Steroid Levels Research Articles

Aqueous extract of Phoenix dactylifera pollen powder elevates serum levels of sex hormones and enhances fertility in female albino rats: a biochemical and histological study

Aqueous extract of Phoenix dactylifera pollen powder elevates serum levels of sex hormones and enhances fertility in female albino rats: a biochemical and histological study

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENDER-AFFIRMING HORMONE THERAPY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENDER-AFFIRMING HORMONE THERAPY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS

Delivery mode is associated with persistent changes of steroid hormone levels in boys at three months of age - a COPANA study of 508 healthy infants

Delivery mode is associated with persistent changes of steroid hormone levels in boys at three months of age - a COPANA study of 508 healthy infants

Paternal use of paracetamol prior to conception is associated with elevated adrenal steroid levels in female infants - a copana study

Paternal use of paracetamol prior to conception is associated with elevated adrenal steroid levels in female infants - a copana study

Association between the atherogenic index of plasma and testosterone deficiency in American adults: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2011–2016

BackgroundA common pathophysiological association between lipid metabolism and sex hormone levels has been revealed in recent research. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is the marker currently used to evaluate metabolism. The purpose of this research was to discover the relationship between the AIP and testosterone deficiency (TD) in a nationwide representative population.MethodsData from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2011 to 2016 were utilized in this cross-sectional research. The formula, lg [TG (mmol/L)/HDL-C(mmol/L)], was applied to determine the AIP. Total serum testosterone levels were used to define TD. Our researcher utilized smoothed curve fitting and multivariate logistic or linear regression analysis to inspect the relationship between AIP and TD among adult males. The consistency of these results was examined in various population subgroups.ResultsIn total, 1,198 individuals (28.6%) were stratified into the TD group. We observed statistically significant differences (P values < 0.05) in the TD population for all variables. After correcting for potential confounders, our researchers discovered a strong positive relationship between the AIP and the probability of developing TD. With each additional unit of the AIP, the incidence of TD increased by 2.81-fold in adult males. Subgroup analyses showed the correlations for the majority of the subgroups remained stable. However, marital status, CKD, smoking, and alcohol consumption may modify this association.ConclusionsA higher AIP is correlated with a lower level of testosterone in adult males. This correlation may be altered by factors including marriage, chronic kidney disease, alcohol, and smoking consumption.

Levels of neuroactive steroids are elevated in those who develop first-onset depression early in pregnancy

BackgroundAllopregnanolone (ALLO) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of postpartum depression. However, ALLO levels have been variably associated with depression during pregnancy. It is unknown if a pre-pregnancy history of major depressive disorder (MDD), which is associated with blunted neurosteroidogenesis, and timing of perinatal depression (PND) may influence the association between neuroactive steroids (NAS) and PND.ObjectiveTo investigate differences in ALLO and other NAS levels during the first (T1) and second (T2) trimesters based on pre-pregnancy history of MDD and current PND.MethodsParticipants completed a diagnostic test of depression, blood samples and mental health history. Ninety-eight participants contributed data in T1 and 93 in T2. Levels of ALLO, pregnanolone (PA), isoallopregnanolone (ISO), epipregnanolone (EPI), and progesterone (P4) were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Analyses of covariance with pairwise comparisons predicted NAS levels from categorized groups of those with: 1) no history of MDD and no PND (never depressed), 2) a history of MDD but no PND (pre-pregnancy depression), 3) a history of MDD and current PND (recurrent depression), and 4) no history of MDD but current PND (perinatal-emergent depression).ResultsAcross groups, there were marginally significant differences in T1 ALLO (p=.05) and ISO levels (p=.05). T1 ALLO levels were higher in the perinatal-emergent versus never depressed (p=.007) and recurrent depression (p=.05) groups. ISO levels were higher in the perinatal-emergent versus recurrent depression (p=.02) and never depressed (p=.03) groups. In T2, there were significant differences in PA levels (p=.04) and marginally significant differences in ALLO (p=.07) and ISO levels (p=.09). ALLO levels were higher in the perinatal-emergent versus recurrent depression group (p=.05), and in the never depressed (p=.05) and pre-pregnancy depression groups (p=.04) compared to recurrent depression. PA levels were higher in the perinatal-emergent depression versus never depressed (p=.02) and recurrent depression (p=.01) groups, and ISO levels were higher in the perinatal-emergent depression versus never depressed (p=.03) and recurrent depression (p=.07) groups.ConclusionsThese results suggest differing NAS-related mechanisms of pathogenesis across clinical phenotypes based on pre-pregnancy history of MDD and timing of PND onset. Future research should account for these factors when investigating NAS and PND.

