Ozin, Roberta Lauren;
(1992)
Sodium transport in premenstrual syndrome: leucocytes and platelets as model cells.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
The aim of this project was to study the sodium pump in premenstrual syndrome (PMS). As most women with PMS complain of "bloatedness" and water retention, researchers have tried, without much success, to establish scientific proof for this phenomenon especially since changes in the sodium pump activity have been reported in diseases where water retention occurs. Also there is evidence that ovarian hormones influence the sodium pump and cyclical changes in these hormones occur in PMS. Thus, there are several links between PMS and the sodium pump. An ex vivo study was carried out using leucocytes to assess sodium transport during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in women with PMS and normal controls. The results showed a significantly decreased pump activity and increased percentage of intracellular water in the luteal phase of women with PMS. Since ovarian hormones may play a role in PMS we attempted to investigate their effect on the sodium pump, in vitro. Ethanol, required to dissolve the steroid hormones, altered Na+, K+-ATPase activity. Ouabain, essential for assessing Na+,K+-ATPase activity, appears to react with these hormones. Therefore, technical difficulties made this work impossible. Leucocytes are difficult to use, requiring lengthy, complicated procedures and large volumes of blood. Hence, human platelets were chosen as an alternative. A method was devised to assess sodium transport in platelets and the effects of various stimulators and inhibitors of sodium influx were studied. The pattern of Na+, K+-ATPase activity was similar to that previously described for leucocytes and to that reported with rubidium influx in human platelets. However, there were subtle differences between sodium and potassium transport that should be considered in future studies. The advantages of this new methodology were applied for the assessment of a cardiotonic drug, milrinone.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Sodium transport in premenstrual syndrome: leucocytes and platelets as model cells |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Thesis digitised by ProQuest. |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10124033 |
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