Plasma Levels of the Cerebral Biomarker, Neuron-Specific Enolase, are Elevated During Pregnancy in Women Developing Preeclampsia
Conclusion:
In pregnant women developing preeclampsia, the levels of NSE remained high throughout pregnancy, whereas in healthy women, these tended to decline over time, especially at the 2 last time points. The result might be confounded in early pregnancy by extracerebral sources of NSE, such as the corpus luteum. Findings need to be confirmed in a larger prospective study. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Bergman, L., Akerud, H. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
MicroRNA-29b Inhibits Endometrial Fibrosis by Regulating the Sp1-TGF-{beta}1/Smad-CTGF Axis in a Rat Model
In conclusion, agomir-29b may act as a novel and effective therapeutic agent against IUAs. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Li, J., Du, S., Sheng, X., Liu, J., Cen, B., Huang, F., He, Y. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Expression and Significance of WNT4 in Ectopic and Eutopic Endometrium of Human Endometriosis
This study provides further evidence supporting the theory of "EU determinism" in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Liang, Y., Li, Y., Liu, K., Chen, P., Wang, D. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Better Quality and More Usable Embryos Obtained on Day 3 Cultured in 5% Than 20% Oxygen: A Controlled and Randomized Study Using the Sibling Oocytes
In conclusion, 20% O2 reduced the mean cell numbers of embryo and the number of clinically useable embryos on day 3. However, there was no subsequent negative impact on development of day 4 and blastocyst stage. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Peng, H., Shi, W., Zhang, W., Xue, X., Li, N., Li, W., Shi, J. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Urinary Excretion of Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol in Early Pregnancy Is Enhanced in Gravidas With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
The effects of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were determined on urinary excretion of putative components of insulin signaling. Random urine samples were collected from 375 gravidas at 6 to 14 weeks’ gestation, 22 to 32 weeks’ gestation, and ~6 weeks’ postpartum. Gestational diabetes mellitus developed in 35 women who were matched with 59 normal gravidas. Urinary concentrations of myo-inositol (MI) and D-chiro-inositol (DCI) were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and normalized to creatinine levels. Compared to postpartum values, urinary excretion of MI and DCI was increased 2.9-fold a...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Murphy, A., Shamshirsaz, A., Markovic, D., Ostlund, R., Koos, B. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Cross-Talk Between FSH and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress: A Mutually Suppressive Relationship
In this study, we investigated the effects of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on ER stress in granulosa cells (GCs) obtained from 3-week-old female C57BL6 mice 24 or 48 hours after intraperitoneal injection of 5 IU pregnant mare’s serum gonadotropin (PMSG), and in primary mouse GCs in culture treated with FSH (10-100 mIU/mL) for 24 or 48 hours. Moreover, mouse GCs in culture were treated with tunicamycin (Tm) or thapsigargin (Tp), which induce ER stress by inhibiting N-glycosylation of ER proteins and ER calcium adenosine triphosphatase, respectively, and their response to FSH was evaluated. We found that FSH atte...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Babayev, E., Lalioti, M. D., Favero, F., Seli, E. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
N-Acetyl-Cysteine and L-Carnitine Prevent Meiotic Oocyte Damage Induced by Follicular Fluid From Infertile Women With Mild Endometriosis
This study evaluated the potential protective effect of the antioxidants, l-carnitine (LC) and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), in preventing meiotic oocyte damage induced by follicular fluid (FF) from infertile women with mild endometriosis (ME). We performed an experimental study. The FF samples were obtained from 22 infertile women undergoing stimulated cycles for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (11 with ME and 11 without endometriosis). Immature bovine oocytes were submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM) divided into 9 groups: no-FF (No-FF); with FF from control (CFF) or ME (EFF) groups; and with LC (C + LC and E + LC), NAC (C...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Giorgi, V. S. I., Da Broi, M. G., Paz, C. C. P., Ferriani, R. A., Navarro, P. A. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Abnormal Activation of RhoA/ROCK-I Signaling in Junctional Zone Smooth Muscle Cells of Patients With Adenomyosis
Adenomyosis (ADS) is a common estrogen-dependent gynecological disease with unknown etiology. The RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway is involved in various cellular functions, including migration, proliferation, and smooth muscle contraction. Here we examined the potential role of this pathway in junctional zone (JZ) contraction in women with and without ADS. We demonstrated that in the normal JZ, RhoA and ROCK-I messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression was significantly higher in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle than in the secretory phase. Expression of RhoA and ROCK-I in the JZ from women with ADS...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Wang, S., Duan, H., Zhang, Y., Sun, F. Q. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Expression of Mammalian Target of Rapamycin and Downstream Targets in Normal and Gestational Diabetic Human Term Placenta