Huangkui capsule, an extract from Abelmoschus manihot (L.) medic, inhibits adrenal aldosterone synthesis and renal ERK/EGR1 pathway in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease.

Huangkui capsule, an extract from Abelmoschus manihot (L.) medic, inhibits adrenal aldosterone synthesis and renal ERK/EGR1 pathway in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease.

Chronic inflammation response as a key factor in polycystic ovary syndrome among patients with bipolar disorder.

Chronic inflammation response as a key factor in polycystic ovary syndrome among patients with bipolar disorder.

Low-level exposure to environmental lithium element affects male reproductive outcomes: Results from the MARHCS cohort study in Chongqing, China and in vivo animal experiments.

Low-level exposure to environmental lithium element affects male reproductive outcomes: Results from the MARHCS cohort study in Chongqing, China and in vivo animal experiments.

Fibrin Encapsulation in Addition with Melatonin and Endothelial Cells Aameliorated Steroidogenesis and GDF-9 and BMP-15 Genes Expression in Rat Cryopreserved/Thawed Ovaries Auto-transplanted.

Fibrin Encapsulation in Addition with Melatonin and Endothelial Cells Aameliorated Steroidogenesis and GDF-9 and BMP-15 Genes Expression in Rat Cryopreserved/Thawed Ovaries Auto-transplanted.

Guhan Yangsheng Jing mitigates oxidative stress and ferroptosis to improve reproductive damage in Diabetic Male Rats.

Guhan Yangsheng Jing mitigates oxidative stress and ferroptosis to improve reproductive damage in Diabetic Male Rats.

Effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia on hippocampal lipid metabolism in mice: A targeted lipidomics study.

Effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia on hippocampal lipid metabolism in mice: A targeted lipidomics study.

Sexual response in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-control study.

To study genital response and sexual arousal in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and assess associations with sex steroid levels. This observational prospective case-control study was conducted from March 2017 until March2020. Heterosexual women with (n = 68) and without (n = 67) PCOS, aged 18-40 years, in a steady relationship and without any comorbidities. All participants underwent an extensive medical and endocrine screening as well as assessment of genital blood flow (vaginal pulse amplitude), assessed with photoplethysmography), and sexual arousal and affect (Likert scale questionnaire) in response to erotic and vibrotactile stimulation. Vaginal pulse amplitude, lubrication, subjective sexual arousal, and affect. There were no significant differences in genital blood flow response and self-reported lubrication between women with and without PCOS. After adjusting for confounders, women with PCOS did report significantly lower positive affect in the fantasy and vibrotactile condition than those without PCOS. Regression analyses adjusted for confounders showed only few and weak associations of sexual responses with androgen levels explaining only a maximum of 6% of variance in all models in women with and those without PCOS. The PCOS group showed only weak associations between subjective sexual arousal and dehydroepiandrosterone (fantasy, β = 1.719, adjusted R2 = 0.020) and sex hormone binding globulin (fantasy, β = -1.728, adjusted R2 = 0.044). Women with PCOS show similar genital sexual response and lubrication but lower positive affect than those without PCOS; however, only few and weak associations with the androgen levels were found. The androgen levels are not indicative of genital response and subjective arousal. Sexual function should be discussed in clinical care and psychosexual counseling should be offered. CCMO register, NL55484.078.16.

