American Journal of Reproductive Immunology最新文献

{"title":"Are Systemic Inflammation Markers Reliable for Diagnosing Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy? A Retrospective Cohort Study","authors":"Sadullah Özkan,&nbsp;Alperen Aksan,&nbsp;Dilara Kurt,&nbsp;Ahmet Kurt,&nbsp;Fahri B. Fıratlıgil,&nbsp;Serap Sucu,&nbsp;Sadun Sucu,&nbsp;Yıldız A. Reis,&nbsp;Burcu G. Öztürk,&nbsp;Ali T. Çağlar","doi":"10.1111/aji.13937","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13937","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Problem</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of inflammation indexes (systemic immune-inflammation index [SII], systemic inflammation response index [SIRI], pan-immune inflammation value [PIV], and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) in the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Method of Study</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A retrospective study was conducted, reviewing medical records of patients diagnosed with ICP who delivered between October 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, at the Perinatology clinic of Etlik City Hospital, Ankara. A control group of healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies was also included. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and laboratory results, including systemic inflammation indices and liver enzyme levels, were collected and analyzed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 242 participants were included, with 121 ICP patients and 121 controls. White blood cell count, neutrophil count, and monocyte count showed significant differences between the two groups (<i>p</i> = 0.011, <i>p</i> = 0.004, and <i>p</i> = 0.039, respectively). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly elevated in the ICP group (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 for both). SII and NLR were higher in the ICP group compared to controls (<i>p</i> = 0.032 and <i>p</i> = 0.010, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed moderate predictive values for SII (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.581, <i>p</i> = 0.030) and NLR (AUC = 0.598, <i>p</i> = 0.009), with no significant difference in their predictive power (<i>p</i> = 0.502).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Systemic inflammation indices such as SII and NLR offer a cost-effective and rapid means of diagnosing ICP, potentially complementing or surpassing traditional biomarkers like bile acid levels and liver function tests (LFTs). These indices can be easily integrated into routine clinical practice, providing timely intervention to improve maternal and fetal outcomes. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and establish standardized protocols for their use in ICP management.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142379007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Reveals Causal Effects of Immune Cell Traits on Endometriosis Risk","authors":"Ying Wang,&nbsp;Fenyong Sun,&nbsp;Han Wu,&nbsp;Chaoyan Yue,&nbsp;Qiuhong Man","doi":"10.1111/aji.13917","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13917","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Previous studies have identified associations between immune cell traits and endometriosis, but the causality of these relationships remains uncertain. In this study, we utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationship between immune cell traits and endometriosis for the first time.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Seven hundred and thirty-one immune cell signatures associated with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were extracted from a published genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 472 174 individuals, while endometriosis data, including four stages and seven subtypes, were obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Four methods were used for MR. The causal effect of immune cell traits on endometriosis was explored after Bonferroni correction.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Significant causal relationship included 92 immune cell traits distributed among B cell (28 cells), cDC (2 cells), maturation stages of T cell (10 cells), monocyte (12 cells), Myeloid cell (5 cells), TBNK (13 cells), and Treg panels (22 cells). One of the most significant findings is that for every 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in CD8 on Central Memory CD8⁺ T cell, the risks of developing endometriosis of the fallopian tube increased by 72%. In the reverse MR analysis, a one-unit increase in the log odds of endometriosis of the ovary risk corresponded to a decrease in the absolute count of CD4⁺ CD8^dim T cell by 0.10.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the causal effects of immune cell traits on the risk/protection of different stages/subtypes of endometriosis. The findings highlight the complex and significant role of immune-derived factors in the pathogenesis of the disease.