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling serves as a central regulator of cell growth, proliferation, and survival by interacting with various proteins. To date, few studies implicated mTOR in placenta. Human placenta in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) shows several alterations including villous immaturity, impaired placental function, and overgrowth. Hence, we aimed to investigate the expression of mTOR, phospho-mTOR (p-mTOR), and the 2 phosphorylated downstream targets of mTOR, ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (p-p70S6K), and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (p-4EBP1) in normal term and gestationa...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Sati, L., Soygur, B., Celik-Ozenci, C. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Increased DNA Damage is Related to Maternal Blood Glucose Levels in the Offspring of Women With Diabetes and Mild Gestational Hyperglycemia
Conclusion:
Increased maternal blood glucose levels can lead to increased offspring DNA damage levels. Therefore, the monitoring, control, and treatment of pregnant women with diabetes and MGH are highly important to ensure a risk-free pregnancy and healthy infants. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Gelaleti, R. B., Damasceno, D. C., Santos, D. P., Calderon, I. M. P., Rudge, M. V. C. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Improved Murine Blastocyst Quality and Development in a Single Culture Medium Compared to Sequential Culture Media
Conclusions:
Single medium yields greater cell numbers, an increased growth rate, and more hatching of murine embryos. Cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UHCL3 localization patterns were indicative of embryo quality. Our conclusions are limited to murine embryos but one might speculate that single medium may also be more beneficial for human embryo culture. Human embryo studies are needed. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Hennings, J. M., Zimmer, R. L., Nabli, H., Davis, J. W., Sutovsky, P., Sutovsky, M., Sharpe-Timms, K. L. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Proteoglycans in Leiomyoma and Normal Myometrium: Abundance, Steroid Hormone Control, and Implications for Pathophysiology
Uterine leiomyoma are a common benign pelvic tumors composed of modified smooth muscle cells and a large amount of extracellular matrix (ECM). The proteoglycan composition of the leiomyoma ECM is thought to affect pathophysiology of the disease. To test this hypothesis, we examined the abundance (by immunoblotting) and expression (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) of the proteoglycans biglycan, decorin, and versican in leiomyoma and normal myometrium and determined whether expression is affected by steroid hormones and menstrual phase. Leiomyoma and normal myometrium were collected from women (n = 17) un...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Barker, N. M., Carrino, D. A., Caplan, A. I., Hurd, W. W., Liu, J. H., Tan, H., Mesiano, S. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Parallel Expression of Enzyme Inhibitors of CD8T Cell Activity in Tumor Microenvironments and Secretory Endometrium
The divergent requirement for tolerance to support conception and protective response against sexually transmitted infections defines the unique immunological dynamics in the female reproductive tract (FRT). In part, these requirements are achieved by the cyclic modulation of cytolytic CD8T cell function in the FRT that underlie the respective immunosuppressive and immunocompetent milieus during the secretory and proliferative phases of the menstrual cycle. The CD8T cell function can be dampened by exposure to indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and/or arginase enzymes. Indeed, these 2 enzymes are known as primary inducers of immu...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Ibana, J. A., Cutay, S. J., Romero, M., Schust, D. J. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
Preventive and Therapeutic Role of Dietary Inositol Supplementation in Periconceptional Period and During Pregnancy: A Summary of Evidences and Future Applications
Although inositol dietary deficiency in the general population has not been demonstrated at the serum level, several findings are emerging regarding the impact of inositol supplementation in periconceptional period and in early phases of pregnancy. We are aimed to summarize all experimental (murine in vivo and in vitro murine embryo studies) and clinical (human) evidences regarding the role of inositol in the prevention and treatment of folate-resistant embryo neural tube defects (FR-NTDs) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We also collected all information regarding the effect that inositol supplementation may have ...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Noventa, M., Vitagliano, A., Quaranta, M., Borgato, S., Abdulrahim, B., Gizzo, S. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
In the Spotlight
(Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - February 8, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Maduro, M. R. Tags: In the Spotlight Source Type: research
