Endothelial function,regulation of angiogenesis and embryonic central hemodynamics in ART-conceived pregnancies

Abstract

This study was undertaken to compare the concentrations of pro- and anti-angiogenic growth factors, nitric oxide (NO) stable metabolites in maternal serum and embryonic left ventricular (LV) isovolumic relaxation time (IRT, ms) during the first trimester in two groups of women: with pregnancy conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART, n?=?39) and normally conceived (control group, n?=?68) pregnancy. The concentration of vasoconstrictor endothelin 1 was 45.5 times more in ART than in control group. On the contrary, the concentrations of NO stable metabolites in ART were 1.9 times less than in control women. The assessment of angiogenic suppressors in ART women demonstrates the decrease in s-endoglin concentration was 1.6 times and in soluble receptor to vascular endothelial growth factor concentration was 2.0 times in comparison with control group. There was a significant increase in LV IRT in ART embryos in comparison to control ones. These data suggest significant changes in pro- anti-angiogenic factors balance and increase in vascular impedance in ART-conceived embryos.     

正常和心力衰竭儿童血清氨基末端脑钠肽的变化

目的测定正常及心力衰竭(HF)患儿血清氨基末端脑钠肽(NT-proBNP)水平,探讨NT-proBNP在HF患儿中的改变及其与HF严重程度的关系,并提供小儿NT-proBNP的正常参考范围。方法随机选取体检健康儿童80例,年龄1~16岁,男女各40例;同期选择典型HF表现的住院患儿70例;男32例,女38例;年龄1~16岁,患儿依原发病分为扩张型心肌病(DCM)组45例,其左室射血分数(LVEF)≤50%;室间隔缺损(VSD)组25例,LVEF为51%~78%。抽取静脉血以酶联免疫法(ELISA)测定血清NT-proBNP水平。均用超声心动图测定LVEF,用改良Ross评分评定HF临床程度。结果正常儿童血清NT-proBNP水平为75.8~429.2 fmol/mL[(223.05±76.60)fmol/mL],血清NT-proBNP水平与年龄无关,女童略高于男童,但无显著性差异。HF患儿NT-proBNP水平为224.0~5330.8 fmol/mL(中位数1353.3 fmol/mL),第10百分位和第90百分位分别为341.63 fmol/mL、2794.07 fmol/mL,显著高于正常儿童(Z=-10.16 P<0.001)。DCM组血清NT-proBNP水平与LVEF呈负相关(r=-0.546)。HF患儿血清NT-proB-NP水平与临床心功能评分呈正相关(r=0.81)。NT-proBNP水平为351.46 fmol/mL时,诊断HF的敏感性为90.0%,特异性92.5%,ROC曲线下面积0.981(95%可信区间0.965~0.998 P<0.05)。正常小儿血清NT-proBNP水平为(223.1±76.6)fmol/mL,HF患儿血清NT-proBNP显著增高。结论血清NT-proBNP升高与HF严重程度呈正相关,选取NT-proBNP<332.7 fmol/mL为正常范围对HF诊断的敏感性和特异性较好,是小儿HF一个较好特异性生化指标。     

丹参与电针对脑缺血再灌注损伤大鼠 GFAP和iNOS表达的影响

目的：观察脑缺血再灌注损伤后大鼠脑胶质原纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）及诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOs）的表达,以及丹参与电针对其表达的影响。方法：将60只SD犬鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组、丹参组、电针组、丹参＋电针组,采用大脑中动脉线栓法建立脑缺血再灌注模型。造模后,丹参组给予丹参注射液5g／kg腹腔注射,电针组刺激“百会”、“大椎”穴,疏密波,频率2～15HZ,持续30min,丹参＋电针组给予丹参注射液腹腔注射和电针,各组治疗均每天1次,连续4d。进行神经功能缺损评分、干湿重法测脑组织含水量,采用HE染色观察脑组织的病理形态学变化,免疫组织化学染色法检测各组大鼠纹状体GFAP、iNOS的表达。结果：模型组神经功能缺损评分和脑组织含水量均明显高于假手术组（P〈0．01）;与模型组比较,丹参组、电针组、丹参＋电针组神经功能缺损评分和脑组织含水量均显著降低（P〈O．05或P〈0．01）,并且丹参＋电针组的评分和含水量显著低于丹参组、电针组（P〈O．05或P〈0．01）;HE染色显示的病理形态学改变与上述一致。模型组GFAP、iNOS的表达均明显高于假手术组（P〈0．01）;与模型组比较,丹参组、电针组、丹参＋电针组GFAP、iNOS的表达均明显降低（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）,并且丹参＋电针组的表达明显低于丹参组、电针组（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论：丹参和电针对脑缺血再灌注损伤有神经保护作用,可能与其抑制星型胶质细胞的过度活化,降低iNOS的表达有关,且二者合用效果更佳。     

