The <Emphasis Type="Italic">HER2</Emphasis> gene copies per tumor cell either before or after correction for chromosome-17 correlated significantly with HER2 IHC results in epithelial ovarian cancer in a tissue microarray study

Background  

HER2 gene amplification and HER2 protein overexpression are important factors in predicting clinical sensitivity to anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody therapy in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between HER2 protein expressions and the HER2 gene copies per tumor cell either before or after chromosome-17 correction in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).     

Antiproliferative activity of lignans against the breast carcinoma cell lines MCF 7 and BT 20

Purpose  

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived, non-steroidal phytochemicals with anticarcinogenic potential. The major structural classes are the isoflavones and lignans. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the plant-derived lignans secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol with the human lignans enterodiol and enterolactone as well as with 17β estradiol and tamoxifen on cell proliferation of breast carcinoma cell lines.     

Genetic variation in the CYP17 gene and recurrent spontaneous abortions

Purpose  

The CYP17 gene encodes the enzyme cytochrome P450c17α, which functions at key steps in the synthesis process of human sex steroid hormones. A T/C polymorphism in the 5′ promoter region of the CYP17 gene has been described previously. Serum levels of androgens and estrogens have been shown to be elevated in individuals who carry the C substitution (Α2 allele). We hypothesized that variability in genes that control the sex hormone (estrogens, testosterone) biosynthesis might affect the pregnancy outcome. In the present study, we investigated the possible association between the T/C polymorphism of the promoter of CYP17 gene and the risk of recurrent spontaneous abortions in the Greek population.     

Analysis of endometrial microbiota by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing among infertile patients: a single‐center pilot study

Purpose

The present study aimed to analyze the endometrial and vaginal microbiome among a Japanese infertile population by sequencing and the impact of the endometrial and vaginal environment on implantation.

Methods

In total, 102 infertile (79 in vitro fertilization [IVF] and 23 non‐IVF) patients and seven healthy volunteers were recruited from August to December, 2017. Endometrial fluid and vaginal discharge samples for sequencing were collected by using an intrauterine insemination catheter. The bacterial status of the endometrium and vagina were analyzed.

Results

The Lactobacillus‐dominated microbiota (>90% Lactobacillus spp.) in the endometrium vs vagina was 38% (30/79) vs 44.3% (44/79) in the IVF patients, 73.9% (17/23) vs 73.9% (17/23) in the non‐IVF patients, and 85.7% (6/7) vs 85.7% (6/7) in the healthy volunteers. The percentage of endometrial Lactobacillus in the healthy volunteers was highly stable within the same menstrual cycle and even in the following cycle. The major taxonomies were Gardnerella, Streptococcus, Atopobium, Bifidobacterium, Sneathia, Prevotella, and Staphylococcus. Fifteen patients achieved pregnancy by a single vitrified‐warmed blastocyst transfer during this study; the median percentage of Lactobacillus in the pregnant women was 96.45 ± 33.61%.

Conclusion

A considerable percentage of non‐Lactobacillus‐dominated (NLD) microbiota was found in the endometrium of Japanese infertile women. Increasing the endometrial level of the Lactobacilli to >90% might favor the implantation outcome of NLD infertile patients.     

Fractional volume of placental vessels in women with diabetes using a novel stereological 3D power Doppler technique

Objectives

In maternal diabetes the placenta is large with abnormal vascular development and increased villous volume. We used a novel stereological 3D power Doppler ultrasound technique to investigate differences in-vivo in the placental fractional volume of power Doppler signal (FrVol-PD) between women with and without diabetes.

Methods

We recruited 17 pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes and 20 controls, all with anterior placentae. Each subject had ultrasound scans (Voluson 730 Expert) every 4 weeks between 12 and 32 weeks gestation. 3D power Doppler data were acquired and the placenta manually outlined using VOCAL (4D View). Power Doppler signal within the resultant volume was counted in a 3D manner adapting the random but systematic techniques used in stereology.

