Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E最新文献

{"title":"TGF-β1 inhibits human trophoblast cell invasion by upregulating kisspeptin expression through ERK1/2 but not SMAD signaling pathway.","authors":"Lanlan Fang,&nbsp;Yang Yan,&nbsp;Yibo Gao,&nbsp;Ze Wu,&nbsp;Zhen Wang,&nbsp;Sizhu Yang,&nbsp;Jung-Chien Cheng,&nbsp;Ying-Pu Sun","doi":"10.1186/s12958-022-00902-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00902-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tightly regulation of extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVT) cell invasion is critical for the placentation and establishment of a successful pregnancy. Insufficient EVT cell invasion leads to the development of preeclampsia (PE) which is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and kisspeptin are expressed in the human placenta and have been shown to inhibit EVT cell invasion. Kisspeptin is a downstream target of TGF-β1 in human breast cancer cells. However, whether kisspeptin is regulated by TGF-β1 and mediates TGF-β1-suppressed human EVT cell invasion remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The effect of TGF-β1 on kisspeptin expression and the underlying mechanisms were explored by a series of in vitro experiments in a human EVT cell line, HTR-8/SVneo, and primary cultures of human EVT cells. Serum levels of TGF-β1 and kisspeptin in patients with or without PE were measured by ELISA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TGF-β1 upregulates kisspeptin expression in HTR-8/SVneo cells and primary cultures of human EVT cells. Using pharmacological inhibitor and siRNA, we demonstrate that the stimulatory effect of TGF-β1 on kisspeptin expression is mediated via the ALK5 receptor. Treatment with TGF-β1 activates SMAD2/3 canonical pathways as well as ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT non-canonical pathways. However, only inhibition of ERK1/2 activation attenuates the stimulatory effect of TGF-β1 on kisspeptin expression. In addition, siRNA-mediated knockdown of kisspeptin attenuated TGF-β1-suppressed EVT cell invasion. Moreover, we report that serum levels of TGF-β1 and kisspeptin are significantly upregulated in patients with PE.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>By illustrating the potential physiological role of TGF-β1 in the regulation of kisspeptin expression, our results may serve to improve current strategies used to treat placental diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8802482/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39875362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel bi-allelic MSH4 variants causes meiotic arrest and non-obstructive azoospermia.","authors":"Peng Li,&nbsp;Zhiyong Ji,&nbsp;Erlei Zhi,&nbsp;Yuxiang Zhang,&nbsp;Sha Han,&nbsp;Liangyu Zhao,&nbsp;Ruhui Tian,&nbsp;Huixing Chen,&nbsp;Yuhua Huang,&nbsp;Jing Zhang,&nbsp;Huirong Chen,&nbsp;Fujun Zhao,&nbsp;Zhi Zhou,&nbsp;Zheng Li,&nbsp;Chencheng Yao","doi":"10.1186/s12958-022-00900-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00900-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is one of the most severe type in male infertility, and the genetic causes of NOA with meiotic arrest remain elusive.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four Chinese families with NOA participated in the study. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) for the four NOA-affected patients in four pedigrees. The candidate causative gene was further verified by Sanger sequencing. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were carried out to evaluate the stage of spermatogenesis arrested in the patients with NOA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified two novel homozygous frameshift mutations of MSH4 and two novel compound heterozygous variants in MSH4 in four pedigrees with NOA. Homozygous loss of function (LoF) variants in MSH4 was identified in the NOA-affected patient (P9359) in a consanguineous Chinese family (NM_002440.4: c.805_812del: p.V269Qfs*15) and one patient with NOA (P21504) in another Chinese family (NM_002440.4: c.2220_2223del:p.K741Rfs*2). Also, compound heterozygous variants in MSH4 were identified in two NOA-affected siblings (P9517 and P9517B) (NM_002440.4: c.G1950A: p.W650X and c.2179delG: p.D727Mfs*11), and the patient with NOA (P9540) (NM_002440.4: c.G244A: p.G82S and c.670delT: p.L224Cfs*3). Histological analysis demonstrated lack of spermatozoa in seminiferous tubules of all patients and IHC showed the spermatogenesis arrested at the meiotic prophase I stage. Consistent with the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, all of these mutations were inherited from heterozygous parental carriers.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We identified that six novel mutations in MSH4 responsible for meiotic arrest and NOA. And these results provide researchers with a new insight to understand the genetic etiology of NOA and to identify new loci for genetic counselling of NOA.