Thin-layer immunoaffinity chromatography with bar code quantitation of C-reactive protein.

A rapid thin-layer immunoaffinity chromatographic method for quantitation in serum of an acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), which can differentiate between viral and bacteria] infections, is described, where material and reagent costs are minimal. The analysis is based on the "sandwich" assay format using monoclonal antibodies directed against two sites of CRP. One of the antibodies is covalently bound to defined zones on a thin-layer immunoaffinity chromatography membrane, while the other antibody is covalently bound to deeply dyed blue latex particles. After incubation (CRP sample and latex particles), the CRP-latex immunocomplex is allowed to migrate along the immunoaffinity chromatography membrane. In the presence of antigen, a sandwich is formed between the CRP-latex immunocomplex and membrane-bound antibodies, which results in the appearance of blue lines on the membrane. Antibody immobilization on the TLC membrane is made with a redesigned piezoelectric-driven ink-jet printer. The time required for the analysis is less than 10 min. Quantitation is achieved either by counting the lines visually, with scanning reflectometry, or with a modified bar code reader. The limit of detection was estimated in the low femtomolar range using the naked eye as detector.

Ecology and ovarian function among Lese women of the Ituri Forest, Zaire.

Ovarian function is examined in 35 Lese women inhabiting the Ituri Forest of northeastern Zaire over a period of 4 months through measurements of progesterone in saliva samples collected twice weekly. Ovulatory frequency is found to be only 56% on average, with a pattern of age variation similar to that observed in western women, though lower in level at each age. Average luteal progesterone levels of the Lese women are lower than those of Boston controls even if only ovulatory cycles are considered. Women with the poorest nutritional status, inferred from longitudinal weight changes and weight for height, show the greatest compromise of ovarian function, and the average ovulatory frequency of the whole sample declines in parallel with a period of weight loss over four months. It is suggested that low ovulatory frequency and luteal insufficiency contribute to the low fecundity of the Lese population and that nutritional status is likely to be one of the ecological factors modulating this effect.

Low profiles of salivary progesterone among college undergraduate women.

High incidences of amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea are often found among late adolescent, college-aged women. We studied menstrual profiles of salivary progesterone in 17 undergraduate women (average age 20.2 years) who were experiencing regular menstrual cycles, and compared the results with similar data obtained from older women, both recreational runners (30.7 years) and nonexercising controls (29.3 years), to see whether this late adolescent population showed evidence of compromised luteal function not manifested by menstrual irregularity. The profiles obtained from the undergraduates and the older women were similar in shape but different in level. The undergraduate profiles were significantly lower than the controls (average progesterone level during the luteal phase, 154 +/- 14 versus 287 +/- 30 pmol/L; peak progesterone level, 352 +/- 35 versus 655 +/- 46 pmol/L; mean +/- SE, p less than 0.01), and remained at a significantly elevated level for fewer days (1.3 +/- 0.4 versus 4.5 +/- 0.6 days, p less than 0.01). The undergraduates were more comparable in all measures to the older women runners; however, reported exercise and weight differences did not account for the low levels in the undergraduates. We suggest that the low progesterone levels in the undergraduates reflect an extended process of ovarian maturation that does not culminate until the mid to late twenties.

Salivary progesterone and luteal function in two low-fertility populations of Northeast Zaire.

PIP: 30 Ituri women (Zaire) -- 14 Efe and 16 Balese -- were targeted as subjects in this study designed to verify that, under field conditions, the salivary steroid method can reliably discern follicular and luteal levels of progesterone in normal menstrual cycles and to examine the hypothesis that infertility among these women is due to tubal factors. Findings of normal ovulatory function in fertile women would support the hypothesis; findings of abnormal gonadal function might either indicate a chronic endocrine imbalance or the short-term effects of nutritional and other stressors. All potential subjects ranged in age between 20-35 years, were involved in stable conjugal unions, had no nursing children, and reported either no births or none within the last 6 years. 25 women completed the study. The Boston field control subjects consisted of 18 volunteers ranging in age between 18-43 years. All reported a history of regular menstrual cycles and were nither using oral steroid contraceptives nor engaged in a regular exercise program. The African women had significantly lower luteal progesterone levels than did the Boston controls. Additionally, a significantly higher proportion of the African women failed to demonstrate clear luteal activity, suggesting that a higher rate of anovulation contributed to the low average luteal progesterone levels. The composite-cross-sectional profile for the Ituri Forest women suggests that the average luteal phase for this group was shorter than for the Boston controls. Further investigations need to determine whether gonadal dysfunction such as observed in this study is a regular feature of the reproductive physiology of women in the Ituri Forest, or whether it emerges only in periods of food shortage and significant weight loss. Gonorrhea may be the major cause of infertility in the Ituri region, but it is likely that other factors directly affecting gonadal function contributed to the observed pattern of low fertility. Clearly, the study illustrates the potential usefulness of salivary steroid assays.^ieng

Moderate recreational running is associated with lowered salivary progesterone profiles in women.

Salivary progesterone profiles were studied in a group of recreational women runners (average 12.5 miles per week) and nonexercising control subjects. Although no differences were observed in the average cycle lengths of the two groups, luteal progesterone levels, both peak and average, were found to be significantly lower in the runners. A salivary progesterone level two standard deviations above the follicular phase average was used to discriminate luteal activity with 95% confidence. Runners averaged fewer days with sample values two standard deviations above this level and a shorter average interval between first and last samples observed above this level. However, no evidence was found of a delayed luteal progesterone rise among the runners. These results suggest that even moderate amounts of aerobic exercise may have effects on female reproductive function which would not be suspected from menstrual patterns alone.