Prepartal Stress, Prepartal and Postpartal Hair Glucocorticoid Concentrations, and Symptoms of Postpartum Depression 3 Days and 12 Weeks After Delivery.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mental health problem that affects about 17% of mothers. The aims of the current study were to observe the associations between prenatal stress, self- and expert-rated PPD, and prepartal and postpartal hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations as proxies for altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (HPA-AA). A total of 129 mothers (mean age 33.1 years) completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale 3 days (baseline) and 12 weeks (study end) postpartum. At the end of the study, participants reported on prepartum stressful life events, experts rated participants' symptoms of depression, and participants provided 6 cm of hair strands for analysis of hair glucosteroid levels 12 weeks before and 12 weeks after delivery. Prepartal stress was associated with higher scores for self- and expert-rated PPD and with lower hair cortisone concentrations as a proxy for less adaptive HPA-AA. Higher prepartal and postpartal hair cortisol/cortisone ratios (i.e., higher cortisol/lower cortisone concentrations) were associated with higher PPD symptom scores. Women with prepartal stress were at increased risk of experiencing PPD 12 weeks after delivery. Altered hair steroid levels (lower cortisone concentrations) as a proxy for altered HPA-AA further substantiated this association. Results suggest that 1) both prepartal stress and the suppression of HPA-AA appear to be involved in the development of PPD; 2) hair steroid analysis can be used to predict PPD; and 3) women with prepartal stressful life events may benefit from timely support and relief to decrease their risk of developing PPD.

Male sex hormone concentrations, puberty timing, baldness patterns, and risk of cardiovascular disease.

Studies exploring the relationship between male-specific factors and risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are limited and inconsistent. We aimed to examine the association of male hormone levels and sexual factors (e.g., onset of puberty and baldness pattern) with CVD events. This study included 154,970 men from the UK Biobank for prospective analyses. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed, with outcomes of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and heart failure (HF), and adjusted for sociodemographics, lifestyle, and medical factors. Restricted cubic spline models assessed nonlinear associations between sex hormone levels and CVD risks. Over a median follow-up of 13.0 years, 20,216 men (13.0%) experienced a CVD event. Men in the highest quintile of total testosterone had increased stroke risk (HR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.23). A J-shaped relationship was found between sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels and CVD risk, with the highest risk in Q5 (1.08, 1.03-1.13). A U-shaped association was noted for free testosterone (FT), where Q3 had lower CVD risk (0.94, 0.90-0.98). Earlier onset of facial hair or voice breaking (< 13 years) correlated with higher CVD risks (HR 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.16 and HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06-1.22, respectively). Vertex baldness was linked to increased CVD risk (1.05, 1.01-1.09) and CHD risk (1.06, 1.02-1.11). Elevated SHBG levels, earlier puberty onset, and vertex baldness were associated with increased CVD risks in men, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.

Association between neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio and breast cancer in adult women in the US: findings from the NHANES.

An increasing number of studies suggests an association between systemic inflammation, nutritional status, and cancer. However, the relationship between the prevalence of breast cancer (BC) and the neutrophil-percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR), a recently identified biomarker of inflammation, is not well established. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between BC risk and the NPAR. This study included 18,726 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2001 and 2018. The NPAR was used to assess inflammation and nutritional status. Statistical methods such as multivariate logistic regression, subgroup analysis, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis were conducted to investigate the influence of NPAR on the prevalence of BC. In addition, propensity score matching was employed to further validate the findings. The logistic regression results showed that the prevalence of breast cancer is significantly associated with the NPAR (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.02-1.09, p = 0.003). In comparison to participants in the lowest quartile, Q1, the prevalence of breast cancer increased by 5% for those in Q2 (p = 0.745), 3% for those in Q3 (p = 0.032), and 38% for those in Q4 (p = 0.018) with a higher NPAR. In addition, subgroup and RCS analyses showed that the NPAR and BC prevalence were positively correlated. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between the NPAR and marital status. The significance of traits was assessed using mean decrease accuracy (MDA) and mean decrease impurity (MDI). These measures of random forest modeling showed that NPAR is one of the major factors affecting the prevalence of BC. Furthermore, linear analysis demonstrated a correlation between a high NPAR and increased total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels. A significant association was observed between a high NPAR and a higher prevalence of breast cancer, which could be attributable to sex hormone levels. This finding suggests that the NPAR may serve as a biomarker for BC in adult women in the US.

