Intracellular activation of ovastacin mediates pre-fertilization hardening of the zona pellucida
This study provides a detailed spatial and temporal view of pre-mature cleavage of ZP2 by ovastacin, which is known to adversely affect IVF rate in mice and humans.LARGE SCALE DATANone.STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTEREST(S)This work was supported by the Center of Natural Sciences and Medicine and by a start-up grant of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz to W.S., and by a grant from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by the START program of the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University to J.F. and W.J.D. There are no competing interests to declare. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - August 9, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Deregulation of the endometrial stromal cell secretome precedes embryo implantation failure
(Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - July 13, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
A pre- in vitro maturation medium containing cumulus oocyte complex ligand-receptor signaling molecules maintains meiotic arrest, supports the cumulus oocyte complex and improves oocyte developmental competence
This study consisted of a series of experiments using cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) derived from outbred mice following ovarian stimulation. The study was designed to examine if a novel, ligand/receptor-based pre-IVM treatment could sustain meiotic arrestin vitro and improve oocyte developmental competence, compared to control IVM. Two pre-IVM durations (2 h and 24 h) were evaluated, and the effect of the mitochondrial stimulator PQQ during 24 h pre-IVM was studied.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSMurine (outbred CF1) immature COC were culturedin vitro in the presence of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) (30 nM), es...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - July 11, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Resveratrol protects from lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in the uterus and prevents experimental preterm birth
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONIs resveratrol able to prevent the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced preterm labor in 15-day pregnant BALB/c mice?SUMMARY ANSWERResveratrol prevented the LPS-induced onset of preterm labor in 64% of the cases and showed anti-inflammatory and tocolytic effects by downregulating COX-2 and iNOS expression and NOS activity, and by changing the uterine prostaglandin and endocannabinoid profiling.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYGenital tract infections by Gram-negative bacteria are a common complication in human pregnancy and have been shown to increase risk of preterm delivery. Bacterial LPS elicits a strong maternal ...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - July 5, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Improvement of implantation potential in mouse blastocysts derived from IVF by combined treatment with prolactin, epidermal growth factor and 4-hydroxyestradiol
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONCan supplementation of medium with prolactin (PRL), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OH-E2) prior to embryo transfer improve implantation potential in mouse blastocysts derived from IVF?SUMMARY ANSWERCombined treatment with PRL, EGF and 4-OH-E2 improves mouse blastocyst implantation rates, while alone, each factor is ineffective.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYBlastocyst dormancy during delayed implantation caused by ovariectomy is maintained by continued progesterone treatment in mice, and estrogen injection rapidly activates blastocysts to implantation-induced statusin vivo. While the ex...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - June 27, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Infertility diagnosis has a significant impact on the transcriptome of developing blastocysts
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONIs the human blastocyst transcriptome associated with infertility diagnosis, specifically: polycystic ovaries (PCO), male factor (MF) and unexplained (UE)?SUMMARY ANSWERThe global blastocyst transcriptome was significantly altered in association with a PCO, MF and UE infertility diagnosis.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYInfertility diagnosis has an impact on the probability for a successful outcome following an IVF cycle. Limited information is known regarding the relationship between a specific infertility diagnosis and blastocyst transcription during preimplantation development.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONBlas...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - June 27, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
The transcriptome of human oocytes is related to age and ovarian reserve
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONHow does the human oocyte transcriptome change with age and ovarian reserve?SUMMARY ANSWERSpecific sets of human oocyte messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are affected independently by age and ovarian reserve.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYAlthough it is well established that the ovarian reserve diminishes with increasing age, and that a woman's age is correlated with lower oocyte quality, the interplay of a diminished reserve and age on oocyte developmental competence is not clear. After maturation, oocytes are mostly transcriptionally quiescent, and developmental competence prior to embryonic...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - June 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Extracellular cAMP activates molecular signalling pathways associated with sperm capacitation in bovines