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39964600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recombinant anti-Müllerian hormone in the maturation medium improves the in vitro maturation of human immature (GV) oocytes after controlled ovarian hormonal stimulation.","authors":"Jure Bedenk,&nbsp;Tadeja Režen,&nbsp;Taja Železnik Ramuta,&nbsp;Nina Jančar,&nbsp;Eda Vrtačnik Bokal,&nbsp;Ksenija Geršak,&nbsp;Irma Virant Klun","doi":"10.1186/s12958-022-00895-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00895-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes is a laboratory method that allows the maturation of immature (GV) oocytes retrieved from patients enrolled in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. However, this method is still sparsely researched and used in clinical practice, leading to suboptimal clinical results. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is an important hormone with known effects on human ovaries, especially on follicles (follicular cells) during folliculogenesis. In contrast, the effect of AMH on the human oocyte itself is unknown. Therefore, we wanted to determine whether human oocytes express AMH receptor 2 (AMHR2) for this hormone. Recombinant AMH was added to the IVM medium to determine whether it affected oocyte maturation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In total, 247 human oocytes (171 immature and 76 mature) were collected from patients enrolled in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) programme who were aged 20 to 43 years and underwent a short antagonist protocol of ovarian stimulation. The expression of AMHR2 protein and AMHR2 gene was analysed in immature and mature oocytes. Additionally, maturation of GV oocytes was performed in vitro in different maturation media with or without added AMH to evaluate the effect of AMH on the oocyte maturation rate.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed that AMHR2 protein is expressed in both immature and mature human oocytes. AMHR2 was expressed in a spotted pattern throughout the whole oocyte. The IVM procedure revealed that AMH in maturation medium improved GV oocyte maturation in vitro, as all oocytes were successfully matured in maturation medium containing recombinant AMH only. Furthermore, antagonism between AMH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) during the maturation process was observed, with fewer oocytes maturing when both AMH and FSH were added to the maturation medium. Finally, AMHR2 gene expression was found in immature and in vitro matured oocytes but absent in mature oocytes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The positive AMHR2 protein and AMHR2 gene expression in human oocytes shows that AMH could directly act on human oocytes. This was further functionally confirmed by the IVM procedure. These findings suggest the potential clinical application of recombinant AMH to improve IVM of human oocytes in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8785574/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39963116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zinc transporter ZIP12 maintains zinc homeostasis and protects spermatogonia from oxidative stress during spermatogenesis.","authors":"Xinye Zhu,&nbsp;Chengxuan Yu,&nbsp;Wangshu Wu,&nbsp;Lei Shi,&nbsp;Chenyi Jiang,&nbsp;Li Wang,&nbsp;Zhide Ding,&nbsp;Yue Liu","doi":"10.1186/s12958-022-00893-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00893-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Overwhelming evidences suggest oxidative stress is a major cause of sperm dysfunction and male infertility. Zinc is an important non-enzymatic antioxidant with a wide range of biological functions and plays a significant role in preserving male fertility. Notably, zinc trafficking through the cellular and intracellular membrane is mediated by specific families of zinc transporters, i.e., SLC39s/ZIPs and SLC30s/ZnTs. However, their expression and function were rarely evaluated in the male germ cells. The aim of this study is to determine and characterize the crucial zinc transporter responsible for the maintenance of spermatogenesis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The expression patterns of all 14 ZIP members were characterized in the mouse testis. qRT-PCR, immunoblot and immunohistochemistry analyses evaluated the ZIP12 gene and protein expression levels. The role of ZIP12 expression was evaluated in suppressing the sperm quality induced by exposure to an oxidative stress in a spermatogonia C18-4 cell line. Zip12 RNAi transfection was performed to determine if its downregulation altered cell viability and apoptosis in this cell line. An obese mouse model fed a high-fat-diet was employed to determine if there is a correlation between changes in the ZIP12 expression level and sperm quality.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ZIP12 mRNA and protein expression levels were higher than those of other ZIP family members in both the mouse testis and other tissues. Importantly, the ZIP12 expression levels were very significantly higher in both mice and human spermatogonia and spermatozoa. Moreover, the testicular ZIP12 expression levels significantly decreased in obese mice, which was associated with reduced sperm zinc content, excessive sperm ROS generation, poor sperm quality and male subfertility. Similarly, exposure to an oxidative stress induced significant declines in the ZIP12 expression level in C18-4 cells. Knockdown of ZIP12 expression mediated by transfection of a ZIP12 siRNA reduced both the zinc content and viability whereas apoptotic activity increased in the C18-4 cell line.