hCG stimulates angiogenic signals in lymphatic endothelial and circulating angiogenic cells
Angiogenesis and remodeling of the spiral arteries are essential for placental development and function (Damsky and Fisher, 1998, Red-Horse et al., 2006). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 23, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Andrea Schanz, Margarete Lukosz, Alexandra P. Hess, Dunja M. Baston-Büst, Jan S. Krüssel, Christian Heiss Source Type: research
Endothelial dysfunction and metabolic syndrome in preeclampsia: an alternative viewpoint
Preeclampsia is a severe complication of human pregnancy that occurs in 3 to 5% of all pregnancies and may threaten maternal and fetal survival (Steegers et al., 2010). It is characterized by immunological alterations, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and metabolic syndrome (Redman and Sargent, 2010; Redman et al., 2014). Preeclampsia presents with a pattern of typical clinical features (hypertension and proteinuria) and possible further manifestations (renal failure, HELLP syndrome, seizures), but the precise pathogenic mechanisms remain to be determined. (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 21, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Marco Scioscia, S. Ananth Karumanchi, Debra Goldman-Wohl, Pierre-Yves Robillard Source Type: research
Treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with repetitive implantation failures and/or recurrent spontaneous abortions
The identification of colony-stimulating factors (CSF) is based on cell culture assays established by Metcalf, Sachs, and their assistants in the mid-1960s for hematopoietic progenitor cells (Metcalf, 1980, Sachs, 1987). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), with its ability to differentiate myelomonocytic leukemia cells in mice, was the first to be isolated (Burgess and Metcalf, 1980). The description of human G-CSF followed in 1985 (Nicola et al., 1985; Welte et al., 1985), and it became clear that G-CSF and GM-CSF were different cytokines (Metcalf, 1985; Sachs, 1987). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 21, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Wolfgang Würfel Tags: Review Source Type: research
Medium-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for women with six or more recurrent miscarriages
Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses during early gestation and affects 1–1.8% of women (Laird et al., 2003). A wide variety of factors are involved in the pathogenesis of RM, including uterine anomalies, cervical incompetence, autoimmune diseases, antiphospholipid antibody, chromosomal abnormalities of couples, thrombophilic disorders, endocrinological abnormalities, and microbial infections. However, the etiology in approximately 50% of RM is unknown, and is thus designated as unexplained RM, which may be associated with aberrant immunity (Laird et al., 2003). (Source: Jou...
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 20, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Hideto Yamada, Masashi Deguchi, Yoko Maesawa, Yuki Nakajima, Yukari Nishino, Kenji Tanimura, Yasuhiko Ebina Source Type: research
Immune profiling in patients with recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent miscarriage (RM) affects about 1–3% of all women during their reproductive years (Carrington et al., 2005). According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics there are several established risk factors concerning RM: parental genetic disorders, uterine anatomical malformations, endocrine dysfunction, and hemostatic disorders (Carrington et al., 2005; Franssen, 2005; Porcu et al., 2000; Rodger et al., 2008; Toth et al., 2010). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 13, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: R.J. Kuon, T. Strowitzki, C. Sohn, V. Daniel, B. Toth Source Type: research
Characterization of immune cells and cytokine localization in the rat utero-placental unit mid- to late gestation
During pregnancy the uterine leukocyte population and associated cytokines are involved in multiple functions such as protection against pathogenic microorganisms, tolerance of the embryonic semiallogeneic cells and processes involved in the regulation of trophoblast invasion and uterine spiral artery remodeling. Moreover, altered immune status caused by infection or other pro-inflammatory stimuli have the potential to lead to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and preterm delivery (Raghupathy, 2013; Vrachnis et al., 2010; Xu et al., 2014). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 12, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Daniel R. Tessier, Sandeep Raha, Alison C. Holloway, Julien Yockell-Lelièvre, Chandrakant Tayade, Andrée Gruslin Source Type: research
Colony Stimulating Factors 1, 2, 3 and early pregnancy steps: from bench to bedside
The colony-stimulating factor (CSF) family includes: CSF-1 or macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), CSF-2 or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and CSF-3 or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). CSFs are 18- to 70-kDa labile glycoproteins and act through specific membrane receptors, via JAK-STAT signalling pathways in an endocrine, paracrine or autocrine model (Metcalf, 2010). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 10, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Mona Rahmati, Marie Petitbarat, Sylvie Dubanchet, Armand Bensussan, Gerard Chaouat, Nathalie Ledee Tags: Review Source Type: research
Colony-Stimulating Factors 1, 2, 3, and Early Pregnancy Steps: from Bench to Bedside
The colony-stimulating factor (CSF) family includes: CSF-1 or macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), CSF-2 or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and CSF-3 or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). CSFs are 18- to 70-kDa labile glycoproteins and act through specific membrane receptors, via JAK-STAT signalling pathways in an endocrine, paracrine or autocrine model (Metcalf, 2010). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 10, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Mona Rahmati, Marie Petitbarat, Sylvie Dubanchet, Armand Bensussan, Gerard Chaouat, Nathalie Ledee Tags: Review Source Type: research
