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A combination of growth factors and cytokines alter preimplantation mouse embryo development, foetal development and gene expression profiles Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-11-05 Gurner K, Truong T, Harvey A, et al.
AbstractWithin the maternal tract, the preimplantation embryo is exposed to an array of growth factors (GFs) and cytokines, most of which are absent from culture media used in clinical IVF. Whilst the addition of individual GFs and cytokines to embryo culture media can improve preimplantation mouse embryo development, there is a lack of evidence on the combined synergistic effects of GFs and cytokines
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Placental multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell-derived Slit2 may regulate macrophage motility during placental infection Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-12-04 Chie-Pein Chen; Liang-Kai Wang; Chen-Yu Chen; Chia-Yu Chen; Yi-Hsin Wu
Slit proteins have been reported to act as axonal repellents in Drosophila; however, their role in the placental microenvironment has not been explored. In this study, we found that human placental multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (hPMSCs) constitutively express Slit2. Therefore, we hypothesized that Slit2 expressed by hPMSCs could be involved in macrophage migration during placental inflammation
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Use of selective PGE2 receptor antagonists on human endometriotic stromal cells and peritoneal macrophages Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-12-03 Tomoko Makabe; Kaori Koga; Hiroshi Nagabukuro; Mari Asada; Erina Satake; Ayumi Taguchi; Arisa Takeuchi; Mariko Miyashita; Miyuki Harada; Tetsuya Hirata; Yasushi Hirota; Osamu Wada-Hiraike; Tomoyuki Fujii; Yutaka Osuga
Non-hormonal therapeutic strategies for endometriosis are needed. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of prostaglandin (PG)E2 receptor inhibitors to explore their potential as novel therapeutic strategies for endometriosis. The expression of PGE2 receptors (EP2 and EP4) in donated tissues from human ovarian endometriosis, adenomyosis and peritoneal endometriosis was examined using
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Identification of genes associated with endometrial cell aging Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-12-01 Teruhiko Kawamura; Hiroyuki Tomari; Ichiro Onoyama; Hiromitsu Araki; Masafumi Yasunaga; Cui Lin; Keiko Kawamura; Natsuko Yokota; Sachiko Yoshida; Hiroshi Yagi; Kazuo Asanoma; Kenzo Sonoda; Katsuko Egashira; Takashi Ito; Kiyoko Kato
Aging of the uterine endometrium is a critical factor that affects reproductive success, but the mechanisms associated with uterine aging are unclear. In this study, we conducted a qualitative examination of age-related changes in endometrial tissues and identified candidate genes as markers for uterine aging. Gene expression patterns were assessed by two RNA sequencing experiments using uterine tissues
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HMGA2-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition is reversed by let-7d in intrauterine adhesions Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-12-11 Minmin Song; Chenrui Cao; Zhenhua Zhou; Simin Yao; Peipei Jiang; Huiyan Wang; Guangfeng Zhao; Yali Hu
Intrauterine adhesions (IUAs), the leading cause of uterine infertility, are characterized by endometrial fibrosis. The management of IUA is challenging because the pathogenesis of the disease largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the mRNA and protein levels of high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) were increased by nearly 3-fold (P < 0.0001) and 5-fold (P = 0.0095) in the endometrial
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Mice born to females with oocyte-specific deletion of mitofusin 2 have increased weight gain and impaired glucose homeostasis Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-28 Garcia B, Machado T, Carvalho K, et al.