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The testicular zinc transporter ZIP12 expression levels especially in spermatogonia and spermatozoa are higher than in other tissues. ZIP12 may play a key role in maintaining intracellular zinc content at levels that reduce the inhibitory effects of rises in oxidative stress on spermatogonia and spermatozoa viability during spermatogenesis which help counteract declines in male fertility.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8783530/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39850648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comparative, observational study evaluating dosing characteristics and ovarian response using the recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone pen injector with small-dose dial in assisted reproductive technologies treatment in Asia: IMPROVE study.","authors":"Bum Chae Choi,&nbsp;Canquan Zhou,&nbsp;Hong Ye,&nbsp;Yun Sun,&nbsp;Ying Zhong,&nbsp;Fei Gong,&nbsp;Ivan Sini,&nbsp;Nadezda Abramova,&nbsp;Salvatore Longobardi,&nbsp;Miranda Hickey,&nbsp;Thomas D'Hooghe","doi":"10.1186/s12958-021-00882-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00882-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ovarian stimulation during medically assisted reproduction treatment should be individualized to optimize outcomes and reduce complications. This study assessed whether use of the recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) pen injector allowing small 12.5 IU dose increments resulted in lower r-hFSH dose per oocyte retrieved in a subgroup of patients at risk of OHSS, compared with r-hFSH injection devices allowing only 37.5 IU increments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter, comparative, observational study evaluated patients from a prospective (study group) and historical (control group) cohort. The study group enrolled 1783 patients using the redesigned r-hFSH pen injector (GONAL-f®, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) from a prospective phase IV, non-interventional, open-label study, conducted in Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and China. The control group consisted of 1419 patients from a historical study using r-hFSH devices allowing 37.5 IU increments. In the study group, 397 patients were considered at risk of OHSS; this information was unavailable for the control group, so biomarkers and patient characteristics were used to match 123 patients from the study group and control group. Each center adhered to standard practice; starting dose and intra-cycle dose adjustments were allowed at any point. The primary endpoint, amount of r-hFSH (IU) administered per oocyte retrieved, was assessed in matched patients only. Additional outcomes and safety were assessed in the overall populations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Mean (SD) total dose of r-hFSH administered per oocyte retrieved in patients at risk of OHSS, was significantly lower in the study group compared with the control group (132.5 [85.2] vs. 332.7 [371.6] IU, P < 0.0001, n = 123). Implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rates in the overall study and control groups were 30.0 vs. 20.6%, 50.3 vs. 40.7%, and 43.8 vs. 34.0%, respectively. OHSS incidence was significantly lower in the study group compared with the control group (27/1783 [1.5%] vs. 57/1419 [4.0%] patients, P < 0.0001). AEs were reported by 5.0% of patients in the study group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A significantly lower r-hFSH dose per oocyte retrieved and lower OHSS incidence were observed in patients using the redesigned injector compared with patients using other injection devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8762890/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39941501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human plasma pregnancy-associated miRNAs and their temporal variation within the first trimester of pregnancy.","authors":"Cécilia Légaré,&nbsp;Andrée-Anne Clément,&nbsp;Véronique Desgagné,&nbsp;Kathrine Thibeault,&nbsp;Frédérique White,&nbsp;Simon-Pierre Guay,&nbsp;Benoit J Arsenault,&nbsp;Michelle S Scott,&nbsp;Pierre-Étienne Jacques,&nbsp;Patrice Perron,&nbsp;Renée Guérin,&nbsp;Marie-France Hivert,&nbsp;Luigi Bouchard","doi":"10.1186/s12958-021-00883-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00883-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>During pregnancy, maternal metabolism undergoes substantial changes to support the developing fetus. Such changes are finely regulated by different mechanisms carried out by effectors such as microRNAs (miRNAs). These small non-coding RNAs regulate numerous biological functions, mostly through post-transcriptional repression of gene expression. miRNAs are also secreted in circulation by numerous organs, such as the placenta. However, the complete plasmatic microtranscriptome of pregnant women has still not been fully described, although some miRNA clusters from the chromosome 14 (C14MC) and the chromosome 19 (C19MC and miR-371-3 cluster) have been proposed as being specific to pregnancy. Our aims were thus to describe the plasma microtranscriptome during the first trimester of pregnancy, by assessing the differences with non-pregnant women, and how it varies between the 4^th and the 16^th week of pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Plasmatic miRNAs from 436 pregnant (gestational week 4 to 16) and 15 non-pregnant women were quantified using Illumina HiSeq next-generation sequencing platform. Differentially abundant miRNAs were identified using DESeq2 package (FDR q-value ≤ 0.05) and their targeted biological pathways were assessed with DIANA-miRpath.