Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine-CERM最新文献

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder that can cause infertility. This experimental study was conducted to elucidate the role of adiponectin signaling in rats with PCOS treated with exenatide. Twenty-eight adult female Wistar rats were divided into four groups of seven. The normal group did not receive any drug. The PCOS+vehicle (Veh) group received estradiol valerate to induce PCOS, then was divided into PCOS +E50 and PCOS+E100 groups and treated with 50 or 100 mg/kg doses of exenatide, respectively. The mRNA expression of adiponectin and adiponectin receptor 1 (Adipo-R1) was evaluated using a semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that the level of adiponectin diminished in the PCOS rats while exenatide increased adiponectin expression at both doses. Adiponectin receptor mRNA levels were higher in the PCOS rats than in the normal rats (p<0.05). In addition, exenatide decreased the levels of Adipo-R1 expression. Taken together, our results showed that exenatide may improve PCOS characteristics in rats through the molecular regulation of adiponectin and its receptor.

We present a rare case of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in a 19-year-old woman undergoing a second donation cycle of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. The patient developed severe OHSS despite the implementation of preventive strategies and required hospitalization for 14 days, including treatment in the intensive care unit. The underlying pathophysiology that triggers this extreme systemic response in certain patients, despite the implementation of preventive measures, remains unknown. Continued research efforts are necessary to improve our understanding and management of this condition.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the thiol/disulfide balance, myeloperoxidase, and ischemia-modified albumin levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of poor ovarian response (POR) and normal ovarian response (NOR) women who received intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods: The study was performed between March 2021 and April 2022 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ankara City Hospital. The study included 27 POR and 35 NOR women who underwent ICSI. FF was obtained after the controlled ovarian stimulation cycle. The FF thiol/disulfide balance was detected using spectrophotometric methods. A correlation analysis was conducted to determine whether these oxidative stress markers could contribute to predicting oocyte quality.

Results: Disulfide levels were significantly higher in the NOR group than in the POR group (p=0.014). The number of fertilized egg (2PN) oocytes was positively correlated with the total thiol level (r=0.258, p=0.046). The disulfide level was positively correlated with the anti-Müllerian hormone level (r=0.262, p=0.039) and the total number of retrieved oocytes (r=0.335, p=0.008).

Conclusion: The disulfide levels differed significantly between the NOR and POR groups. The statistically significant differences of fewer metaphase II oocytes and lower percentage of good-quality embryos in the NOR group compared to the POR group might have resulted from the NOR group's elevated disulfide levels. The total thiol levels correlated with the total of 2PN oocytes. Future studies should examine the thiol/disulfide balance at assisted reproductive technology centers to predict which oocytes could be fertilized.

Objective: Phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is found in abundance in environmental pollutants, food, and drinking water. This substance can accumulate in body tissues and exert harmful effects. Moreover, phenanthrene can cross the placental barrier, potentially impacting fetal development. We aimed to explore the impacts of maternal exposure to phenanthrene on testicular tissue and Sertoli cell function in F1 mice.

Methods: Female rats with vaginal plugs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, sham, or phenanthrene. The control group received no intervention during pregnancy. In the sham and phenanthrene groups, corn oil and a phenanthrene solution, respectively, were administered via gavage once every 2 days. Offspring were separated by sex 21 days after birth. At 56 days postnatal, male F1 offspring were euthanized, and their testes were harvested for histological and molecular analyses.

Results: Phenanthrene exposure was associated with a lower testicular weight and volume, a smaller diameter of the seminiferous tubules, and a relative thinning of the germinal epithelium. These changes were associated with increased cellular apoptosis, as shown by the upregulation of caspase 3 expression. Additionally, we observed an increase in vacuolization and residual bodies within the tissue. Conversely, the number of Sertoli cells and expression levels of Sox9, as well as the Ocln and Itgb1 genes, were found to be lowered.

Conclusion: Maternal exposure to phenanthrene impacts both germ cells and Sertoli cells, disrupting their function and leading to fertility disorders in male F1 offspring mice.

Objective: Amenorrhea is an abnormal condition characterized by the absence of menstruation in women of reproductive age. According to the World Health Organization, amenorrhea ranks as the sixth leading cause of female infertility. Approximately 2% to 5% of women of reproductive age experience amenorrhea, which can be classified as primary amenorrhea (PA) or secondary amenorrhea (SA). Several studies have named chromosomal abnormalities among the main causes of amenorrhea, though the prevalence of these abnormalities may differ across populations. The objective of this study was to ascertain the frequency and types of chromosomal abnormalities in women with amenorrhea in Kermanshah Province, Iran.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with PA and SA who underwent standard cytogenetic analysis. We also conducted a review of the literature on chromosomal abnormalities and their prevalence in SA.

Results: Among the 137 cases of PA in this study, 22% exhibited chromosomal abnormalities. Numerical changes were the most common finding (46.6%) in this group, including 45,X, mosaic, and 47,XXX karyotypes. These were followed by the 46,XY karyotype (40%). Of the 51 cases of SA that received chromosomal analysis, abnormalities were identified in only one case. Additionally, our review of the literature revealed that chromosomal aberrations are responsible for 7% of SA cases globally.

Conclusion: In this study, we successfully characterized the cytogenetic causes of PA and SA in a substantial population from Kermanshah Province, Iran.