Decidual stromal cell-derived IL-33 contributes to Th2 bias and inhibits decidual NK cell cytotoxicity through NF-κB signaling in human early pregnancy
The survival of the allogeneic conceptus has long been an immunological paradox. Under normal healthy pregnancy, effective immunity must be maintained so as to protect the mother from harmful pathogens (Dudley, 1997). Yet within the decidual environment, recognition of the fetus drives local tolerance contemporaneous with the pregnancy, which suggests that the mother is immunologically inert to her fetus (Saito et al., 2007). Therefore, there must be a complex balance between active immunity and tolerance at the fetal–maternal interface, whereby mother and embryo achieve a symbiotic state. (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 9, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Wen-Ting Hu, Li-Li Huang, Ming-Qing Li, Li-Ping Jin, Da-Jin Li, Xiao-Yong Zhu Source Type: research
Addition of MCP-1 and MIP-3β to the IL-8 appraisal in peritoneal fluid enhances the probability of identifying women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that affects young women of reproductive age, leading to chronic inflammation (Giudice and Kao, 2004). One of the biggest challenges for clinicians who deal with endometriosis is its early diagnosis. Studies have generally shown a diagnostic delay that may vary among countries from 7.4 to 11.7 years, despite all advances made in the radiological tools in this field (Arruda et al., 2003; Ballard et al., 2006; Nnoaham et al., 2011; Hudelist et al., 2012). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 6, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: G.M. Borrelli, A.M. Kaufmann, M.S. Abrão, S. Mechsner Source Type: research
Whole blood flow cytometric analysis of -stimulated monocytes from pregnant women
Nearly half of all cases of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) can be attributed to infection (Romero et al., 2002), with Ureaplasma spp. the most commonly associated microorganisms (DiGiulio et al., 2008). Ureaplasma spp. are commensals of the female genital tract of both pregnant and non-pregnant women (Breugelmans et al., 2010). In some pregnant women, ascension of these organisms from the vagina into the uterine cavity leads to colonisation of the amniotic fluid and foetal membranes (Kim et al., 2009), resulting in chorioamnionitis and leading to preterm labour (Namba et al., 2010). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 5, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Yael D. Friedland, Tracey F. Lee-Pullen, Elizabeth Nathan, Rory Watts, Jeffrey A. Keelan, Matthew S. Payne, Demelza J. Ireland Tags: Short communication Source Type: research
Where and when should natural killer cells be tested in women with repeated implantation failure?
Despite the new technologies, human implantation remains a barrier in assisted reproduction (Edwards, 2007). At the time of implantation, there seems to be a dialog between the embryo and the endometrium (Roberts et al., 2008). In this dialog, the main role is played by the embryo (Dior et al., 2014). Embryos resulting from sperm and egg donation or those chromosomally normal after preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) are usually considered to be of very good quality (Capalbo et al., 2014). However, sometimes, even after transferring very good quality embryos, pregnancy is not achieved. (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - February 4, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Isabel Santillán, Ignacio Lozano, Julia Illán, Victoria Verdú, Santiago Coca, Jose Manuel Bajo-Arenas, Felipe Martinez Source Type: research
Influence of a Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) on Levels of Cytokines in Cervical Secretions
Pap smears to detect precancerous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are a routine component of a woman's health care program. As a result of such screening, women with biopsy-confirmed CIN, particularly CIN2 or CIN3, most often undergo a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove cervical dysplasia. (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - January 30, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Audrey F. Saftlas, Cassandra N. Spracklen, Kelli K. Ryckman, Colleen K. Stockdale, Kerri Penrose, Kevin Ault, Linda M. Rubenstein, Ligia A. Pinto Source Type: research
The presence of B-cell activating factor (BAFF) in umbilical cord blood in both healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies and in human breast milk
Maternal morbidity and mortality, in addition to poor neonatal outcomes, constitute an important public health policy issue in developing and developed countries alike. Frequently, unsatisfactory treatment outcomes are a result of our poor understanding of the immunological status of pregnancy and of the precise role of the fetoplacental unit in immune response during pregnancy (Racicot et al., 2014). (Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology)
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - January 22, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Julie Bienertova-Vasku, Filip Zlamal, Josef Tomandl, Zuzana Hodicka, Jan Novak, Zbynek Splichal, Pavel Ventruba, Vojtech Thon, Anna Vasku Source Type: research
Babies galore; or recent findings and future perspectives of pregnancy cohorts with a focus on immunity
Population-based pregnancy cohort studies have become pivotal in the identification of pre- or perinatal environmental factors affecting children's health and the increase in children's disease risk. The initiation of pregnancy cohort studies over the past three decades has been significantly fostered by the pioneering epidemiological work of the late David Barker, who showed that individuals born with a low birth weight are at a greater risk of developing coronary heart disease later in life. Based on these findings, the “fetal origins hypothesis” or “Barker hypothesis” was proposed in the 1990s (Barker et al. (So...
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - January 19, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Isabel Hartwig, Anke Diemert, Eva Tolosa, Kurt Hecher, Petra Arck Source Type: research