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2101 miRNAs were detected, of which 191 were differentially abundant (fold change < 0.05 or > 2, FDR q-value ≤ 0.05) between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Of these, 100 miRNAs were less and 91 miRNAs were more abundant in pregnant women. Additionally, the abundance of 57 miRNAs varied according to gestational age at first trimester, of which 47 were positively and 10 were negatively associated with advancing gestational age. miRNAs from the C19MC were positively associated with both pregnancy and gestational age variation during the first trimester. Biological pathway analysis revealed that these 191 (pregnancy-specific) and 57 (gestational age markers) miRNAs targeted genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, ECM-receptor interaction and TGF-beta signaling pathways.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We have identified circulating miRNAs specific to pregnancy and/or that varied with gestational age in first trimester. These miRNAs target biological pathways involved in lipid metabolism as well as placenta and embryo development, suggesting a contribution to the maternal metabolic adaptation to pregnancy and fetal growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8759232/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39821832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptome analysis of eutopic endometrium in adenomyosis after GnRH agonist treatment.","authors":"Jiao Tian,&nbsp;Nannan Kang,&nbsp;Junxia Wang,&nbsp;Haixiang Sun,&nbsp;Guijun Yan,&nbsp;Chenyang Huang,&nbsp;Jie Mei","doi":"10.1186/s12958-021-00881-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00881-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adenomyosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by invasion of the uterine endometrium into the muscle layer. In assisted reproductive technology (ART), gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) is often used to improve pregnancy rates in patients with adenomyosis, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eutopic endometrial specimens were collected from patients with adenomyosis before and after GnRHa treatment in the midsecretory phase. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of these specimens was performed for transcriptome analysis. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of interest were confirmed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 132 DEGs were identified in the endometrium of patients with adenomyosis after GnRHa treatment compared with the control group. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that immune system-associated signal transduction changed significantly after GnRHa treatment. Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) was found to be highly expressed in the eutopic endometrium after GnRHa treatment, which may be involved in the improvement of endometrial receptivity in adenomyosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that molecular regulation related to immune system-associated signal transduction is an important mechanism of GnRHa treatment in adenomyosis. Immunoreactive CCL21 is thought to regulate inflammatory events and participate in endometrial receptivity in adenomyosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8753928/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39814910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"EndMT: New findings on the origin of myofibroblasts in endometrial fibrosis of intrauterine adhesions.","authors":"Chengcheng Xu,&nbsp;Meng Bao,&nbsp;Xiaorong Fan,&nbsp;Jin Huang,&nbsp;Changhong Zhu,&nbsp;Wei Xia","doi":"10.1186/s12958-022-00887-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-022-00887-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is one of the leading causes of infertility and the main clinical challenge is the high recurrence rate. The key to solving this dilemma lies in elucidating the mechanisms of endometrial fibrosis. The aim of our team is to study the mechanism underlying intrauterine adhesion fibrosis and the origin of fibroblasts in the repair of endometrial fibrosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Our experimental study involving an animal model of intrauterine adhesion and detection of fibrosis-related molecules. The levels of molecular factors related to the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) were examined in a rat model of intrauterine adhesion using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, qPCR and Western blot analyses. Main outcome measures are levels of the endothelial marker CD31 and the mesenchymal markers alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and vimentin.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Immunofluorescence co-localization of CD31 and a-SMA showed that 14 days after moulding, double positive cells for CD31 and a-SMA could be clearly observed in the endometrium. Decreased CD31 levels and increased α-SMA and vimentin levels indicate that EndMT is involved in intrauterine adhesion fibrosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Endothelial cells promote the emergence of fibroblasts via the EndMT during the endometrial fibrosis of intrauterine adhesions.