Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone of life and death: a review

Abscisic acid, an evolutionary conserved hormone: Biosynthesis, therapeutic and diagnostic applications in mammals

Abscisic acid (ABA), a phytohormone traditionally recognized for its role in plant stress responses, has recently emerged as a significant player in mammalian defense mechanisms. Like plants, various mammalian cell types synthesize ABA in response to specific health challenges, although the precise pathways remain not fully elucidated. ABA is associated with the regulation of inflammation and insulin signaling, prompting extensive research into its potential as a therapeutic agent for various diseases. ABA exerts its effects through its receptors, particularly PPAR-γ and LANCL-2, which serve as signaling hubs regulating numerous pathways. Through these interactions, ABA profoundly impacts mammalian health, and new ABA targets continue to be identified. Numerous studies in animal models demonstrate ABA's benefit in managing conditions such as neurological and psychiatric disorders, cancer, and malaria infections, all of which involve significant inflammatory dysregulation. In this manuscript we review the studies covering ABA synthesis and release in cell cultures, the signaling pathways regulated by ABA, and how these impact health in preclinical models. Furthermore, we highlight recent research suggesting that measuring ABA levels in human body fluids could serve as a useful biomarker for pathological conditions, providing insights into disease progression and treatment efficacy. This comprehensive review outlines the current understanding of ABA in mammalian pathophysiology, identifying gaps in knowledge, particularly concerning ABA biosynthesis and metabolism in mammals. In addition, this study emphasizes the need for clinical trials to validate the effectiveness of ABA-based therapies and its reliability as a biomarker for various diseases.

Liquid crystal biosensor based on AuNPs signal amplification for detection of human chorionic gonadotropin

The detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) allows for the determination of pregnancy and is thus crucial during early pregnancy testing. This study introduces a novel liquid crystal (LC) biosensor that employs Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) for signal amplification, thus enabling the detection of the HCG antigen in a micro, efficient, and cost-effective manner. The sensor design capitalizes on the unique properties of LC to facilitate the detection of HCG. In this research, the surface of the base substrate was first modified with material from DMOAP and APTES, and EDC/sulfo-NHS was used to couple AuNPs and β-hCG to form an AuNP-β-hCG conjugate that improves the coupling rate. The carboxyl group of the antibody was reacted with the aldehyde group of glutaraldehyde, which helps to fix the β-hCG antibody to the surface of the substrate. The HCG sample is immobilized on the surface of the substrate via antigen-antibody immunobinding. As signal amplifiers, the AuNPs can have a significant effect on the topology of the interface and the vertical order of the LC molecules, thus reducing the limit of detection. Finally, the limit of detection was calculated using the SPSS system, and the relationship between grey values and concentrations was also obtained. The detection limit for HCG can be as low as 1.916 × 10-3 mIU·mL-1 under ideal conditions. Compared to other detection methods for HCG, this structure provides a detection pathway with excellent sensitivity, low detection limits, and better specificity, thus offering a new idea for HCG or any other target requiring trace detection.

Pregnancy and Cancer: Cellular Biology and Mechanisms Affecting the Placenta

Cancer during pregnancy is rarely studied due to its low incidence (1:1000). However, as a result of different sociocultural and economic changes, women are postponing pregnancy, so the number of pregnant women with cancer has been increasing in recent years. The importance of studying cancer during pregnancy is not only based on maternal and foetal prognosis, but also on the evolutionary mechanisms of the cell biology of trophoblasts and neoplastic cells, which point out similarities between and suggest new fields for the study of cancer. Moreover, the magnitude of how cancer factors can affect trophoblastic cells, and vice versa, in altering the foetus's nutrition and health is still a subject to be understood. In this context, the objective of this narrative review was to show that some researchers point out the importance of supplementing branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, in experimental models of pregnancy associated with women with cancer. A leucine-rich diet may be an interesting strategy to preserve physiological placenta metabolism for protecting the mother and foetus from the harmful effects of cancer during pregnancy.