Among the primary objectives of contemporary assisted reproductive technology research are achieving the births of healthy singletons and improving overall fertility outcomes. Substantial advances have been made in refining the selection of single embryos for transfer, with the aim of maximizing the likelihood of successful implantation. The principal criterion for this selection is embryo morphology. Morphological evaluation systems are based on traditional parameters, including cell count and fragmentation, pronuclear morphology, cleavage rate, blastocyst formation, and various sequential embryonic assessments. To reduce the incidence of multiple pregnancies and to identify the single embryo with the highest potential for growth, invasive techniques such as preimplantation genetic screening are employed in in vitro fertilization clinics. However, new approaches have been suggested for clinical application that do not harm the embryo and that provide consistent, accurate results. Noninvasive technologies, such as time-lapse imaging and omics, leverage morphokinetic parameters and the byproducts of embryo metabolism, respectively, to identify noninvasive prognostic markers for competent single embryo selection. While these technologies have garnered considerable interest in the research community, they are not incorporated into routine clinical practice and still have substantial room for improvement. Currently, the most promising strategies involve integrating multiple methodologies, which together are anticipated to increase the likelihood of successful pregnancy.

Errors in human DNA may cause genetic disorders. Technological developments have raised hopes for reducing the risks of genetic inheritance among married couples who have a history of such disorders. Among the developments in reproductive health technology that reduce those risks is the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. This review aimed to describe the current strategies using IVF and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), which would be effective for couples with genetic disorders to have healthy offspring. The literature review included full-text, open-access research articles from ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar that were published between 2013 and 2023, with 65 articles obtained from various journals. The keywords were "in vitro fertilization," "reproductive genetic disorders," "PGT-A," "PGT-M," "PGT-SR," and "oocyte donor." A total of 46 articles were selected as the most relevant to the review topic, and the results show that the IVF process can be an option for couples with a history of genetic disorders. Several additional procedures can be performed following IVF, such as oocyte donation and PGT, to help couples who want to have offspring without transmitting their genetic disorders. IVF can be an option for couples who have or carry genetic disorders. With IVF, couples can undertake several procedures such as oocyte donation and PGT for aneuploidy, monogenic disorders, or structural rearrangement.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic endometritis, diagnosed using CD138 immunohistochemistry, among infertile women and to assess the association between chronic endometritis and recurrent implantation failure (RIF).

Methods: In total, 266 patients who underwent hysteroscopy due to infertility between 2019 and 2020 were included in the analysis. Of these, 136 patients with RIF and 130 non-RIF patients were included in the study. CD138 immunohistochemistry test results, blood biomarkers (including natural killer cells, white blood cells, and the lymphocyte-to-neutrophil ratio), and data on pregnancy outcomes were obtained. If the CD138 test yielded a positive result, the patients received antibiotic treatment.

Results: The overall proportion of CD138-positive patients was 32.7% (87/266). The CD138 positivity rate was not related to the number of cycles with implantation failure. In the RIF patient group, no significant associations were found between CD138 positivity and peripheral blood markers. The clinical pregnancy rates were similar between infertile women treated with antibiotics for chronic endometritis and those without chronic endometritis.

Conclusion: To improve the pregnancy rate in infertile patients, it may be helpful to combine CD138 testing with other laboratory tests and administer antibiotic treatment if the result is positive.

Objective: People vaccinated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 [SARS-CoV-2]) mRNA vaccine have reported experiencing various adverse effects. For instance, reproductive-age women have presented with complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding or menstrual cycle changes. We speculated that differences in basal sex hormone levels before and after vaccination may be present in women who experienced irregular bleeding or menstrual cycle changes; thus, this study aimed to investigate the differences in basal sex hormone levels of women before and after two doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who received SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines between January 2021 and February 2022 at a single center. In an outpatient setting, patients were queried regarding their menstrual cycle, the date of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, vaccination type, and vaccination side effects. Differences in basal hormone levels (menstrual cycle days 2-3, follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], and estradiol) before and after vaccination were compared.

Results: Among the 326 patients, patients with no laboratory records of the hormones were excluded. The median time interval between SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination and the laboratory test day was 79 days (interquartile range, 44 to 127). A comparative analysis of these hormones before and after vaccination revealed no significant differences. Subgroup analyses based on age and reported adverse events also found no statistically significant differences.

Conclusion: This study showed no significant differences in basal hormone levels (FSH, LH, and estradiol) before and after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.

Objective: Seasonal variations in semen quality are known to occur in temperate regions, but results regarding tropical areas remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to determine whether monthly variations in semen parameters are present among men in a tropical region.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from semen analyses of 3,000 men over a 10-year period, from 2012 to 2022. Analysis of variance and the independent-samples t-test were employed to observe variations in semen parameters throughout the entire period and between months, respectively.

Results: The mean±standard deviation sperm concentration was significantly lower in June, at 42.5±31.4 million/mL, compared to other months. The highest sperm concentration was found in March, at 57.8±42.6 million/mL, constituting a mean difference of 15.3 million/mL between the lowest and highest concentrations. The total sperm count displayed a similar pattern of monthly variation, with a difference of 47.2 million between the highest and lowest months. No significant monthly differences were observed in other parameters, such as sperm motility, morphology, and semen volume.

Conclusion: Significant monthly variations in sperm concentration and total sperm count were evident in this Sri Lankan population. March, which displayed the highest sperm counts, is in the spring in temperate regions, while the month with the lowest counts, July, is part of the summer. Fluctuations in photoperiod appear to most strongly influence these variations.