毛蕊异黄酮对人黑色素瘤细胞A375增殖、迁移及侵袭的影响

目的：研究毛蕊异黄酮对人黑色素瘤细胞A375增殖、迁移及侵袭的影响.方法：以人黑色素瘤细胞A375为研究对象,MTT法检测不同浓度的毛蕊异黄酮对A375细胞活性的影响,划痕实验检测A375细胞的迁移,Transwell小室检测A375细胞的侵袭作用;qPCR检测A375细胞中基质金属蛋白酶2（MMP-2）及基质金属蛋白酶9（MMP-9）表达水平.结果：毛蕊异黄酮在6.25 ～ 100 μmol/L浓度内不能抑制A375细胞的增殖,划痕实验及Transwell检测结果显示毛蕊异黄酮可显著抑制A375细胞的迁移及侵袭（P＜0.01）,qPCR结果显示毛蕊异黄酮能抑制A375细胞MMP-2及MMP-9的表达.结论：毛蕊异黄酮在小于100 μmol/L浓度时抑制A375细胞的迁移及侵袭,其机制可能与抑制MMP-2及MMP-9表达有关.     

Lower levels of inhibin A and pro-alphaC during the luteal phase after triggering oocyte maturation with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist versus human chorionic gonadotropin

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of triggering oocyte maturation with GnRH agonist on corpus luteum function by measuring luteal phase levels of inhibin A and pro-alphaC. DESIGN: Prospective randomized trial. SETTING: In vitro fertilization (IVF) program at a university hospital. PATIENT(S): Infertile women undergoing IVF-ET treatment. INTERVENTION(S): Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with FSH and GnRH antagonist, triggering of final oocyte maturation with either hCG (n = 8) or GnRH agonist (n = 8), IVF-ET, and collection of blood samples every 2-3 days during the luteal phase. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Luteal phase serum levels of inhibin A and pro-alphaC, P, and E(2). RESULT(S): Levels of inhibin A, pro-alphaC, estrogen, and P were significantly lower from day 4 to day 14 after triggering final oocyte maturation by GnRH agonist compared with hCG. Maximal luteal serum inhibin A and pro-alphaC levels were 91.5 +/- 23.6 and 184.1 +/- 23.5 pg/mL in the GnRH agonist-treated women compared with 464.7 +/- 209.1 and 7,351.6 +/- 934.3 pg/mL in women treated with hCG. CONCLUSION(S): Triggering final oocyte maturation with GnRH agonist instead of hCG in IVF cycles dramatically decreases luteal levels of inhibins, reflecting significant inhibition of the corpus luteum function. This effect may explain, at least in part, the mechanism of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome prevention by the use of GnRH agonist.     

Serum inhibin A, inhibin B, and pro-alphaC levels are altered after surgically or pharmacologically induced menopause

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the course of changes in serum inhibin A, inhibin B, and pro-alphaC levels in women with surgically or pharmacologically induced menopause. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. SETTING: Academic Health Center of Siena, Siena, Italy. PATIENT(S): Four groups of women were studied: [1] surgical menopause including bilateral oophorectomy (n = 15), [2] amenorrhea induced by GnRH-analogue for treatment of endometriosis (n = 13), [3] amenorrhea induced by antineoplastic chemotherapy before (n = 15) and after chemotherapy (n = 13), and [4] control physiological menopause (n = 67). INTERVENTION(S): Collection of blood specimens. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum inhibin A, inhibin B, and pro-alphaC concentrations were measured by using specific two-site ELISAs. RESULT(S): Following oophorectomy, serum inhibin A, inhibin B, and pro-alphaC levels were decreased on the first postoperative day; on the fifth postoperative day they were still significantly reduced. Women with amenorrhea induced by GnRH-analogue treatment exhibited serum inhibin A and pro-alphaC levels that were significantly higher than those observed in physiological menopause. Patients undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy had higher serum inhibin A levels than those in physiological menopause, whereas inhibin B and pro-alphaC levels did not differ. During the course of chemotherapy, median serum inhibin A concentrations were similar to those of patients evaluated after the suspension of treatment. In postmenopause, inhibin A, and inhibin B levels were low, whereas levels of pro-alphaC were still detectable. CONCLUSION(S): Circulating levels of inhibin A, inhibin B, and pro-alphaC are reduced after oophorectomy. Women with amenorrhea induced by GnRH-analogue treatment or by antineoplastic chemotherapy still produce inhibin A and pro-alphaC. This probably reflects a residual ovarian function and hormone synthesis. Therefore, the ovary may be a source of pro-alphaC after menopause; significant amounts of pro-alphaC are present in circulation after natural menopause, but not after oophorectomy.     