Melanoma treatment via non-specific adhesion of cancer cells using charged nano-clays in pre-clinical studies

The incidence of malignant melanoma has rapidly increased in the last two decades. There are many challenges associated with the current conventional therapies, including tumour size and location, the specificity of treatments, tumour resistance, non-mutually exclusive mutations, drug resistance, and many adverse side effects. Due to conventional therapies having several limitations, we have explored an alternative therapy such as nano-clays; nano-sized natural materials originating from clay fraction of the soil. Recently, clay nanoparticles have increasingly been used as a drug carrier for cancer treatment due to their high absorption, ability to engulf microbes, and low toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a nano-clays mix on melanoma cell proliferation and cell viability in vitro and melanoma growth in vivo xenograft animal model. The in vitro study revealed that nano-clay treatments significantly reduced melanoma cell proliferation and cell viability in a dosage-dependent manner. The in vivo tumour xenograft model demonstrated that nano-clay mix treatment led to significantly reduced tumour size and weight, decreased tumour cell mitosis, and induced tumour necrosis. These processes owe to the most probable changes in the membrane potential of the cancer cells once nano-clays bind with the former through the high non-specific adhesion characteristic of the cancer cells. As the data suggest an important role of nano-clays as an inhibitor of melanoma cell proliferation and survival, these prove to be a natural and effective medicine for the treatment of melanoma. The proven compatibility of nano-clays with the human cells with little side-effects makes them a highly preferred choice for the treatment of melanoma and probably other types of cancers.

The Role of Recombinant Proteins and Growth Factors in the Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Recombinant proteins and growth factors are emerging therapies for diabetic foot ulcers. Despite several clinical reports, there has been no comprehensive and systematic assessment of the totality of clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of recombinant proteins and growth factors in diabetic foot ulcers. We tried to address this gap through an updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched, and RCTs on the efficacy of recombinant proteins and growth factors in the treatment of cutaneous wounds in diabetic patients were selected. The literature search and assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality of studies was appraised using the Jadad scale.

RESULTS

We identified 26 RCTs involving diabetic patients with ulcer that evaluated the effectiveness of platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, erythropoietin, transforming growth factor, talactoferrin, and rusalatide acetate. The main primary outcome was complete healing though different indices were employed to define this such as wound closure, granulation tissue formation, or complete reepithelialization. Few studies had a follow-up period to report any recurrence and amputation rate. No adverse effect was reported due to the intervention.

CONCLUSION

Overall, there is a greater agreement on the effectiveness of EGF to enhance the healing of diabetic ulcers. Nevertheless, extant evidence is lacking for other agents since few trials have been conducted for most of the growth factors and available studies are heterogeneous in their methodologies.

Enhancing cancer cell adhesion with clay nanoparticles for countering metastasis

Cancer metastasis results from the suppression of adhesion between cancer cells and the extracellular matrix, causing their migration from the primary tumor location and the subsequent formation of tumors in distant organs. This study demonstrates the potential use of nano-sized clay mineral particles to modulate adhesions between tumor cells and with the surrounding extracellular matrix. Atomic force microscopy studies of live cell cultures reveal a significant increase in adhesion between tumor cells and their environment after treatment with different types of electrically charged clay nanoparticles. The enhancement of adhesion among cancer cells was further confirmed through scratch type of wound healing assay studies. To provide insight into the adhesion mechanisms introduced by the clay nanoparticles, we performed a molecular-level computer simulation of cell adhesions in the presence and absence of the nanoparticles. Strong van der Waals and electrostatic attractions modelled in the molecular simulations result in an increase in the cohesive energy density of these environments when treated with clay crystallites. The increase in the cohesive energy density after the sorption of clay crystallites on cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix complexes lends weight to our strategy of using clay nanoparticles for the restoration of adhesion among cancer cells and prevention of metastasis.