AbstractOffspring born to obese and diabetic mothers are prone to metabolic diseases, a phenotype that has been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in oocytes. In addition, metabolic diseases impact the architecture and function of mitochondria-ER contact sites (MERCs), changes which associate with mitofusin 2 (MFN2) repression in muscle, liver and hypothalamic
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Two human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) preparations display different early signaling in vitro Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-21 Livio Casarini; Laura Riccetti; Elia Paradiso; Riccardo Benevelli; Clara Lazzaretti; Samantha Sperduti; Beatrice Melli; Simonetta Tagliavini; Manuela Varani; Tommaso Trenti; Daria Morini; Angela Falbo; Maria Teresa Villani; Kim C Jonas; Manuela Simoni
Commercial hMG drugs are marketed for the treatment of infertility and consist of highly purified hormones acting on receptors expressed in target gonadal cells. Menopur® and Meriofert® are combined preparation of FSH and hCG and are compared in vitro herein. To this purpose, the molecular composition of the two drugs was analyzed by immunoassay. The formation of FSH receptor and LH/hCG receptor (FSHR;
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A mouse model reveals the events and underlying regulatory signals during the gonadotrophin-dependent phase of follicle development Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-16 Yingjun Chen; Xiaodong Wang; Chan Yang; Qinghua Liu; Zaohong Ran; Xiang Li; Changjiu He
During folliculogenesis, the gonadotrophin (GTH)-dependent phase begins at the small antral follicle stage and ends with Graafian follicles. In this study, pregnant mare’s serum GTH was used to induce GTH-dependent folliculogenesis in mice, following which the developmental events that follicles undergo, as well as the underlying regulatory signals, were investigated at both the morphological and transcriptomic
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Extracellular vesicles miRNA-21: a potential therapeutic tool in premature ovarian dysfunction Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-13 Thabet E, Yusuf A, Abdelmonsif D, et al.
AbstractChemotherapy induces an irreversible premature ovarian dysfunction (POD). Amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AFMSCs) can rescue fertility; however, the notion that stem cells can rejuvenate follicles is highly controversial due to the predetermined ovarian reserve. This study aims to isolate AFMSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and investigate their abundancy for the anti-apoptotic
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A novel xeno-organoid approach: exploring the crosstalk between human iPSC-derived PGC-like and rat testicular cells Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-13 E M Mall; N Rotte; J Yoon; R Sandhowe-Klaverkamp; A Röpke; J Wistuba; K Hübner; H R Schöler; S Schlatt
Specification of germ cell-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells has become a clinically relevant tool for research. Research on initial embryonic processes is often limited by the access to foetal tissue, and in humans, the molecular events resulting in primordial germ cell (PGC) specification and sex determination remain to be elucidated. A deeper understanding of the underlying processes
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Unscrambling the oocyte and the egg: clarifying terminology of the female gamete in mammals Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-10-06 Duncan F, Schindler K, Schultz R, et al.
AbstractMost reproductive biologists who study female gametes will agree with the 16th century anatomist William Harvey’s doctrine: ‘Ex Ovo Omnia’. This phrase, which literally translates to ‘everything from the egg’, recognizes the centrality of the egg in animal development. Eggs are most impressive cells, capable of supporting development of an entirely new organism following fertilization or parthenogenetic
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Embryonic fatty acid metabolism in diabetic pregnancy: the difference between embryoblasts and trophoblasts Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-09-26 Schindler M, Dannenberger D, Nuernberg G, et al.