Altered Brain Functional Connectivity and Topological Structural in Girls with Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty: A Graph Theory Analysis Based on Resting-State fMRI

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate changes in brain functional connectivity (FC) and topological structure in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) using complex network theory analysis. Methods: Resting-state fMRI data from 53 ICPP girls (ages 6–8) and 51 controls were analysed. Graph theory was used to construct whole-brain functional networks, identify topological differences, and assess the relationship between sex hormone levels and network properties in regions with group differences. Results: RS-FC analysis revealed reduced connectivity in cognitive and emotional regulation regions in the ICPP group (p &lt; 0.05), but enhanced connectivity in emotional perception and self-regulation areas, such as the amygdala and insula (p &lt; 0.05), suggesting a compensatory mechanism. Graph theory showed that ICPP girls’ brain networks maintained small-world properties (γ &gt; 1, λ ≈ 1, σ &gt; 1). Local topological changes included decreased clustering and node efficiency in cognitive and emotional regulation regions, like the superior frontal gyrus and praecuneus (p &lt; 0.05), while emotional regulation regions (amygdala, insula) showed increased clustering and node efficiency (p &lt; 0.05), indicating compensation. Conclusions: This study highlights compensatory mechanisms in emotional regulation that may offset impairments in cognitive regions, offering new insights into ICPP’s neural mechanisms.

Genetic associations of sex hormones with cerebral aneurysm formation and subarachnoid hemorrhage: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Genetic associations of sex hormones with cerebral aneurysm formation and subarachnoid hemorrhage: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Growth characteristics of children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency and the value of steroid hormones in height assessment

BackgroundImpaired height is a common complication of 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD), yet sensitive monitoring indicators remain limited. This study aims to elucidate growth characteristics and identify effective monitoring parameters for 21OHD children.MethodsCross-sectional data from 111 patients were categorized into four groups based on age and developmental stage: 0 – 2 years, 2 years old to pre-pubertal initiation, puberty initiation to pre-epiphyseal closure, and post-epiphyseal closure, named groups A to D, respectively. Each group was further stratified by phenotype and sex. Height standard deviation scores (HSDS), corrected for bone age (BA) and target height (HSDS – THSDS, HBASDS – THSDS), were calculated. Steroid hormone levels and hydrocortisone (HC) doses were analyzed using statistical models to identify factors influencing height.ResultsThe medians of HSDS – THSDS were > 0 in all subgroups of Group A. The medians of HBASDS – THSDS were < 0 in all subgroups of Group B, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) and HC dose significantly positively influenced BA advancement. BA of patients in Group C was older than the calendar age(CA), while the medians of HBASDS – THSDS in all subgroups except the non-classic females were all < 0, and 17OHP, 21-deoxycortisol(21DOF), and 11-oxy-androgen were significant influencing factors. The medians of final height (FHSDS – THSDS) of all subgroups in Group D were < 0, males with classic 21OHD significantly lower than females.Conclusions21OHD children exhibit accelerated bone maturation as early as childhood, worsening during adolescence, leading to severely impaired growth potential and final height. 17OHP, 21DOF, and 11-oxy-androgens are promising biomarkers for evaluating growth and bone maturity.

Environmental assessment of steroid endocrine disruptors in stranded cetaceans: A methodological approach to detection and analysis.

Environmental assessment of steroid endocrine disruptors in stranded cetaceans: A methodological approach to detection and analysis.