Results

Subjects were of similar age, BMI and parity. From 16 weeks the mean (SD) placental FrVol-PD was higher in the non-diabetic than in the diabetic group: 16 weeks – 0.125 (0.03) versus 0.108 (0.03), 20 weeks – 0.144 (0.05) versus 0.104 (0.03), 24 weeks – 0.145 (0.05) versus 0.128 (0.03), 28 weeks – 0.159 (0.05) versus 0.133 (0.02) and 32 weeks – 0.154 (0.03) versus 0.123 (0.04). These differences were significant between control and diabetic subjects [F(1,35) = 4.737, p = 0.036] and across gestation [F(3,140) = 8.294, p < 0.001].

Conclusion

Using a novel stereological-based ultrasound technique we have demonstrated the reliability of this application in the placenta. This technique shows promise for non-invasive assessment of placental function: further studies are required to identify if structural changes in a diabetic placenta are accompanied by altered function, manifest as reduced perfusion demonstrable in-vivo.     

Effect of young maternal age and skeletal growth on placental growth and development

Objectives

Teenagers are susceptible to delivering small-for-gestational-age infants. Previous studies implicate continued skeletal growth as a contributory factor, and impaired placental development was the primary cause of fetal growth restriction in growing adolescent sheep. The aims of this study were to examine the impact of young maternal age and growth on placental development.

Study design

Placentas were collected from 31 teenagers, of which 12 were growing and 17 non-growing based on knee height measurements. An adult control group (n = 12) was included.

Main outcome measures

Placental weight and morphometric measurements of villous, syncytiotrophoblast, fibrin and vessel areas, as well as indices of proliferation and apoptosis, were analysed in relation to maternal growth and age.

Results

Growing teenagers had a higher birthweight:placental weight ratio than non-growing teenagers (p < 0.05). Villous area, syncytial area, fibrin content, vascularisation and cell turnover did not differ between growing and non-growing teenagers. There were no differences in placental weight or morphometry between adult and teenage pregnancies. Maternal smoking, a potential confounding factor, did not exert a major influence on the placental parameters examined, except for a stimulatory effect on placental proliferation (p < 0.05) and syncytial knot formation (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

We were unable to detect any major differences in placental size or composition between growing and non-growing teenagers. Birthweight:placental weight ratio was higher in growing compared to non-growing teenagers. This suggests that maternal growth may affect placental function rather than development, and is consistent with our recent observations that maternal growth was not detrimental to fetal growth.     

Polymorphisms in genes HSD17B1 and HSD17B2 and uterine leiomyoma risk in Chinese women

Purpose

To evaluate the association of HSD17B1 and HSD17B2 gene polymorphisms with uterine leiomyoma in Chinese women.

Methods

121 Chinese women with clinically diagnosed uterine leiomyoma and 217 healthy normal Chinese women were investigated to compare three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs605059 and rs676387 of HSD17B1 gene and rs8191246 of HSD17B2 gene) by polymerase chain reaction?Crestriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing method.

Results

All the SNPs were polymorphisms in Chinese women. Frequencies of rs605059 AA genotype and A allele were significantly increased in patients with uterine leiomyoma compared to healthy controls (GG vs. AA, OR 0.40, 95?% CI 0.20?C0.82; G vs. A, OR 0.68, 95?% CI 0.50?C0.94).

Conclusion

The results suggest that the genotype of HSD17B1 rs605059 may play a role in the tumourgenesis of uterine leiomyoma.     

Extended in vitro maturation of immature oocytes from stimulated cycles: an analysis of fertilization potential,embryo development,and reproductive outcomes

Purpose  

To investigate 24 h in vitro maturation (IVM) of cumulus-stripped immature oocytes from stimulated cycles.     

Surgery and cancer after endometrial resection. Long-term follow-up on menstrual bleeding and hormone treatment by questionnaire and registry

Purpose  

Long-term follow-up 11 years after endometrial ablation.     

