The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low concentrations of DEHP and MEHP on steroidogenesis in a murine Leydig tumor cell line (MLTC-1) in vitro. The result of flow cytometry analysis revealed that the proportion of apoptotic cells was significantly increased after the exposure to DEHP. All three genes (P450scc, P450c17, and 3βHSD) under study showed an increased expression following exposure to DEHP or MEHP, although some insignificant inhibitory effects appeared in the 10 μmol/L treatment group as compared with the controls. It was also found that compared with the controls. It was also found that DEHP or MEHP stimulated INSL3 mRNA and protein especially in the 0.001 μmol/L treatment group. Testosterone secretions were stimulated after the exposure to DEHP or MEHP. Alternations of steroidogenic enzymes and INSL3 in MLTC-1 cells might be involved in the biphasic effects of DEHP/MEHP on androgen production.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate ; analogs & derivatives ; toxicity ; Leydig Cell Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Steroids ; biosynthesis

BACKGROUND: Local adverse events associated with inhaled corticosteroid use, including dysphonia, pharyngitis and oral candidiasis, can affect adherence for treatment. 'Mouth rinsing method' has been used for reducing local adverse events, but it cannot ensure complete prevention. The goal of this pilot study was to identify whether the 'immediate diet method' can reduce local adverse events in a limited number of patients. METHODS: The study was conducted in a total of 98 patients, who had been prescribed a medium-dose fluticasone propionate for the first time, from January to October in 2010. One training nurse had performed the education on how to use the inhaler, including the mouth rinsing method. And with follow-ups at one month intervals, any patient who experienced such adverse events were educated on the immediate diet method, having a meal within 5 minutes after using an inhaler and they were checked on any incurrence of adverse events with one month intervals for 2 months. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 65.9 years old. The local adverse events had incurred from 18.4% of the study subjects. When performed the follow-up observation in 18 patients with local adverse events after education on the immediate diet method, 14 patients (77.8%) had shown symptomatic improvements. Three of 4 patients did not show any improvement, in spite of implementing the immediate diet method. The other 1 patient did not practice the immediate diet method properly. CONCLUSION: The immediate diet method may be useful in reducing the local adverse events, caused by the use of inhaled corticosteroid.
Androstadienes ; Candidiasis, Oral ; Diet ; Dietary Sucrose ; Diethylpropion ; Drug Toxicity ; Dysphonia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Meals ; Mouth ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Pharyngitis ; Pilot Projects ; Steroids ; Fluticasone

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis is a small vessel inflammatory disease mediated mostly by deposition of immune complexes. Etanercept (Enbrel(R)) is widely used not only for rheumatic disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis but also for dermatological diseases including psoriasis. Adverse drug reactions including pruritus, angioedema, and skin cancer have been reported. A 35-year-old female presented with palpable purpuric patches that developed on both lower legs 10 months after etanercept administration. A skin biopsy showed characteristic features of leukocytoclastic vasculitis, including perivascular infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes with leukocytoclasia and fibrinoid necrosis of the vessel wall. The patient was treated with oral and topical steroids, and the response was excellent and rapid. The patient was administered etanercept to control underlying ankylosing spondylitis. The skin lesions disappeared gradually after 4 weeks, and no other lesions were seen. The number of patients using etanercept has been increasing thus, the possibility of leukocytoclastic vasculitis in patients using etanercept should be considered.
Adult ; Angioedema ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Biopsy ; Drug Toxicity ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Leg ; Lymphocytes ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Steroids ; Vasculitis ; Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous ; Etanercept

