title: Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural changes in rat fat tissue related to the local hCG injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, it has been observed that weight loss is accelerated by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone preparation used for hypothalamic dysfunction in obesity treatment in both sexes. hCG is also used for in vitro fertilization and in treatment of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Our aim was to observe the ultrastructural changes caused by local injections of hCG made for purpose of weight loss and to present them to inform those receiving such therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our study, 10 obese female, 10 male obese, 10 non-obese female and 10 non-obese male rats were used. In each group, single dose of subcutaneous hCG injection has been applied to 7 rats for 5 weeks in 5 days of the week, and placebo has been applied to the remaining 3 rats. Following the injection, the tissues were evaluated morphologically, immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leptin immunoreactivity was similar in all groups. When the adipose tissue samples were examined under electron microscope, they were observed to exhibit normal structure with organelles located around the nuclei and nucleoli, and no distinctive features were found among the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administering hCG in addition to diet had no advantage on weight reduction in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Maltepe, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. etunc@ttmail.com  
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tunç
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calgüner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Göktas
authors.forename: Ç
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Elmas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gözil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahçelioglu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Öktem
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007267:Injections; D020738:Leptin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D020738:Leptin