Parkinson''s disease (PD) is characterized by a markedly decreased number of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. The pathogenesis of PD is still unknown; among other etiological factors, immunological abnormalities have been suggested. Recently, interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been hypothesized to be an endogenous cytokine that regulates striatal dopaminergic function. We examined the plasma concentrations of IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and blood levels of ACTH, Cortisol and prolactin of 21 patients with PD without any previous treatment. Age-and sex-matched subjects without any neurological or immune disorders were used as controls. Significantly higher serum concentrations of IL-2 in patients with PD were found. Treatment with antiparkinsonian drugs reduced IL-2 levels in these patients. Our results suggest a functional relationship between central dopaminergic and immune systems and a possible involvement of the latter in the pathogenesis of PD.

Although there is an increasing evidence that the pineal gland may play a role in human malignancy, the studies on melatonin concentrations in different types of malignant tumors brought about controversial results. However, changes in melatonin concentrations have been observed in some types of human malignant tumors. Therefore, we decided to study the circadian melatonin rhythm in patients suffering from cervical cancer in different stages of progression and to compare them with those in subjects free from neoplastic disease. A total of 45 women were analyzed in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 31 patients [mean age 52.1 +/- 1.8 yr (mean +/- S.E.M.), range 32-77 yr] with cervical cancer in various stages of the disease. The second group consisted of 14 healthy volunteers [mean age 53.5 +/- 2.0 yr (mean +/- S.E.M.), range 42-63] who served as the control group. Blood samples were collected at 08:00, 12:00, 16:00, 20:00, 22:00, 24:00, 02:00, 04:00, 06:00, and 08:00 hours. Melatonin concentration was measured by immunoenzymatic method. There were significant differences in circadian melatonin profiles as well as in the area under curve among the two studied groups. Melatonin concentrations were significantly lower in cancer patients in comparison with healthy individuals. Taking into consideration stage of the cervical cancer significantly lower melatonin secretion has been found in all subgroups of patients in comparison with that of tumor-free control group. Additionally, nocturnal melatonin concentrations as well as area under curve were significantly lower in advanced stage of cancer (stages 3 and 4) in comparison with patients with preinvasive cancer (stage 0) at 24:00, 02:00, and 04:00 hours and patients with stage 1 disease at 02:00 and 04:00 hours. The results of the present study indicate that the presence of cervical cancer influences melatonin levels in women. Moreover, stage dependence in reduction of melatonin concentrations has been found.

Diurnal rhythm of serum melatonin concentrations was estimated in 12 men with low back pain syndrome before and after exposure to a very low-frequency magnetic field (2.9 mT, 40 Hz, square wave, bipolar). Patients were exposed to the magnetic field for 3 weeks (20 min per day, 5 days per week) either in the morning (at 10:00 hr) or in the late afternoon (at 18:00 hr). Significant depression in nocturnal melatonin rise was observed regardless of the time of exposure. This phenomenon was characteristic for all the subjects, although the percent of inhibition of melatonin secretion varied among the studied individuals.

The changes in corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), ACTH and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in maternal and fetal plasma were estimated in women undergoing spontaneous and oxytocininduced labour to correlate hormone changes with the mode of parturition. Blood was sampled from a maternal peripheral vein 2 days before labour, during the second stage of labour and on the second postnatal day, and also from umbilical vessels just after delivery. Hormone concentrations were measured by RIA and ELSA methods. The maternal plasma CRH concentration before labour was significantly higher in the group of women delivered spontaneously and declined during the labour through to the second postnatal day. Measured in umbilical vessels, CRH as well as ACTH concentrations were higher in the umbilical vein than artery. The mean maternal plasma ACTH was similar in both groups before delivery, then increased significantly in both groups during the labour, decreasing on the second day after delivery. There were no changes in DHEA concentrations among the groups and at all time points of collection. No correlations between CRH and ACTH or DHEA were observed. Our results suggest that the maternal pituitary can respond to stress factors during delivery but peripheral CRH, probably mainly of placental origin, is not a major modulator of pituitary action.