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONIs extracellular cAMP involved in the regulation of signalling pathways in bovine sperm capacitation?SUMMARY ANSWERExtracellular cAMP induces sperm capacitation through the activation of different signalling pathways that involve phospholipase C (PLC), PKC/ERK1-2 signalling and an increase in sperm Ca2+ levels, as well as soluble AC and cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) signalling.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYIn order to fertilize the oocyte, ejaculated spermatozoa must undergo a series of changes in the female reproductive tract, known as capacitation. This correlates with a number of membrane and metabolic modifi...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - June 17, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Intergenerational impact of paternal lifetime exposures to both folic acid deficiency and supplementation on reproductive outcomes and imprinted gene methylation
This study was supported by a grant to J.M.T. from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR #89944). The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 25, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Long-chain fatty acid triglyceride (TG) metabolism disorder impairs male fertility: a study using adipose triglyceride lipase deficient mice
This study was supported in part by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science JSPS KAKENHI Grant (Nos. JP24249080, JP25462557, JP16K11086). The authors declare no conflict of interest. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 25, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
1 H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of live human sperm
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONCan1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) be used to obtain information about the molecules and metabolites in live human spermatozoa?SUMMARY ANSWERPercoll-based density gradient centrifugation (DGC) followed by a further two washing steps, yielded enough sperm with minimal contamination (<0.01%) from seminal fluid to permit effective MRS which detected significant differences (P< 0.05) in the choline/glycerophosphocholine (GPC), lipid and lactate regions of the1H MRS spectrum between sperm in the pellet and those from the 40%/80% interface.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYCurrent methods to examine sperm...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
The acceptability of stem cell-based fertility treatments for different indications
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONWhat is the acceptability of using stem cell-based fertility treatments (SCFT) for different indications according to gynaecologists and the general public?SUMMARY ANSWERThe majority of gynaecologists and the general public accept SCFT for the indications female or male infertility in young heterosexual couples, and female infertility in single women and same-sex couples.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYSCFT could result in genetic parenthood for intended parents with indications that cannot be treated using currently available methods, such as being in a same-sex relationship or female post-menopausal age. It is...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 9, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Evidence for CB2 receptor involvement in LPS-induced reduction of cAMP intracellular levels in uterine explants from pregnant mice: pathophysiological implications
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONWhat is the role of the endocannabinoid system (eCS) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) effects on uterine explants from 7-day pregnant mice in a murine model of endotoxin-induced miscarriage?SUMMARY ANSWERWe found evidence for cannabinoid receptor type2 (CB2) involvement in LPS-induced increased prostaglandin-F2 α (PGF2 α) synthesis and diminished cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) intracellular content in uterine explants from early pregnant mice.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYGenital tract infections by Gram-negative bacteria are a common complication of human pregnancy that results in an increased risk of...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 9, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Dysregulation of the ADAM17/Notch signalling pathways in endometriosis: from oxidative stress to fibrosis
This study suggests that Notch signalling plays a key role in the fibrotic processes that take place in ectopic lesions of patients with DIE, as already observed in other pro-fibrotic diseases.STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTEREST(S)This work was supported by grants from University Paris Descartes, INSERM and Fundaci ón Alfonso Martín Escudero. The authors have no competing interests to declare. (Source: Molecular Human Reproduction)
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - May 9, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Defective trophoblast invasion underlies fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia-like symptoms in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat
AbstractSTUDY QUESTIONWhat is the impact of chronic hypertension on placental development, fetal growth and maternal outcome in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP)?SUMMARY ANSWERSHRSP showed an impaired remodeling of the spiral arteries and abnormal pattern of trophoblast invasion during placentation, which were associated with subsequent maternal glomerular injury and increased baseline hypertension as well as placental insufficiency and asymmetric fetal growth restriction (FGR).WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYA hallmark in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) is abnormal placentation with defective remodeling o...
Source: Molecular Human Reproduction - April 27, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