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142370766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteomic Profiles of Maternal Plasma Extracellular Vesicles for Prediction of Preeclampsia","authors":"Nándor Gábor Than,&nbsp;Roberto Romero,&nbsp;Wendy Fitzgerald,&nbsp;Dereje W. Gudicha,&nbsp;Nardhy Gomez-Lopez,&nbsp;Máté Posta,&nbsp;Fei Zhou,&nbsp;Gaurav Bhatti,&nbsp;Arun Meyyazhagan,&nbsp;Awoniyi O. Awonuga,&nbsp;Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa,&nbsp;Doreen Matthies,&nbsp;David R. Bryant,&nbsp;Offer Erez,&nbsp;Leonid Margolis,&nbsp;Adi L. Tarca","doi":"10.1111/aji.13928","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13928","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Problem</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Preeclampsia is a heterogeneous syndrome of diverse etiologies and molecular pathways leading to distinct clinical subtypes. Herein, we aimed to characterize the extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated and soluble fractions of the maternal plasma proteome in patients with preeclampsia and to assess their value for disease prediction.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Method of Study</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This case–control study included 24 women with term preeclampsia, 23 women with preterm preeclampsia, and 94 healthy pregnant controls. Blood samples were collected from cases on average 7 weeks before the diagnosis of preeclampsia and were matched to control samples. Soluble and EV fractions were separated from maternal plasma; EVs were confirmed by cryo-EM, NanoSight, and flow cytometry; and 82 proteins were analyzed with bead-based, multiplexed immunoassays. Quantile regression analysis and random forest models were implemented to evaluate protein concentration differences and their predictive accuracy. Preeclampsia subgroups defined by molecular profiles were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis. Significance was set at <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05 or false discovery rate-adjusted <i>q</i> &lt; 0.1.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In preterm preeclampsia, PlGF, PTX3, and VEGFR-1 displayed differential abundance in both soluble and EV fractions, whereas angiogenin, CD40L, endoglin, galectin-1, IL-27, CCL19, and TIMP1 were changed only in the soluble fraction (<i>q</i> &lt; 0.1). The direction of changes in the EV fraction was consistent with that in the soluble fraction for nine proteins. In term preeclampsia, CCL3 had increased abundance in both fractions (<i>q</i> &lt; 0.1). The combined EV and soluble fraction proteomic profiles predicted preterm and term preeclampsia with an AUC of 78% (95% CI, 66%–90%) and 68% (95% CI, 56%–80%), respectively. Three clusters of preeclampsia featuring distinct clinical characteristics and placental pathology were identified based on combined protein data.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings reveal distinct alterations of the maternal EV-associated and soluble plasma proteome in preterm and term preeclampsia and identify molecular subgroups of patients with distinct clinical and placental histopathologic features.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aji.13928","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Likely Connection Between Increased Production and Release of Prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) by Human Granulosa Cells From Polycystic Ovaries and Pyroptosis","authors":"Caglar Berkel","doi":"10.1111/aji.13933","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13933","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142320921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Features Between Primary Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Non-Criteria Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Risk Factors of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Retrospective Study of 1006 Cases","authors":"Huimin Liu,&nbsp;Jinbiao Han,&nbsp;Rui Gao,&nbsp;Zhengyan Hu,&nbsp;Yuanting Tang,&nbsp;Lang Qin","doi":"10.1111/aji.13931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13931","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Problem</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To compare the clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes between patients with primary obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) and those with primary non-criteria obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (NC-OAPS), and to identify the risk factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes in both groups.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A retrospective single-center study was performed in a university hospital of western China, including 141 patients with OAPS and 865 patients with NC-OAPS. The clinical characteristics, pregnancy complications, and obstetric outcomes of the cohorts were collected from the hospital system and were compared by univariable analysis, and the independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) were investigated by logistic regression analysis in these two populations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The OAPS patients had a significantly higher risk for stillbirths compared to the NC-OAPS patients, while the NC-OAPS group had a significantly higher risk for preterm birth and overall APO. Double aPL positivity, triple aPL positivity, and gestational hypertension were the independent risk factors for APO in OAPS patients, whereas two of the double aPL positivity subtypes, triple aPL positivity and placenta previa were independent risk factors for APO in NC-OAPS patients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study identified different rates in different APOs among OAPS and NC-OAPS patients. Additionally, this study revealed different risk factors for the development of APO between the two populations. These findings indicated that OAPS and NC-OAPS are two distinct entities of the same disease, providing new insights into the individualized management for patients with OAPS and NC-OAPS.