AbstractDuring the first days of development the preimplantation embryo is supplied with nutrients from the surrounding milieu. Maternal diabetes mellitus affects the uterine microenvironment, leading to a metabolic adaptation processes in the embryo. We analysed embryonic fatty acid (FA) profiles and expression of processing genes in rabbit blastocysts, separately in embryoblasts (EBs) and trophoblasts
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Revisiting the action of steroids and triterpenoids on the human sperm Ca2+ channel CatSper. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-09-14 A Rehfeld
The sperm-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper (cation channel of sperm) is vital for male fertility. Contradictory findings have been published on the regulation of human CatSper by the endogenous steroids estradiol, testosterone and hydrocortisone, as well as the plant triterpenoids, lupeol and pristimerin. The aim of this study was to elucidate this controversy by investigating the action of these steroids
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Palmitic acid induces inflammation in placental trophoblasts and impairs their migration toward smooth muscle cells through plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-09-08 Amanda M Rampersaud,Caroline E Dunk,Stephen J Lye,Stephen J Renaud
AbstractA critical component of early human placental development includes migration of extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) into the decidua. EVTs migrate toward and displace vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) surrounding several uterine structures, including spiral arteries. Shallow trophoblast invasion features in several pregnancy complications including preeclampsia. Maternal obesity is a risk factor
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Comparative study of pre-implantation development following distinct assisted oocyte activation protocols in a PLC-Zeta knockout mouse model. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-09-08 M Ferrer-Buitrago,L Tilleman,V Thys,A Hachem,A Boel,F Van Nieuwerburgh,D Deforce,L Leybaert,P De Sutter,J Parrington,B Heindryckx
Mammalian fertilization encompasses a series of Ca2+ oscillations initiated by the sperm factor phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ). Some studies have shown that altering the Ca2+ oscillatory regime at fertilization affects preimplantation blastocyst development. However, assisted oocyte activation (AOA) protocols can induce oocyte activation in a manner that diverges profoundly from the physiological Ca2+
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Decorin production by the human decidua: role in decidual cell maturation. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-08-31 C D Halari,P Nandi,M J Jeyarajah,S J Renaud,P K Lala
Decidualization involves the proliferation and differentiation of fibroblast-like endometrial stromal cells into epithelioid-shaped and secretory ‘decidual’ cells in response to steroid hormones. Human decidual cells produce insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and prolactin (PRL), two well-recognized markers of decidual cell maturation and a proteoglycan decorin (DCN). We reported that DCN
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High throughput sequencing reveals landscapes of female germ cell development. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-08-31 Zheng-Hui Zhao,Heide Schatten,Qing-Yuan Sun
Female germ cell development is a highly complex process that includes meiosis initiation, oocyte growth recruitment, oocyte meiosis retardation and resumption and final meiotic maturation. A series of coordinated molecular signaling factors ensure successful oogenesis. The recent rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technologies allows for the dynamic omics in female germ cells, which is
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The molecular mechanisms that underlie fragile X-associated premature ovarian insufficiency: is it RNA or protein based? Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-08-10 Roseanne Rosario,Richard Anderson
The FMR1 gene contains a polymorphic CGG trinucleotide sequence within its 5′ untranslated region. More than 200 CGG repeats (termed a full mutation) underlie the severe neurodevelopmental condition fragile X syndrome, while repeat lengths that range between 55 and 200 (termed a premutation) result in the conditions fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome and fragile X-associated premature ovarian
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Effects of vitrification and the superovulated environment on placental function and fetal growth in an IVF mouse model. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-26 C Roeca,E Silva,C Barentsen,T L Powell,T Jansson
AbstractIn studies of human IVF, as compared to frozen embryo transfer (ET), fresh ET is associated with smaller infants and higher risk of small for gestational age infants. Recent observations suggest that ET using vitrified embryos is associated with higher pregnancy and live birth rates compared to fresh ET, but increased rates of large for gestational age infants. The mechanisms underlying these