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8739974/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39794568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preeclampsia at delivery is associated with lower serum vitamin D and higher antiangiogenic factors: a case control study.","authors":"David B Seifer,&nbsp;Geralyn Lambert-Messerlian,&nbsp;Glenn E Palomaki,&nbsp;Robert M Silver,&nbsp;Corette Parker,&nbsp;Carol J Rowland Hogue,&nbsp;Barbara J Stoll,&nbsp;George R Saade,&nbsp;Robert L Goldenberg,&nbsp;Donald J Dudley,&nbsp;Radek Bukowski,&nbsp;Halit Pinar,&nbsp;Uma M Reddy","doi":"10.1186/s12958-021-00885-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00885-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Preeclampsia is characterized by decreased trophoblastic angiogenesis leading to abnormal invasion of spiral arteries, shallow implantation and resulting in compromised placentation with poor uteroplacental perfusion. Vitamin D plays an important role in pregnancy influencing implantation, angiogenesis and placental development. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between serum vitamin D levels, and anti-angiogenic factors at the time of delivery and the occurrence of preeclampsia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This nested case control study analyzed frozen serum samples at the time of delivery and related clinical data from women with singleton liveborn pregnancies who had participated in studies of the NICHD Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network. Women with a recorded finding of preeclampsia and who had received magnesium sulfate treatment prior to delivery were considered index cases (N = 56). Women without a finding of preeclampsia were controls (N = 341).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Women with preeclampsia had 14.5% lower serum vitamin D levels than women in the control group (16.5 ng/ml vs. 19 ng/ml, p = 0.014) with 64.5% higher sFlt-1 levels (11,600 pg/ml vs. 7050 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and greater than 2 times higher endoglin levels (18.6 ng/ml vs. 8.7 ng/ml, < 0.001). After controlling for gestational age at delivery and maternal BMI, vitamin D levels were 0.88 times lower (P = 0.051), while endoglin levels were 2.5 times higher and sFlt-1 levels were 2.1 times higher than in control pregnancies (P < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Women with preeclampsia at time of delivery have higher maternal antiangiogenetic factors and may have lower maternal serum vitamin D levels. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the underlying etiology of preeclampsia as well as possible modifiable treatment options which could include assuring adequate levels of maternal serum vitamin D prior to pregnancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8734360/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39790878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype does not have impact on oocyte morphology.","authors":"Audrey Uk,&nbsp;Christine Decanter,&nbsp;Camille Grysole,&nbsp;Laura Keller,&nbsp;Hélène Béhal,&nbsp;Mauro Silva,&nbsp;Didier Dewailly,&nbsp;Geoffroy Robin,&nbsp;Anne-Laure Barbotin","doi":"10.1186/s12958-021-00874-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00874-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The primary objective of the present study of women participating in an ICSI program was to determine whether the morphologic quality of oocytes was related to the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotype.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective cohort study in the IVF unit at the Lille University Medical Center (Lille, France) between 2006 and 2015. Oocyte morphology (fragmented first polar body, abnormal zona pellucida, large perivitelline space, material in perivitelline space, abnormal shape of oocyte, granular cytoplasm and intracytoplasmic vacuoles) was evaluated in PCOS women and according to different subgroup (depending on the presence or absence of the cardinal features polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), hyperandrogenism (HA), and oligo-anovulation (OA)).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1496 metaphase II oocytes (n = 602 for phenotype A combining PCOM + HA + OA, n = 462 oocytes for phenotype C: PCOM + HA, and n = 432 for phenotype D: PCOM + OA) were assessed. The phenotypes A, C and D did not differ significantly with regard to the proportion of normal oocytes (adjusted percentages (95%CI): 35.2% (31.5 to 39.1%), 25.8% (21.9 to 29.9%) and 34.0% (29.7 to 38.6%), respectively: adjusted p = 0.13). Likewise, there were no significant intergroup differences in oocyte morphology. The ICSI outcome was not significantly associated with the PCOS phenotype.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study is the first to show that the PCOS phenotype (notably the presence vs. absence of OA and/or HA) is not significantly associated with the morphological quality of oocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":520764,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E","volume":" ","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8729101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39787256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}