Effectiveness of high‐dose transvaginal progesterone supplementation for women who are undergoing a frozen‐thawed embryo transfer

Purpose

To evaluate the effectiveness of high‐dose progesterone supplementation for women who are undergoing a frozen‐thawed embryo transfer (FET).

Methods

Among the 2010 FET cycles that were included in the present study, 1188 were 1200 mg/d of vaginal progesterone, while 822 were 900 mg/d. The dose of progesterone that was used was decided by the treatment period and additional progesterone supplementation was used when the serum progesterone levels were <9 ng/mL on luteal day 5.

Results

The clinical pregnancy rate was higher in the 1200 mg group than in the 900 mg group. The mean serum progesterone level on luteal day 5 in the 1200 mg and 900 mg groups was 12.6 ng/mL and 13.4 ng/mL, respectively. The rate of additional progesterone supplementation was higher in the 1200 mg group. A logistic regression analysis identified a younger age (≤37 years) and the use of 1200 mg progesterone as independent predictive factors for the clinical pregnancy outcome. The analysis of the infant outcomes revealed no significant difference in the distribution of birth ages and weights.

Conclusion

High‐dose transvaginal progesterone of 1200 mg/d as luteal support contributed to good pregnancy outcomes.     

Meta-analysis of the embryo freezing transfer interval

Background

The decision of whether frozen embryo transfer (FET) should be performed in the cycle immediately after OPU or at least one cycle later is controversial. FET could improve pregnancy rates in IVF; however, how much time is needed for the endometrium to return to optimal receptivity after ovarian stimulation is not known.

Methods

Electronic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify studies providing data on the influence of the interval between embryo freezing (or OPU) and FET in FET cycles published between January 1, 2007, and February 1, 2020.

Main findings

Data analyzed indicated that in the immediate FET cycles, there was a trend to an increased biochemical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.08; CI = 1.00-1.18), whereas the clinical pregnancy rate was somewhat higher, but without reaching statistical significance (RR = 1.07; CI = 0.99-1.15). The live birth rate was similar in the two groups (RR = 1.05; CI = 0.95-1.15), as was the implantation rate (RR = 0.98; CI = 0.83-1.16). Stratifying by embryo stage or FET type (freeze-all or FET after failed fresh transfer) showed no differences.

Conclusion

Systematically delaying FET does not offer benefits to IVF outcomes. In addition, immediate transfer is associated with a nonsignificant trend to better clinical pregnancy rate and it also avoids the psychological effects of prolonging the stress on prospective parents.

     

Differential hRad17 expression by histologic subtype of ovarian cancer

Background

In the search for unique ovarian cancer biomarkers, ovarian specific cDNA microarray analysis identified hRad17, a cell cycle checkpoint protein, as over-expressed in ovarian cancer. The aim of this study was to validate this expression.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed on 72 serous, 19 endometrioid, 10 clear cell, and 6 mucinous ovarian cancers, 9 benign ovarian tumors, and 6 normal ovarian tissue sections using an anti-hRad17 antibody. Western blot analysis and quantitative PCR were performed using cell lysates and total RNA prepared from 17 ovarian cancer cell lines and 6 normal ovarian epithelial cell cultures (HOSE).

Results

Antibody staining confirmed upregulation of hRad17 in 49.5% of ovarian cancer cases. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that only 42% of serous and 47% of endometrioid subtypes showed overexpression compared to 80% of clear cell and 100% of mucinous cancers. Western blot confirmed overexpression of hRad17 in cancer cell lines compared to HOSE. Quantitative PCR demonstrated an upregulation of hRad17 RNA by 1.5-7 fold. hRad17 RNA expression differed by subtype.

Conclusions

hRad17 is over-expressed in ovarian cancer. This over-expression varies by subtype suggesting a role in the pathogenesis of these types. Functional studies are needed to determine the potential role of this protein in ovarian cancer.     