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Platelet-derived growth factor B restores vascular barrier integrity and diminishes permeability in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-25 Natalia Pascuali,Leopoldina Scotti,Gonzalo Oubiña,Ignacio de Zúñiga,Mariana Gomez Peña,Carlos Pomilio,Flavia Saravia,Marta Tesone,Dalhia Abramovich,Fernanda Parborell
Although advances in the prediction and management of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) have been introduced, complete prevention is not yet possible. Previously, we and other authors have shown that vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietins (ANGPTs) and sphingosine-1-phosphate are involved in OHSS etiology. In addition, we have demonstrated that ovarian protein levels of platelet-derived
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miR-130b regulates gap junctional intercellular communication through connexin 43 in granulosa cells from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-22 Linlin Jiang,Hui Huang,Yifan Qian,Yu Li,Xiaoli Chen,Na Di,Dongzi Yang
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. We explored whether connexin 43 (Cx43) was differently expressed in luteinized granulosa cells from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared with luteinized granulosa cells from women with a normal menstrual cycle, and whether certain miRNAs regulate the Cx43 level and gap junctional
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Perinatal exposure to high dietary advanced glycation end products affects the reproductive system in female offspring in mice. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Zaher Merhi,Xiu Quan Du,Maureen J Charron
Maternal nutrition and the intrauterine environment are important in determining susceptibility to reproductive and metabolic disturbances. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are widely consumed in Western diet. The purpose of this study was to determine whether perinatal exposure to a high levels of dietary AGEs affect metabolic and reproductive parameters in female mice offspring. Female CD1
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Functional changes in decidual mesenchymal stem/stromal cells are associated with spontaneous onset of labour. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Joan C Wijaya,Ramin Khanabdali,Harry M Georgiou,Maria I Kokkinos,Patrick F James,Shaun P Brennecke,Bill Kalionis
Ageing and parturition share common pathways, but their relationship remains poorly understood. Decidual cells undergo ageing as parturition approaches term, and these age-related changes may trigger labour. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are the predominant stem cell type in the decidua. Stem cell exhaustion is a hallmark of ageing, and thus ageing of decidual MSCs (DMSCs) may contribute to
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Unraveling the mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced damage to human primordial follicle reserve: road to developing therapeutics for fertility preservation and reversing ovarian aging. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-08 Katarzyna J Szymanska,Xiujuan Tan,Kutluk Oktay
Among the investigated mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced damage to human primordial follicle reserve are induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and resultant apoptotic death, stromal–microvascular damage and follicle activation. Accumulating basic and translational evidence suggests that acute exposure to gonadotoxic chemotherapeutics, such as cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin, induces DNA DSBs
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Impact of endoplasmic reticulum stress on oocyte aging mechanisms. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-08 Isao Takehara,Hideki Igarashi,Jun Kawagoe,Koki Matsuo,Kyoko Takahashi,Michi Nishi,Satoru Nagase
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is associated with several aging-related diseases; however, the mechanism underlying age-related deterioration of oocyte quality is unclear. Here, we used post-ovulatory, in vivo aged mouse oocytes as a model. Super-ovulated oocytes harvested from the oviduct at 14 h and 20 h post-hCG injection were designated as ‘fresh’ and ‘aged’, respectively. Embryo development
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A prominent environmental endocrine disruptor, 4-nonylphenol, promotes endometriosis development via plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-04 Pooja Sharma,Hsin-Han Tseng,Jo-Yu Lynn Lee,Eing-Mei Tsai,Jau-Ling Suen
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic inflammatory disease and is associated etiologically with environmental endocrine disruptor (EED) exposure. 4-nonylphenol (NP), a widely found EED, has weak estrogenic activity and modulates plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) function in vitro and in vivo. We aimed to elucidate the immunomodulatory effect of NP on the development of endometriosis, particularly
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Ionomycin induced mouse oocyte activation can disrupt preimplantation embryo development through increased reactive oxygen species reaction and DNA damage. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-22 Chen Chen,Tingye Sun,Mingru Yin,Zhiguang Yan,Weina Yu,Hui Long,Li Wang,Xiaoyu Liao,Zheng Yan,Wenzhi Li,Qifeng Lyu