Advances in human chorionic gonadotropin detection technologies: a review

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a glycoprotein secreted by placental trophoblast cells in pregnancy. HCG is a heterodimer composed of two different α- and β-subunits, with the latter being unique to HCG. As well as being the most important diagnostic markers for pregnancy, HCG is also a tumor marker, therefore, quantitative detection of HCG is of great value. Numerous advanced technologies have been developed for HCG concentration detection including electrochemical immunoassay, chemiluminescent immunoassay, fluorescence immunoassay, resonance scattering spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry, radioimmunoassay, MS and so on. Some have pursued simple and easy operation, while others have emphasized on accuracy and applications in clinical medicine. This review provides a comprehensive summary of various methods of detecting HCG.

The regulation of ovary and conceptus on the uterine natural killer cells during early pregnancy

Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are short-lived, terminally differentiated and the most abundant lymphocytes in the uterus which play a crucial role in the spiral arteriole modification and establishment of successful pregnancy. Dysregulation of uNK cells has been linked to gestational implications such as recurrent pregnancy loss, preeclampsia and fetal growth retardation. There is evidence showing that progesterone and estrogen can regulate the recruitment, proliferation, differentiation and function of uNK cells via direct action on intracellular nuclear receptors or through intermediary cells in the uterus during early pregnancy. As the deepening of related research in this field, the role of conceptus in such regulation has received extensive attention, it utilizes endocrine signaling (hCG), juxtacrine signaling (HLA-C, HLA-E, HLA-G) and paracrine signaling (cytokines) to facilitate the activities of uNK cells. In addition, under the influence of ovarian hormones, conceptus can increase expression of PIBF and HLA-G molecules to reduce cytotoxicity of uNK cells and promote angiogenesis. In this review, we aim to concentrate on the novel findings of ovarian hormones in the regulation of uNK cells, emphasize the regulatory role of conceptus on uNK cells and highlight the proposed issues for future research in the field.

Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin expression in recurrent and metastatic giant cell tumors of bone: a potential mimicker of germ cell tumor

Giant cell tumors of bone (GCTs) are generally benign, locally aggressive neoplasms that rarely metastasize. The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) is expressed in syncytiotrophoblasts and several nongynecologic neoplasms but has not been described in GCT. At our institution, we observed cases of elevated beta-hCG in patients with GCT leading to diagnostic difficulty and in one case, concern for metastatic choriocarcinoma. This study aims to determine the frequency of beta-hCG expression in GCT and any relationship to clinical aggressiveness. We evaluated tissue expression of beta-hCG by immunohistochemistry with 58% of cases staining for beta-hCG. Additionally, 2 of 11 patients with available serum and/or urine beta-hCG measurements demonstrated elevated beta-hCG due to tumor. It is important to be aware of beta-hCG expression by GCT and the potential for elevated urine and serum beta-hCG levels in patients with GCT so as to avoid misdiagnosis of pregnancy or gestational trophoblastic disease.

Luteinizing hormone receptor deficiency increases the susceptibility to alkylating agent-induced lymphomagenesis in mice

Previous studies have revealed a close link between luteinizing hormone (LH)/human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) signaling and oncogenesis in gonadal and nongonadal tissues. To investigate whether genetic ablation of LH receptor (Lhr) affects the animal's oncogenic susceptibility, adult female wild-type (wt), heterozygous, and homozygous Lhr knockout (LhrKO) mice were intraperitoneally injected with an alkylating agent, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU, 50 mg/kg of body weight). The mice were sacrificed when they were short of breath or 10 months after the injection. The results showed that MNU induced non-Hodgkin's thymic and lymphonodus lymphomas in 70.6% and 100% of heterozygous and homozygous animals, respectively, compared with 35.7% in wt siblings. The tumor development was rapid; they were more aggressive and metastasized to the spleen, liver, and kidney in Lhr-deficient mice compared to wt siblings. All tumors were immunostained-positive for a T-cell specific marker, CD3, but not for a B-cell marker, CD22, suggesting that all the lymphomas arose from T-cells, which are known to be LH/hCG receptor-positive. There was no rearrangement of the Lhr gene locus or differences in thymic cell proliferation among the genotypes. However, apoptosis was lower in the Lhr-deficient thymuses. The thymic Bcl-2 levels were elevated and caspase-3 activation was reduced in Lhr heterozygous and homozygous animals. In conclusion, MNU induced a higher incidence and an earlier onset of aggressive lymphomas in LhrKO animals, which may be associated with a reduction in apoptosis of thymocytes.

