Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 8, 2116-2119,
August 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Nitric oxide synthesis is increased after dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate administration in term human pregnancy
1 Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and 2 Physiology, Shimane Medical University, 89–1 Enya, Izumo 693-8501 and 3 Department of Perinatology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of nitric oxide in the vasodilative effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) in term pregnant women. Circulating nitrite, nitrate and oestradiol concentrations were measured on 10 normal full-term pregnant women before (–30 min) and after (10, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min) administration of a 200 mg i.v. dose of DHEA-S dissolved in 20 ml of 5% dextrose (DHEA-S group). Ten normal full-term pregnant women received 20 ml of 5% dextrose as controls (control group). Maternal blood pressure and heart rate were also recorded. The median oestradiol concentration increased significantly after the infusion in DHEA-S group (P < 0.001), whereas there was no significant change in plasma oestradiol in the control group. In the DHEA-S group, plasma circulating nitrate and nitrite increased significantly at 10 and 30 min after DHEA-S administration respectively (P < 0.05). In the control group, there was no change in plasma nitric oxide (NO) metabolites. No change was found in heart rate or mean arterial blood pressure in the control or DHEA-S groups. These results suggest there may be a link between increased NO and increased oestrogen after DHEA-S injection but their peak values did not coincide. Both may be associated with vasodilation in term pregnant women.
Key words: dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate/nitric oxide/oestrogen/term pregnancy/vasodilative effect
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  P. A. Komesaroff Unravelling the Enigma of Dehydroepiandrosterone: Moving Forward Step by Step Endocrinology, March 1, 2008; 149(3): 886 - 888. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. R. I. Williams, T. Dawood, S. Ling, A. Dai, R. Lew, K. Myles, J. W. Funder, K. Sudhir, and P. A. Komesaroff Dehydroepiandrosterone Increases Endothelial Cell Proliferation in Vitro and Improves Endothelial Function in Vivo by Mechanisms Independent of Androgen and Estrogen Receptors J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2004; 89(9): 4708 - 4715. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.-Y. Wu, K.-H. Chao, J.-H. Yang, T.-H. Lee, Y.-S. Yang, and H.-N. Ho Nitric oxide synthesis is increased in the endometrial tissue of women with endometriosis Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2003; 18(12): 2668 - 2671. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|