Potassium bromate disrupts mitochondrial distribution within murine oocytes during in vitro maturation

Purpose

As disturbed mitochondrial distribution is thought to be a cause of the aging of oocytes, it was investigated whether oxidizing agents exert harmful effects on nuclear maturation and mitochondrial cluster formation in murine oocytes and whether antioxidants could rescue such harmful effects in vitro.

Methods

Oocytes were obtained from female Institute of Cancer Research mice 48 h after an intraperitoneal injection of 7.5 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin. The oocytes were cultured with potassium bromate, an oxidizing agent, in the presence or absence of the antioxidant, resveratrol. After 12 h, the nuclear phases and mitochondrial distribution were observed.

Results

Significantly decreased rates of metaphase II (MII) oocytes were observed with 750 μM and 1000 μM of potassium bromate, while a significant increase in abnormal mitochondrial clusters was induced at 500 μM, 750 μM, and 1,000 μM. The addition of 10 μM or 20 μM resveratrol improved both MII maturity and the cluster formation rates in the presence of potassium bromate.

Conclusions

The addition of potassium bromate reduced MII maturity rates and induced abnormal mitochondrial cluster formation. This effect was alleviated by the antioxidant, resveratrol. The in vitro model used herein is useful for investigating the functions of antioxidants in the aging of oocytes.     

In vitro maturation of oocytes via the pre-fabricated self-assembled artificial human ovary

Purpose  

Create a 3-Dimensional artificial human ovary to mature human oocytes.     

Improved developmental potential of mouse vitrified-warmed oocytes achieved by culturing in recovery medium with glutathione ethyl ester (GSH-OEt)

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glutathione ethyl ester (GSH-OEt) in the recovery medium on the developmental competence of mouse vitrified-warmed MII oocytes.

Methods

Vitrified-warmed oocytes were incubated for 1 h in recovery medium in the presence or absence of 0.5 mM GSH-OEt. The authors examined the effects of GSH-OEt, first on the levels of glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitrified-warmed oocytes, and second, on in vitro blastocyst development, division speed to blastocysts, and total cell numbers of blastocysts from vitrified-warmed oocytes fertilized by Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Results

Adding GSH-OEt to the recovery medium significantly (p < 0.05) increased GSH content and decreased ROS levels in vitrified-warmed oocytes. The blastocyst rate did not differ significantly between the two groups, but the speed of development to blastocysts in the GSH-OEt (+) group was significantly more rapid. In addition, the total blastocyst cell number was significantly higher in the GSH-OEt (+) group than in the GSH-OEt (−) group (92.8 ± 5.1 vs. 71.4 ± 3.5, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Adding GSH-OEt to the recovery medium of vitrified-warmed mouse oocytes enhances the development potential of oocytes and improves the quality of blastocysts.

     

Nomogram of amniotic fluid volume at 7 to 10 + 6 weeks of pregnancy by three-dimensional ultrasonography using the rotational method (VOCAL)

Purpose  

To establish normative data for amniotic fluid volume (AFV) between 7 and 10 + 6 weeks gestation using three-dimensional ultrasonography (3DUS).     

A case of postpartum cerebral angiitis and review of the literature

Purpose  

To better characterize postpartum cerebral angiitis (PPCA).     

Prenatal diagnosis of skeletal dysplasia due to <Emphasis Type="Italic">FGFR3</Emphasis> gene mutations: a 9-year experience

Purpose  

Prenatal diagnosis with ultrasound findings compatible with skeletal dysplasia due to FGFR3 mutations over a 9 year period in pregnancies and abortuses.     

Evaluation of outcomes after transabdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage

Purpose  

To evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes after transabdominal cerclage.     

Reproducibility of three-dimensional power Doppler placental vascular indices in pregnancies between 26 and 35 weeks

Purpose  

Assess intra and interobserver reproducibility of three-dimensional power Doppler (3DPD) placental vascular indices in normal pregnancies between 26 and 35 weeks.