No abstract

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease is a relatively rare congenital disease affecting the kidneys and liver. We noticed the kidney abnormality at 22 weeks gestation and observed the patient till the delivery at 36 weeks of gestation. The ultrasonographic features consisted of bilaterally enlarged hyperechogenic kidneys, oligohydramnios, lack of distention and difficulty in identifying the fetal urinary bladder. The serial sonographic features of the kidneys changed as pregnancy progressed. The kidney cysts gradually changed in size, shape and renal texture, but the umbilical velocimetry and the kidney circumference/abdominal circumference ratio did not change. Magnetic resonance imaging also showed similar characteristic features as observed by ultrasonography.

The binding of 125I-labelled human LH (hLH) to the 2000 g subcellular fraction of human corpora lutea of the menstrual cycle was examined. Displacement studies demonstrated that 125I-labelled hLH was specifically bound in the 2000 g fraction of human luteal tissue. Specific binding of 125I-labelled hLH was demonstrated in all the corpora lutea examined except for two aged corpora lutea at an early proliferative phase of the cycle. The number of binding sites for hLH increased between the early to mid-luteal phase and decreased towards the late luteal phase. However, the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) in each corpus luteum did not vary throughout the menstrual cycle. In addition, the effects of treatment with diethylstilboestrol diphosphate (DES) and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on the binding of 125I-labelled hLH to the 2000 g fraction of luteal tissue were investigated and the changes in hLH receptors were estimated by Scatchard analysis. The number of binding sites were 1.59 x 10(-14) mol/mg protein in control tissue, 0.86 x 10(-14) mol/mg protein in DES-treated luteal tissue and 2.95 x 10(-14) mol/mg protein in PGF2 alpha-treated luteal tissue. Thus, the binding sites for hLH decreased as a result of treatment with DES and increased by treatment with PGF2 alpha. In contrast, the apparent Kd in each luteal tissue revealed almost the same value (4.24 x 10(-10) mol/1) after treatment with DES or PGF2 alpha. The results of the present study suggest that oestrogen and prostaglandin might have an important role in modulating hLH receptor in human corpora lutea.