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration alone or exercise combined with DHEA before steroid treatment on rat hindlimb muscles. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of three groups: a steroid group (S, n=10) that had no treatment for 7 days before steroid treatment; a DHEA-steroid group (DS, n=8) that had 0.34 mmol/kg/day DHEA injection once a day for 7 days before steroid treatment and an exercise?steroid group (EDS, n=9) that ran on the treadmill combined with 0.34 mmol/kg/day DHEA injection for 7 days before steroid treatment. At 15 days all rats were anesthetized and soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles were dissected. Body weight, food intake, muscle weight, myofibillar protein content and cross-sectional area of the dissected muscles were determined. RESULTS: The DS group showed significant increases (p<.05) as compared to the steroid group in body weight, and muscle weight of gastrocnemius muscles. The EDS group showed significant increases (p<.05) as compared to the S group in body weight, muscle weight, myofibrillar protein content, and Type II fiber cross-sectional area of soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles. CONCLUSION: Exercise combined with DHEA administration before steroid treatment prevents steroid induced muscle atrophy, with exercise combined with DHEA administration being more effective than DHEA administration alone in preventing muscle atrophy.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Dehydroepiandrosterone/*administration & dosage ; Hindlimb ; Male ; Muscle Contraction/drug effects ; Muscle, Skeletal/*drug effects/pathology ; Muscular Atrophy/chemically induced/*prevention & control ; *Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Steroids/*toxicity

Interstitial lung disease in children (chILD) is a group of disorders characterized by lung inflammation and interstitial fibrosis. In the past recent years, we noted an outbreak of child in Korea, which is possibly associated with inhalation toxicity. Here, we report a series of cases involving toxic inhalational injury-associated chILD with bronchiolitis obliterans pattern in Korean children. This study included 16 pediatric patients confirmed by lung biopsy and chest computed tomography, between February 2006 and May 2011 at Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital. The most common presenting symptoms were cough and dyspnea. The median age at presentation was 26 months (range: 12-47 months), with high mortality (44%). Histopathological analysis showed bronchiolar destruction and centrilobular distribution of alveolar destruction by inflammatory and fibroproliferative process with subpleural sparing. Chest computed tomography showed ground-glass opacities and consolidation in the early phase and diffuse centrilobular nodular opacity in the late phase. Air leak with severe respiratory difficulty was associated with poor prognosis. Although respiratory chemicals such as humidifier disinfectants were strongly considered as a cause of this disease, further studies are needed to understand the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease to improve the prognosis and allow early diagnosis and treatment.
APACHE ; Bronchi/pathology ; Child, Preschool ; Cough/etiology ; Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use ; Disinfectants/*toxicity ; Dyspnea/etiology ; Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine/therapeutic use ; Immunoglobulins/therapeutic use ; Infant ; Inhalation ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/chemically induced/drug therapy/*pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids/therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of C21 steroidal glycoside (CSG) from the root of Cynanchum auriculatum from Jiangsu on D-galactose (D-gal) induced aging model mice.

METHODD-gal aging mouse model was established by cervicodorsal region subcutaneous injection with D-gal once a day for eight successive weeks. The mice in the normal control group (NCG, non-modeled) and the model control group (MCG, modeled but untreated) were treated with 1% CMC-Na. The model mice in the low, middle and high-dose CSG and Vitamin E treated groups were treated with a dose of (10, 20, 40, 100 mg x kg(-1) per day, respectively. The SOD activity, MDA content and telomerase activity in serum, heart, liver and brain tissues of mice were measured.

RESULTCSG could obviously increase the SOD activity and decrease the MDA level in serum, heart, liver and brain tissues in D-gal aging mice (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between three CSG treated groups and Vitamin E treated groups. In comparison of telomerase activity between MCG and the treated groups, it was shown that there was a significant increase in serum in middle and high dose group, and in heart tissues in CSG and Vit E treated groups, but was not in liver and brain tissue.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrates that CSG can antagonize free radical injury, increase the SOD activity and decrease the MDA content of serum, heart, liver and brain in D-gal aging mice, and increase the telomerase activity in serum and heart tissues but not in liver and brain tissue.

Aging ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cynanchum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Galactose ; toxicity ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Steroids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; metabolism ; Telomerase ; metabolism