重型肝炎TGF-α、TNF-α、IL-1β改变的初步研究

研究重型肝炎病程中TGF-α、TNF-α、IL-1β的改变。23例进入研究,用放免法集中检测血清标本。急性期的三种细胞因子均显著高于正常对照(P<0.001)。恢复的TGF-α高于急性期(P=0.092)。TNF-α、IL-1β升高不明显(P=0.944,P=0.73s)。存活组14例,未存活组9例。急性期、恢复期或病情恶化时的三种细胞因子均显著高于正常对照(P<0.05)。存活组恢复期的TGF-α显著高于急性期(P=0.042),TNF-α、IL-1β比急性期升高,但差异不显著(P=0.948,P=0.992)。未存活组病情恶化时的TGF-α、IL-1β也明显高于急性期(P=0.050,P=0.062),TNF-α略升高(P=0.567)。两种炎症细胞因子在重型肝炎的发生、发展中起重要作用。TGF-α的血清浓度似乎影响病情转归。     

In vitro restoration of post-operatively decreased IFN-gamma levels after cardiac surgery and its effect on pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators

BACKGROUNDS: A decreased synthesis of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) by TH 1 lymphocytes after cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is part of the inflammatory response to local operative and systemic traumas. The consequences of this mechanism on the release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines remain unclear. To evaluate the role of IFN-gamma, we added recombinant IFN-gamma to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the first post-operative day in an attempt to restore pre-operative values and then measured the release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. METHODS: PBMCs of 10 patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were obtained pre-operatively (d0) and on the first (d1) and third (d3) post-operative days. The release of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-10, IL-2, and IL-4 was studied after stimulation (48 h) with PHA (phytohemagglutinin) and LPS (lipopolysaccharide) in the absence or presence of recombinant human IFN-gamma. RESULTS: Endogenous IFN-gamma synthesis was suppressed on d1. Adding exogenous IFN-gamma restored IFN-gamma levels to normal on d1 and doubled IFN-gamma levels on d0 and d3. The addition of IFN-gamma increased TNF-alpha levels up to 250% on d1 and IL-2 synthesis by 75% on d1 and d3; the IL-2 levels, however, were still significantly depressed. The addition of recombinant IFN-gamma did not affect the synthesis of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-4. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our expectations, the in vitro release of IL-6 and IL-8 as well as IL-10 and IL-4 was not influenced by the addition of IFN-gamma. However, TNF-alpha production in isolated PBMC cultures increased significantly on the first post-operative day. This may indicate a hyper-reactivity of PBMCs to IFN-gamma and suggests that the decrease in IFN-gamma synthesis might prevent an excessive stimulation of the non-specific immune system by high TNF-alpha levels after cardiac surgery.     

PYDDT,a novel phase 2 enzymes inducer,activates Keap1–Nrf2 pathway via depleting the cellular level of glutathione

Keap1–Nrf2 pathway has emerged as a regulator for the endogenous antioxidant response, which is critical in defending cells against carcinogenesis. Herein, we demonstrated that depleting the cellular level of glutathione (GSH) by a novel electrophilic agent 2-(pro-1-ynyl)-5-(5,6-dihydroxypenta-1,3-diynyl) thiophene (PYDDT) could activate Keap1–Nrf2 pathway. In above process, it was found that Keap1 was modified by S-glutathionylation, an important post-translational modification of protein cysteines with critical roles in oxidative stress and signal transduction. We concluded from our findings that conjugation with intracellular GSH by PYDDT might lead to Keap1 S-glutathionylation and was a key event involved in its Nrf2 inducing activity.