Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer has been associated with increased risk for development of cardiovascular events and recent pooled analyses of randomized intervention trials suggest that this primarily is the case for patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) agonists. In the present study we investigat...

A biodegradable polymeric system is proposed for formulating peptides and proteins. The systems were assembled through the adsorption of biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles onto porous, biodegradable microspheres by an adsorption/infiltration process with the use of an immersion method. The peptide drug is not involved in the manufacturing of the nanoparticles or in obtaining the microspheres...

OBJECTIVE Homeobox genes are transcriptional regulators that orchestrate embryonic development. The HOXA13 gene is responsible for the development of the vagina and regulates extracellular matrix constituents. We hypothesized that vaginal expression of HOXA13 may be decreased in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and sought to determine if hypoestrogenism affects its expression. METHODS B...

We previously reported that ovine and porcine luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulated kidney growth in castrated hypophysectomized rats. Our present study focuses on the physiological role of the renotropic activity of LH isoforms. Plasma LH levels were decreased to 10% of that of castrated control rats by injections of a slow-releasing LHRH agonist, leuprolide acetate, from microcapsules. Compared...

Ketoconazole is a well-tolerated, synthetic, imidazole derivative currently in widespread therapeutic use against mycotic infections. Recent evidence that it depresses testosterone synthesis in humans prompted us to investigate the effects in rats of its administration alone or in combination with the gonadotropin releasing hormone superagonist analogue leuprolide. Plasma luteinizing hormone, t...

Leuprolide acetate is a potent Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) agonist. The general premise behind leuprolide is that it inhibits the synthesis of lutenizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone via a negative feedback. By reducing the production of these hormones, the drug effectively reduces estrogen and androgen production. This compound has been formulated as a depot formulation (...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the safety and efficacy of up to 5 years of degarelix treatment and the effects of crossing over from leuprolide to degarelix in the extension phase of a phase III pivotal 1-year trial. METHODS Patients receiving degarelix who completed the 1-year trial continued on 80 mg (n = 125) or 160 mg (n = 126) maintenance doses. Patients who received leuprolide were rerandomiz...

Leuprolide acetate is a synthetic nonapeptide that is a potent gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) agonist used for diverse clinical applications, including the treatment of prostate cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, central precocious puberty and in vitro fertilization techniques. As its basic mechanism of action, leuprolide acetate suppresses gonadotrope secretion of lutein...

BACKGROUND The treatment options for high-risk prostate cancer are either radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy/brachytherapy depending on the patients' prognosis. In older men with multiple comorbidities, radiotherapy with androgen deprivation therapy is an attractive option. Common side effects of androgen deprivation therapy include hot flushes, tiredness, increased risk of fractures, increa...

Similar to women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), female sheep treated prenatally with testosterone (T-females) are hypergonadotropic, exhibit neuroendocrine defects, multifollicular ovarian morphology, hyperinsulinemia and cycle defects. Hypergonadotropism and multifollicular morphology may in part be due to developmentally regulated increase in pituitary responsiveness to GnRH and may c...