Oocyte activation induced by calcium oscillations is an important process in normal fertilization and subsequent embryogenesis. In the clinical-assisted reproduction, artificial oocyte activation (AOA) is an effective method to improve the clinical outcome of patients with null or low fertilization rate after ICSI. However, little is known about the effect of AOA on preimplantation embryo development
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Pubertal down regulation of Tetraspanin 8 in testicular Sertoli cells is crucial for male fertility. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-20 Bhola Shankar Pradhan,Indrashis Bhattacharya,Rajesh Sarkar,Subeer S Majumdar
The alarming decline in sperm count has become a global concern in the recent decades. The division and differentiation of male germ cells (Gc) into sperm are governed by Sertoli cells (Sc) upon their functional maturation during puberty. However, the roles of genes regulating pubertal maturation of Sc have not been fully determined. We have observed that Tetraspanin 8 (Tspan8) is down-regulated in
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Analysis of accessible chromatin landscape in the inner cell mass and trophectoderm of human blastocysts. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-14 Min Yang,Xin Tao,Shiny Titus,Tianhua Zhao,Richard T Scott,Emre Seli
Early embryonic development is characterized by drastic changes in chromatin structure that affects the accessibility of the chromatin. In human, the chromosome reorganization and its involvement in the first linage segregation are poorly characterized due to the difficulties in obtaining human embryonic material and limitation on low input technologies. In this study, we aimed to explore the chromatin
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BHLHE40 plays a pathological role in pre-eclampsia through upregulating SNX16 by transcriptional inhibition of miR-196a-5p. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-24 Chunmei Mi,Bin Ye,Zhou Gao,Jinzhi Du,Ruizhen Li,Dong Huang
Pre-eclampsia (PE), which results from abnormal placentation, is a primary cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, the causes of abnormal development of the placenta remain poorly understood. BHLHE40 is a transcriptional repressor in response to hypoxia. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that BHLHE40 negatively regulates miR-196a-5p expression, which may decrease miR-196a-5p
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Letter: COVID-19 and human reproduction: hypothesis needs to be investigated. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-05 Marcelo Borges Cavalcante,Manoel Sarno,Arlley Cleverson Belo da Silva,Ricardo Barini
Sir,
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Reply: COVID-19 and human reproduction: hypothesis needs to be investigated. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-05 Chen Fei,Yan Jing,Li Run-Qian,Liu Ya-Bin,Wang Hao-Ran
Sir,
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Modelling fibroid pathology: development and manipulation of a myometrial smooth muscle cell macromolecular crowding model to alter extracellular matrix deposition. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-25 Ann Winter,Lois A Salamonsen,Jemma Evans
Current treatment options for uterine fibroids are limited to hormonal manipulation or surgical intervention. We aimed to develop an in vitro model to mirror collagen deposition and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation, the principal features of uterine fibroids, to enable testing of novel therapeutics. Macromolecular crowding with Ficoll 400 and Ficoll 70 in cultures of human uterine myometrial smooth
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Downregulation of HDAC8 expression decreases CD163 levels and promotes the apoptosis of macrophages by activating the ERK signaling pathway in recurrent spontaneous miscarriage. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-20 Yongli Yao,Fan Hao,Lin-Chen Tang,Xiang-Hong Xu,Liping Jin
Recurrent spontaneous miscarriage (RSM) is a systemic disorder that has been defined as two or more pregnancies lost before the 20th week of gestation. Although the impaired function of macrophages at the maternal–fetal interface has been reported to be associated with RSM, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we revealed that HDAC8 plays a critical role in RSM. Our results
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Familial primary ovarian insufficiency associated with an SYCE1 point mutation: defective meiosis elucidated in humanized mice. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-13 Diego Hernández-López,Adriana Geisinger,María Fernanda Trovero,Federico F Santiñaque,Mónica Brauer,Gustavo A Folle,Ricardo Benavente,Rosana Rodríguez-Casuriaga
More than 50% of cases of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and nonobstructive azoospermia in humans are classified as idiopathic infertility. Meiotic defects may relate to at least some of these cases. Mutations in genes coding for synaptonemal complex (SC) components have been identified in humans, and hypothesized to be causative for the observed infertile phenotype. Mutation SYCE1 c.721C>T (former