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aji.13931","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142320917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Causal Relationship Between Immune Cells and Infertility: A Mendelian Randomisation Study","authors":"Dingchuan Peng,&nbsp;Wei Zhong,&nbsp;Yiran Wang,&nbsp;Yiyao Fu,&nbsp;Wei Shang","doi":"10.1111/aji.13932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13932","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Infertility has emerged as a significant global public health concern, with a multitude of complex underlying causes. Epidemiological evidence indicates that immunological factors are significant contributors to the aetiology of infertility. However, previous studies on the relationship between immune inflammation and infertility have yielded inconclusive results.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mendelian randomisation (MR) is an emerging statistical method that employs exposure-related genetic variation as an instrumental variable (IV) to infer causal relationships between immune cells and infertility by modelling the principle of random assignment in Mendelian genetics. In this study, MR was employed to assess the causal relationship between 731 immune cell signatures and infertility. The data utilized in this study were obtained from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and validated IVs, which were employed to fulfil the essential assumptions of MR analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Mendelian randomisation analysis revealed a total of 27 statistically significant immune cell phenotypes out of 731. The risk factor with the largest odds ratio (OR) was CD28⁻ CD25⁺⁺ CD8⁺ %T cell [OR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04–1.42], while the protective factor with the largest OR was activated and resting Treg AC (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.82–0.97).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The present study has demonstrated a correlation between certain characteristics of immune cells and female infertility. These results provide clues for further research into the immune mechanisms of infertility and may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142320920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in Relative Counts of Different Leukocyte Subpopulations in Peripheral and Umbilical Cord Blood of Women With Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes With Respect to Intraamniotic Inflammation and Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome","authors":"Ondrej Soucek,&nbsp;Marian Kacerovsky,&nbsp;Ivana Kacerovska Musilova,&nbsp;Jaroslav Stranik,&nbsp;Rudolf Kukla,&nbsp;Radka Bolehovska,&nbsp;Helena Hornychova,&nbsp;Ctirad Andrys","doi":"10.1111/aji.13926","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13926","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the relative counts of different leukocyte subsets in peripheral and umbilical cord blood in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) with respect to the presence of intraamniotic inflammation (IAI) and fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Fifty-two women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM were included in this study. From samples of peripheral and umbilical cord blood, relative counts of these leukocyte subpopulations were determined using multicolor flow cytometry: granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, T cells and their subpopulations, B cells and their subpopulations, and NK cells and their subpopulations. IAI was defined as increased concentrations of interleukin 6 in the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Women with IAI had higher relative counts of monocytes (<i>p</i> = 0.04) in peripheral blood. There was an increased relative number of granulocytes (<i>p</i> = 0.003) and a decreased number of lymphocytes (<i>p</i> = 0.0048), helper CD4+ T cells (<i>p</i> = 0.019), NK cells (<i>p</i> = 0.0001) within leukocytes, NK cells within lymphocytes (<i>p</i> = 0.003) and CD16+ NK cells within NK cells (<i>p</i> = 0.005) in umbilical cord blood samples of women with FIRS. However, after adjusting the results for gestational age at sampling, all differences disappeared.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The presence of IAI or FIRS is not accompanied by significant changes in the relative counts of immune cells in peripheral blood or umbilical cord blood in pregnancies complicated by PPROM.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Viral Infection in Endometritis: Is There an Important Role or Not?","authors":"Hatav Ghasemi Tehrani,&nbsp;Marzieh Rezaei,&nbsp;Ferdous Mehrabian,&nbsp;Elham Naghshineh,&nbsp;Mohsen Moghoofei","doi":"10.1111/aji.13930","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13930","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Chronic endometritis (CE) is a frequent pathological condition that is defined as localized inflammation in the endometrium. Some adverse fertility consequences such as recurrent miscarriage and failure of implantation are associated with chronic endometritis. On the one hand, inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometritis, and on the other hand, the role of viral infections in inducing inflammation can make this review strongly attractive and practical. We set out to provide an overview of viral infections as a potential etiology of CE pathophysiology through the alteration of an endometrial microenvironment and its association with infertility. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to demonstrate the role of viral infection in chronic endometritis, and whether or not infection ultimately plays a role..</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV-Associated Genital Immune Biomarkers in the Female Sex Worker Population: A Pilot Study","authors":"Eleanor Capozzi,&nbsp;Jason Daniels,&nbsp;Hani Mohamed,&nbsp;Fernando Cabezas Mejia,&nbsp;David Sternberg,&nbsp;Jennifer Bouey,&nbsp;Mimi Ghosh","doi":"10.1111/aji.13929","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13929","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Problem</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Female sex workers (FSW) experience a disproportionately high burden of HIV infection, yet characterization of the vaginal immune microenvironment that may impact biological risk is not well studied among FSW in the United States. Additionally, feasible methodology for collecting biological materials has not been evaluated in this population.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We enrolled 10 FSW (5 premenopausal, 5 postmenopausal) who participated in a survey and provided vaginal swabs. Biomarkers were assessed by ELISA, and included cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial/wound-healing mediators.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>One hundred percent of FSW were African American, with a median age of 43.5. The median age when participants started sex work was 17.5, with 60% working 7 days per week and seeing up to 10 clients per night. Eighty percent reported recent unprotected sex and only 30% used some form of contraception. One self-reported sexually transmitted infection at the time of visit and two reported living with HIV. Vaginal secretions showed detectable levels of all biomarkers tested, except MIP3α and MIP1α, which were undetectable in all samples. When stratified by age/menopause status, no significant changes were observed except for Serpin A1 with higher median levels in premenopausal compared to postmenopausal FSW (median 5.79 vs. 5.205 log pg/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.016). Comparison with samples from an existing repository of non-FSW women showed significantly reduced chemokines IL8 (<i>p</i> = 0.045), MIP3α (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), and MIP1β (<i>p</i> = 0.015) in the FSW group.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We report characterization of the vaginal secretome in a cohort of FSW in the United States. Understanding of the genital immune microenvironment can inform future research in HIV prevention and therapeutic options in this population.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is the Transcription Factor NANOG Involved in Placental Aging?","authors":"Sivan Farladansky-Gershnabel,&nbsp;Michal Silber,&nbsp;Tal Biron-Shental,&nbsp;Michal Kovo,&nbsp;Debora Kidron,&nbsp;Avivit Weisz,&nbsp;Tali Zitman-Gal","doi":"10.1111/aji.13927","DOIUrl":"10.1111/aji.13927","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Problem</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Accelerated placental aging is linked to abnormal fetal growth, preeclampsia (PE), and preterm birth (PTB). NANOG, a transcription factor, is known for its role in cellular reprogramming, self-renewal, and clonogenic growth. Its expression is regulated by Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), which functions as both a transcriptional activator and repressor. This study evaluated the KLF4-NANOG pathway in placental samples from normal pregnancies (NP) as well as those with PE, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and PTB.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Method of Study</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Placental samples from NP pregnancies and those with PE, FGR, and PTB were analyzed for NANOG and KLF4 expression using western blotting and immunohistochemistry.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>NANOG protein expression was significantly increased in placentas from PE, FGR, and PTB compared to NP (fold changes vs. NP: PE 2.48 ± 0.3, <i>p</i> = 0.002; FGR 1.64 ± 0.16, <i>p</i> = 0.03; PTB 6.03 ± 3.35, <i>p</i> = 0.01). Similarly, KLF4 protein expression was elevated in PE, FGR, and PTB placentas compared to NP (fold changes vs. NP: PE 5.78 ± 0.73, <i>p</i> = 0.001; FGR 2.61 ± 0.43, <i>p</i> = 0.02; PTB 11.42 ± 2.76, <i>p</i> = 0.0006). Immunohistochemistry revealed strong NANOG staining in the syncytiotrophoblast tissue of PE, FGR, and PTB samples, especially in extravillous trophoblasts, compared to NP placentas.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The elevated expression of NANOG and KLF4 in abnormal placental tissues suggests their potential role as markers of enhanced placental aging and dysfunction. These findings underscore the importance of the KLF4-NANOG pathway in the pathology of PE, FGR, and PTB, providing a basis for future research into therapeutic targets for these conditions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7665,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Reproductive Immunology","volume":"92 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aji.13927","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}