT in macrophages and therefore this enzyme activity in macrophages may vary considerably during the menstrual cycle

GnRH and / or testosterone induced changes in reproductive activities during nonbreeding season in Calotes versicolor (Daud.).

Administration of Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) to male C versicolor during nonbreeding season increases the weight of testis;diameter of testis, seminiferous tubule, Sertoli and Leydig cell nuclei. It also activates the spermatogenic process. Increase in the weight of epididymis and lowered cholesterol level of testis indicate androgen production. Treatment of tesotsterone along with GnRH further enhances the activities of testis as a few spermatozoa appeared in the lumen of seminiferous tubule along with increase in other spermatogenic elements. It may be concluded that the exogenous GnRH can induce reproductive activities during nonbreeding season when the environmental conditions are unfavourable. Testosterone administration has the additive effect on these activities.

Morphologic and biochemical changes in male rat lung after surgical and pharmacological castration

The morphology of the rat lung was studied by light microscopy in different situations: after surgical and pharmacological castration and after administration of testosterone to the castrated rat to determine if the androgen is required to maintain the normal morphology of the lung. We also determined the effect of flutamide on the phospholipid composition of both the surfactant and microsomes of the lung. Rats were separated into five groups: I - control non-castrated rats, II - castrated rats sacrificed 21 days after castration, III - castrated rats that received testosterone daily from day 2 to day 21 after castration, IV - castrated rats that received testosterone from day 15 to day 21 after castration, and V - control rats injected with flutamide for 7 days. The amount of different phospholipids in the surfactant and microsomes of the lung was measured in group I and V rats. At the light microscopy level, the surgical and pharmacological castration provoked alterations in the morphology of the lung, similar to that observed in human lung emphysema. The compositions of surfactant and microsomes of the lung were similar to those previously reported by us for the surgically castrated rats. These results indicate that androgens are necessary for the normal morphology as well as for some metabolic aspects of the lung.

Some analytical studies in relation to cyclicity of buffalo-Heifers

In this study, 40 non-cycling buffalo-heifers were used. The heifers were treated by exogenous sex steroids [Synchro-Mate-B] plus equine chorionic gonadotrophins [eCG] with or without carboxylic ionophore [Lasalocid] supplement for induction of estrus. Blood samples were collected from all heifers before treatment and from 10 positively responded heifers after treatment. Blood samples of 10 responded heifers [before and after treatment] in each group were subjected to study the effect of hormonal induction of cyclicity on metabolic profile testing. The results revealed that, the hormonal treatment without Lasalocid supplement did not alter Hb concentration, PCV%, ALT activity, total protein, albumin and urea nitrogen concentrations. While, the activities of plasma AST and ALP were significantly decreased and CPK activity, glucose and cholesterol concentrations were increased. Synchro-Mate-B implants plus eCG administration in Lasalocid supplemented cycling heifers did not lead to significant alterations in most of metabolic profile testing except PCV% and glucose concentration as compared to non-cycling buffalo-heifers supplemented with Lasalocid. Concentrations of plasma macro- and micro elements [Ca, Mg, Na, K and lithium] after induction of estrus by sex steroids plis eCG were not significantly differed in heifers either supplemented or not with Lasalocid. Thus, we can conclude that usage of Synchro-Mate-B implant plus eCG to induce estrus in prepubertal buffalo-heifers did not alter most of the metabolic profile parameters

Effects of sex steroids on the concentrations of some brain neurotransmitters in male and female rats: some new observations.

Concentrations of some neurotransmitters, viz. noradrenaline (NA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), histamine (H) and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in a part of brain consisting of medulla, pons, mid brain, thalamus and hypothalamus were measured in ovariectomized (OVx), intact (+Te) and castrated male (Tex) rats both without injecting estrogen (E) or E and progesterone (P) as well as after E and E+P administration. Some effects, (which, as far as we are aware of) have not been previously reported, were noted (in addition to other already documented observations). These include: (i) castration in males causes a fall of the level of GABA, NA, 5-HT and DA, (ii) E therapy also causes fall of the levels of GABA, NA and 5-HT and thus E therapy produces similar results like those of bilateral orchidectomy, (iii) P therapy not only reverses the fall of (GABA) but raises it more than the normal value, (iv) P therapy, it appears (although faintly), retrieve to some extent the fall of NA level due to E therapy, (v) Like the OVx rats, castrated as well as intact rats also showed a fall in the 5-HT level with E treatment but showed a rise when treated by E followed by P, (vi) In between the castrated males and castrated females, the concentrations of all these brain neurotransmitters differ. The probable significances have been discussed.

Effect of sex steroids on the circulating levels of alfa2-macroglobulin in injured rats

The effect of sex steroids on the plasma levels of alfa2-macroglobulin (alfa-2M) was investigated to explain the sexual dimorphism observed in response to the injuries caused by ip administration of 5 microng endotoxin. Mean serum alfa2-M concentrations were lower in female (46.82 ñ8.10 arbitrary units) than in male injured rats (82.94 ñ 9.22 arbitrary units). a reduction of plasma alfa2-M levels was observed after orchidectomy, and the administration of 1 mg testosterone to the same animals increased the response. The same response pattern wa observed in ovariectomized rats under the same treatment. The response of androgenized rats (78.93 ñ 12.81 arbitrary units) to injury was similar to the male response. These results suggest the importance of testosterone as the major determinant of this sex-dependent response