French Jeffrey A, Koban Tina, Rukstalis Michael, Ramirez Stephanie M, Bardi Massimo, Brent Linda
Department of Comparative Medicine and Southwest National Primate Research Center, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2004 May 15;137(1):69-77. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2004.02.008.
Steroid hormones are important regulators of a wide variety of reproductive and behavioral functions. We investigated the ability to track sex steroids and glucocorticoids in urine samples collected noninvasively from pre- and postpartum female baboons. Paired plasma and urine samples were collected every 2 weeks prior to and following birth in 10 females. Changes in concentrations of plasma steroids (estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol) were reflected in changes in urinary metabolite excretion (estrone conjugates, pregnanediol conjugates, and cortisol; r's>0.36, p's<0.001). A low correlation between prepartum plasma and urinary cortisol may reflect late-gestational changes in the production and/or metabolism of glucocorticoids. Steroid excretion profiles in a large sample of females giving birth and caring for healthy infants (n = 108) were compared with profiles obtained from females with poor maternal-fetal outcomes (late-term stillbirth, n = 14) and from females with significant postpartum problems with maternal care (n = 20). Mothers giving birth to stillborn infants had lower prepartum levels of urinary estrone conjugates and cortisol, suggesting reduced placental steroidogenesis. Mothers with postpartum behavioral difficulties had higher concentrations of prepartum estrone excretion, lower cortisol excretion, and elevated E/P ratios throughout the peripartum period. Noninvasive sample collection and enzyme immunoassay, therefore, have predictive utility regarding circulating steroid concentrations and can identify important endocrine correlates of physiological and behavioral abnormalities in baboons.
类固醇激素是多种生殖和行为功能的重要调节因子。我们研究了从产前和产后雌性狒狒非侵入性收集的尿液样本中追踪性类固醇和糖皮质激素的能力。在10只雌性狒狒分娩前和分娩后，每2周采集配对的血浆和尿液样本。血浆类固醇（雌二醇、孕酮和皮质醇）浓度的变化反映在尿代谢物排泄的变化中（雌酮结合物、孕二醇结合物和皮质醇；r值>0.36，p值<0.001）。产前血浆和尿皮质醇之间的低相关性可能反映了糖皮质激素产生和/或代谢的晚期妊娠变化。将大量分娩并照顾健康婴儿的雌性（n = 108）的类固醇排泄谱与母胎结局不良的雌性（晚期死产，n = 14）以及产后母亲护理存在重大问题的雌性（n = 20）的类固醇排泄谱进行比较。分娩死产婴儿的母亲产前尿雌酮结合物和皮质醇水平较低，表明胎盘类固醇生成减少。产后有行为困难的母亲在整个围产期的产前雌酮排泄浓度较高，皮质醇排泄较低，E/P比值升高。因此，非侵入性样本采集和酶免疫测定对于循环类固醇浓度具有预测效用，并且可以识别狒狒生理和行为异常的重要内分泌相关性。
