Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist use in controlled ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination cycles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the GnRH antagonist on gonadotropin ovulation induction in women with PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 175 intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were included in the study. Women in the control group (n = 87) underwent controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (r-FSH) only, while women in the study group (n = 88) were administered r-FSH plus cetrorelix. RESULTS: As expected, the mean value of luteinizing hormone and progesterone, on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration were statistically significantly lower in patients receiving GnRH antagonist than the control group (p = 0.002). Premature luteinization occurred in only one of the patients in the GnRH antagonist group (1.1%) and in 15 of the 88 cycles in the control group (17.2%), showing a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.001). The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was higher in GnRH-antagonist group compared to the control group but the difference did not reach to a statistical significance (25% vs 14.9%, P = 0.096). CONCLUSIONS: Adding GnRH-antagonist in COS/IUI cycles in women with PCOS resulted in a lower incidence of premature luteinization but did not improve pregnancy rates. However, owing to some benefits, antagonist therapy could be considered as a reasonable alternative to IVF in order to reduce PCOS patients'emotional distress.

Synergistic antitumor efficacy of combined DNA vaccines targeting tumor cells and angiogenesis.

To further enhance the antitumor efficacy of DNA vaccine, we proposed a synergistic strategy that targeted tumor cells and angiogenesis simultaneously. In this study, a Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) replicon DNA vaccine expressing 1-4 domains of murine VEGFR2 and IL12 was constructed, and was named pSVK-VEGFR2-GFc-IL12 (CAVE). The expression of VEGFR2 antigen and IL12 adjuvant molecule in 293T cells in vitro were verified by western blot and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Then CAVE was co-immunized with CAVA, a SFV replicon DNA vaccine targeting survivin and ß-hCG antigens constructed previously. The antitumor efficacy of our combined replicon vaccines was evaluated in mice model and the possible mechanism was further investigated. The combined vaccines could elicit efficient humoral and cellular immune responses against survivin, ß-hCG and VEGFR2 simultaneously. Compared with CAVE or CAVA vaccine alone, the combined vaccines inhibited the tumor growth and improved the survival rate in B16 melanoma mice model more effectively. Furthermore, the intratumoral microvessel density was lowest in combined vaccines group than CAVE or CAVA alone group. Therefore, this synergistic strategy of DNA vaccines for tumor treatment results in an increased antitumor efficacy, and may be more suitable for translation to future research and clinic.

Reduction of human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit expression by modified U1 snRNA caused apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin, especially its beta subunit by malignant trophoblastic tumors and varieties of tumors of different origin is now well documented; however the role of hCG in tumorogenesis is still unknown. RESULTS: This study documents the molecular presence of human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit in uterine cervix cancer tissues and investigates a novel technique to reduce hCGbeta levels based on expression of a modified U1 snRNA as a method to study the hormone's role in biology of human cervical cancer cells cultured in vitro. The property of U1 snRNA to block the accumulation of specific RNA transcript when it binds to its donor sequence within the 3' terminal exon was used. The first 10 nucleotides of the human U1 snRNA gene, which normally binds to the 5'ss in pre-mRNA were replaced by a sequence complementary to a 10-nt segment in the terminal exon of the hCGbeta mRNA. Three different 5' end-mutated U1 snRNA expression plasmids were tested, each targeting a different sequence in the hCGbeta mRNA, and we found each one blocked the expression of hCGbeta in HeLa cells, a cervix carcinoma cell line, as shown by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. Reduction of hCGbeta levels resulted in a significantly increased apoptosis rate with almost 90% of cells transfected with modified anti-hCGbeta U1 snRNAs showing morphological changes characteristic of the apoptotic process. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit may act as a tumor growth-stimulating factor.

Targeted ablation of prostate carcinoma cells through LH receptor using Hecate-CGbeta conjugate: functional characteristic and molecular mechanism of cell death pathway.

A Hecate-CGbeta conjugate (lytic peptide and beta-chorionic gonadotropin) selectively destroyed cells possessing LH receptors. This study described functional characteristics of the conjugate and the molecular mechanism of the cell death pathway in prostate cancer cells. Based on in vitro studies, we conclude that the conjugate kills cells possessing luteinizing hormone receptors (LHR) faster than Hecate alone. Competitive studies have shown that blocking of LHR by preincubation with chorionic gonadotropin (100 ng/ml) reduced toxicity of the conjugate in low concentrations. Further studies have also shown that the conjugate in treated cells both did not induce internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and did not induce morphological changes in cells characterized as having apoptotic features. These results proved that cells died by necrosis rather than apoptosis after the conjugate treatment.

Inhibition of human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit modulates the mitogenic effect of c-myc in human prostate cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Amplification of the proto-oncogene c-myc has been identified as one of the most common genetic alterations in prostate cancer, thus making it an attractive therapeutic target. However, certain prostate cancer cells are unresponsive to c-Myc inhibition. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that effective growth inhibition in the refractory cancer cells can be achieved by blocking c-myc along with a growth factor using a novel phosphorodiamidate morpholino antisense oligomer-based approach. Human chorionic gonadotropin, a growth factor implicated in neoplasm, causes activation of c-myc through a G-protein-coupled pathway of signal transduction. METHODS: In this study, the effect of inhibition of beta-hCG and c-myc singly or in combination was evaluated in DU145 (RB -/-, p53-/-, androgen-independent) and LNCaP (Rb+/+, p53 +/+, androgen-sensitive) human prostate cancer cell lines and in a DU145 subcutaneous xenograft murine model. RESULTS: Antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers directed against beta-hCG and c-myc caused a specific decrease of the target protein levels. Unlike LNCaP cells, DU145 cell growth was refractory to c-Myc inhibition. Unresponsiveness to c-myc inhibition in DU145 cells was overcome by targeting both beta-hCG and c-myc genes, resulting in potentiation of the antiproliferative effect seen with inhibition of beta-hCG alone. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibition of beta-hCG sensitizes prostate cancer cells to the antiproliferative effects of c-Myc inhibition, including tumors that are refractory to c-Myc decrease alone.