Proliferation of uterine natural killer cells is induced by human chorionic gonadotropin and mediated via the mannose receptor

The endometrial lining of the human uterus contains a population of phenotypically distinct (CD56(bright), CD16(dim)), tissue-specific, natural killer [uterine natural killer (uNK)] cells that play a key role in the establishment of a successful pregnancy. An increase in the number of endometrial uNK cells occurs when the conceptus implants, and there is a further increase during the early stages of placentation. Here, we describe studies that have identified human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), a glycoprotein synthesized by the preimplantation conceptus, as a novel regulator of uNK cell proliferation. The impact of hCG on uNK cells was mediated via the mannose receptor (CD206) rather than by the classical hCG/LH receptor that was not expressed. The mannose receptor and hCG were colocalized on the surface of uNK cells, and proliferation did not occur if cells were incubated with deglycosylated hCG or intact hCG in the presence of excess d-Mannose. These novel observations provide new insight into the endocrine-immune dialogue that exists between the conceptus and immune cells within the receptive endometrium, and have implications for the role of uNK cell-trophoblast interactions and pregnancy outcome.

Recent trends in the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndrome

Testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is defined as a clinical and biochemical syndrome associated with advancing age and is characterized by typical symptoms and deficiency in serum testosterone levels. TDS is a result of the interaction of hypothalamo-pituitary and testicular factors. Now, treatment of TDS with testosterone is still controversial due to a lack of large, controlled clinical trials on efficacy. The risks of treatment with testosterone appear to be minimal, although long-term studies on the safety of testosterone therapy are lacking. The aim of the therapy is to establish a physiological concentration of serum testosterone in order to correct the androgen deficiency, relieve its symptoms and prevent long-term sequelae. All of the available products, despite their varying pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles, are able to reach this goal. Newer testosterone patches seem not to cause severe skin irritation. Testosterone gels minimize the skin irritation while providing flexibility in dosing and a low discontinuation rate. Oral testosterone undecanoate (TU) is free of liver toxicity. Recent formulation of oral TU markedly increased shelf-live, a major drawback in the older preparation. Producing swings in testosterone levels rising rapidly to the supraphysiological range is not the case with the new injectable long-acting preparation of TU. To be able to rapidly react and stop treatment in cases where side-effects and contraindications are detected, the short-acting transdermal and oral delivery modes have certain advantages. However, there is no evidence that the use of an injectable long-acting TU in men with TDS has limitations in clinical application for this reason. The use of dehydroepiandrosterone is still controversial because of a lack of well designed long-term trials, although some recent studies suggest positive effects on various body systems. Only a few studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in TDS with some positive results on various body systems.

Ectopic hCGbeta expression by epithelial cancer: malignant behaviour, metastasis and inhibition of tumor cell apoptosis

Ectopic expression of the beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is now a recognized phenomenon in 20-40% of all common epithelial carcinoma arising from mucosal epithelia such as bladder, cervix, lung and naso-pharynx. Recent studies have shown that it acts as an autocrine growth factor by inhibiting apoptosis. Structural homology and in vitro studies suggest that it may achieve this by inhibition of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) receptor complex. Such a molecular mechanism would go some way to explaining ectopic hCGbeta's association with poor prognosis and tumors that will rapidly progress to metastasis.