Gonadotropins stimulate growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by promoting intracellular conversion of adrenal androgens to estrogens.

Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers initially respond well to estrogen ablation treatment but finally acquire refractoriness, the phenomenon that is a major clinical problem. Because some breast cancers synthesize estradiol (E(2)) and E(2) synthesis is regulated by gonadotropins in normal ovaries, and because circulating gonadotropins are elevated in postmenopausal women and during estrogen ablation treatment, we hypothesized that gonadotropins might modulate estrogen synthesis/metabolism in breast cancer tissue as well. To test this possibility, MCF-7 cells were treated with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; approximately LH), each alone or in combination. Cell growth (3-day treatment) was assayed by the MTT method and estrogen synthesis (24-hour treatment) was measured using the ERE-luciferase reporter system. First, MCF-7 cell growth was stimulated by DHEA in a concentration-dependent manner with a maximal effect at 10(-4) M. Although hCG alone did not have a significant proliferative effect, hCG significantly and dose dependently stimulated MCF-7 cell growth in the presence of a submaximal concentration of DHEA (10(-7 )M). This stimulatory effect of DHEA and hCG was blocked by a pure antiestrogen ICI182,780 and an aromatase inhibitor, arimidex. Using MCF-7 cells transfected with the ERE-luciferase reporter system, hCG treatment was shown to increase ERE-mediated transcription. These results indicate that MCF-7 cells intrinsically converted DHEA into E(2) upon hCG stimulation, then grew their own cells DHEA- and hCG-dependently. We conclude that gonadotropins can act on breast cancer cells and accelerate conversion of DHEA into estrogens, thereby stimulating growth of estrogen-dependent tumor cells. This phenomenon, at least in part, could explain: (1) an increased tissue concentration of E(2) in postmenopausal breast cancer; (2) acquisition of hormone refractoriness during estrogen ablation treatment, and (3) the effectiveness of GnRH antagonist/superagonist in some postmenopausal breast cancer patients.

Validación retrospectiva del proceso de purificación del anticuerpo monoclonal Inmunoglobulina Anti-gonadotropina coriónica humana / Retrospective validation of the purification process of immunoglobulin anti-human chorionic gonadotropin monoclonal antibody

Con el objetivo de verificar que el proceso de purificación del anticuerpo monoclonal (AcM) IG1 antigonadotropina coriónica humana (hCG) se mantenía operando bajo condiciones controladas que garantizaban la calidad del producto se llevó a cabo la validación retrospectiva del mismo. Se analizaron los resultados de 21 procesos cromatográficos sucesivos en protein A-Sepharose CL-4B. Se evaluaron los parámetros: recuperación, pureza y actividad inmunológica del producto. Se comprobó, según la información recopilada, que la recuperación estuvo en el rango de 90-98, 16 porciento, con un valor promedio 93,19 porciento, una desviación estándar de 2,70 y un coeficiente de variación de 2,90 porciento, la pureza entre 90 y 99,3 porciento con un valor promedio de 95,48 porciento, una desviación estándar de 2,47 y un coeficiente de variación de 2,59 porciento y la actividad inmunológica determinada por radioinmunoensayo y expresada como ng de hormona marcada unida por milígramos de anticuerpos entre 4,013 y 6,210 ng de hCG marcada unida por mg de AcM, con un valor promedio de 4,72, una desviación estándar de 0,60 y un coeficiente de variación de 12,75 porciento. Se concluyó que el proceso se encontraba transcurriendo bajo las condiciones diseñadas de forma reproducible, lo cual garantiza la calidad del AcM

Validación retrospectiva del proceso de purificación del anticuerpo monoclonal Inmunoglobulina Anti-gonadotropina coriónica humana / Retrospective validation of the purification process of immunoglobulin anti-human chorionic gonadotropin monoclonal antibody

Con el objetivo de verificar que el proceso de purificación del anticuerpo monoclonal (AcM) IG1 antigonadotropina coriónica humana (hCG) se mantenía operando bajo condiciones controladas que garantizaban la calidad del producto se llevó a cabo la validación retrospectiva del mismo. Se analizaron los resultados de 21 procesos cromatográficos sucesivos en protein A-Sepharose CL-4B. Se evaluaron los parámetros: recuperación, pureza y actividad inmunológica del producto. Se comprobó, según la información recopilada, que la recuperación estuvo en el rango de 90-98, 16 porciento, con un valor promedio 93,19 porciento, una desviación estándar de 2,70 y un coeficiente de variación de 2,90 porciento, la pureza entre 90 y 99,3 porciento con un valor promedio de 95,48 porciento, una desviación estándar de 2,47 y un coeficiente de variación de 2,59 porciento y la actividad inmunológica determinada por radioinmunoensayo y expresada como ng de hormona marcada unida por milígramos de anticuerpos entre 4,013 y 6,210 ng de hCG marcada unida por mg de AcM, con un valor promedio de 4,72, una desviación estándar de 0,60 y un coeficiente de variación de 12,75 porciento. Se concluyó que el proceso se encontraba transcurriendo bajo las condiciones diseñadas de forma reproducible, lo cual garantiza la calidad del AcM (AU)