Smad6 represses Dlx3 transcriptional activity through inhibition of DNA binding

Dlx3 (Distal-less 3) is a homeobox-containing transcription factor required for normal placental development in mice. Here we demonstrate that Dlx3 interacts with Smad6, a member of a larger family of transcriptional regulators generally thought to regulate transforming growth factor beta/bone morphogenetic protein signaling. Immunocytochemical and immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate overlapping nuclear localization and physical interaction between Dlx3 and Smad6 in human choriocarcinoma cells and in differentiated trophoblasts from human placenta. In vitro protein interaction studies mapped the Smad6 interaction domain within Dlx3 to residues 80-163, a region of Dlx3 that includes a portion of the homeodomain. Dlx3 and Dlx4 share homology within this region, and Dlx4 was also found to bind Smad6. Using the Esx1 gene promoter as a model for a Dlx3-responsive gene, studies demonstrate two near consensus Dlx3 binding sites within the proximal 2.3 kb of the transcription start site. Interestingly, binding of Dlx3 to one of these two sites was inhibited by interaction with Smad6. Consistent with this result, expression of an Esx1 promoter luciferase reporter was increased by overexpression of Dlx3; this effect was reversed with co-expression of Smad6. Further, small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous Smad6 increased Dlx3-dependent expression of the Esx1 gene promoter. Thus, Smad6 appears to functionally interact with Dlx3, altering the ability of Dlx3 to bind target gene promoters. Smad6 appears to play a modulatory role in the regulation of Dlx3-dependent gene transcription within placental trophoblasts.

A quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 6q influences birth weight in two independent family studies

Low birth weight is an important cause of infant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Birth weight has been shown to be inversely correlated with adult complex diseases such as obesity, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the genetic factors influencing variation in birth weight and its association with diseases that occur in later life. We, therefore, have performed a genome-wide search to identify genes that influence birth weight in Mexican-Americans using the data from the San Antonio Family Birth Weight Study participants (n=840). Heritability of birth weight was estimated as 72.0+/-8.4% (P<0.0001) after adjusting for the effects of sex and term. Multipoint linkage analysis yielded the strongest evidence for linkage of birth weight (LOD=3.7) between the markers D6S1053 and D6S1031 on chromosome 6q. This finding has been replicated (LOD=2.3) in an independent European-American population. Together, these findings provide substantial evidence (LOD(adj)=4.3) for a major locus influencing variation in birth weight. This region harbors positional candidate genes such as chorionic gonadotropin, alpha chain; collagen, type XIX, alpha-1; and protein-tyrosine phosphatase, type 4A, 1 that may play a role in fetal growth and development. In addition, potential evidence for linkage (LOD>or=1.2) was found on chromosomes 1q, 2q, 3q, 4q, 9p, 19p and 19q with LODs ranging from 1.3 to 2.7. Thus, we have found strong evidence for a major gene on chromosome 6q that influences variation in birth weight in both Mexican- and European-Americans.

ISA, ISSAM and EAU recommendations for the investigation, treatment and monitoring of late-onset hypogonadism in males: scientific background and rationale

Prescription sales for testosterone products have substantially increased over the last several years reflecting the growing awareness of physicians for the potential benefits of testosterone replacement therapy in men with hypogonadism. Indiscriminate administration of testosterone poses a risk and has to be deprecated. Testosterone supplementation to treat late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), a term for androgen deficiency in elderly men, is still controversially discussed mainly due to a lack of large, controlled clinical trials on efficacy and safety. To provide guidance for physicians primarily dealing with aging men, ISSAM is periodically updating and publishing its recommendations as new data become available [Morales A, Lunenfeld B. International Society for the Study of the Aging Male. Investigation, treatment and monitoring of late-onset hypogonadism in males. Official recommendations of ISSAM. International Society for the Study of the Aging Male. Aging Male 2002;5:74-86 and Morales A, Lunenfeld B. Androgen replacement therapy in aging men with secondary hypogonadism. Draft recommendations for endorsement by ISSAM. Aging Male 2001;4:1]. Following a panel discussion at the 4th ISSAM Congress in Prague in February 2004, the International Society of Andrology (ISA), the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male (ISSAM) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) revised existing recommendations on the definition, diagnosis and management of LOH. The recommendations are based on the currently available scientific data on androgen supplementation therapy and should be regarded as provisional until larger-scale, long-term studies are available. While certainly not intending to be exhaustive, this review will highlight some relevant background information and provide the underlying scientific rationale for the ISA, ISSAM and EAU recommendations on LOH published in this issue.