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New insights into the potential mechanisms of spermatogenic failure in patients with idiopathic azoospermia. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-13 Zhonglin Cai,Jianzhong Zhang,Jian Xiong,Chengquan Ma,Bin Yang,Hongjun Li
Idiopathic azoospermia (IA) refers to azoospermia without a clear aetiology. Due to the unclear aetiology and pathological mechanism of IA, there is no effective treatment for IA. The development of assisted reproductive and microsperm extraction technologies has brought hope to patients with IA with fertility problems. However, there are still many patients with IA whose testes lack healthy sperm
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Exosomes and soluble secretome from hormone-treated endometrial epithelial cells direct embryo implantation. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-13 S Gurung,D W Greening,S Catt,L Salamonsen,J Evans
A successful pregnancy requires a synchronous dialogue between endometrium and embryo within the endometrial milieu. The aim of this study was to assess the role in the implantation of mediators in the endometrial milieu. Total secretome (TS), soluble secretome (SS) and small extracellular vesicles (containing exosomes) were generated from hormonally primed human endometrial epithelial cell culture
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The alarmin interleukin-1α causes preterm birth through the NLRP3 inflammasome. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-09 K Motomura,R Romero,V Garcia-Flores,Y Leng,Y Xu,J Galaz,R Slutsky,D Levenson,N Gomez-Lopez
Sterile intra-amniotic inflammation is a clinical condition frequently observed in women with preterm labor and birth, the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Growing evidence suggests that alarmins found in amniotic fluid, such as interleukin (IL)-1α, are central initiators of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation. However, no causal link between elevated intra-amniotic concentrations
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A tale of two cell-fates: role of the Hippo signaling pathway and transcription factors in early lineage formation in mouse preimplantation embryos. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-09 Challis Karasek,Mohamed Ashry,Chad S Driscoll,Jason G Knott
In mammals, the first cell-fate decision occurs during preimplantation embryo development when the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages are established. The ICM develops into the embryo proper, while the TE lineage forms the placenta. The underlying molecular mechanisms that govern lineage formation involve cell-to-cell interactions, cell polarisation, cell signaling and transcriptional
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Mimicking the temperature gradient between the sow's oviduct and uterus improves in-vitro embryo culture output. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-09 S García-Martínez,R Latorre,M A Sánchez-Hurtado,F M Sánchez-Margallo,N Bernabò,R Romar,O López-Albors,P Coy
This work was designed to determine temperature conditions within the reproductive tract of the female pig and study their impact on ARTs. Temperatures were recorded using a laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery assisted approach and a miniaturized probe. Sows and gilts were used to address natural cycle and ovarian stimulation treatments, respectively. According to in vivo values, IVF was performed
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Premature ovarian insufficiency in the XO female mouse on the C57BL/6J genetic background. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-07 B Vaz,F El Mansouri,X Liu,T Taketo
In humans, all but 1% of monosomy 45.X embryos die in utero and those who reach term suffer from congenital abnormalities and infertility, termed Turner’s syndrome (TS). By contrast, XO female mice on various genetic backgrounds show much milder physical defects and normal fertility, diminishing their value as an animal model for studying the infertility of TS patients. In the current paper, we report
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STAG3 homozygous missense variant causes primary ovarian insufficiency and male non-obstructive azoospermia. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-07 Sylvie Jaillard,Kenneth McElreavy,Gorjana Robevska,Linda Akloul,Farah Ghieh,Rajini Sreenivasan,Marion Beaumont,Anu Bashamboo,Joelle Bignon-Topalovic,Anne-Sophie Neyroud,Katrina Bell,Elisabeth Veron-Gastard,Erika Launay,Jocelyn van den Bergen,Bénédicte Nouyou,François Vialard,Marc-Antoine Belaud-Rotureau,Katie L Ayers,Sylvie Odent,Célia Ravel,Elena J Tucker,Andrew H Sinclair
Infertility, a global problem affecting up to 15% of couples, can have varied causes ranging from natural aging to the pathological development or function of the reproductive organs. One form of female infertility is premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), affecting up to 1 in 100 women and characterised by amenorrhea and elevated follicle stimulating hormone before the age of 40. POI can have a genetic
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Vitrification-induced activation of lysosomal cathepsin B perturbs spindle assembly checkpoint function in mouse oocytes. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-07-07 Ahmed Z Balboula,Karen Schindler,Tomoya Kotani,Manabu Kawahara,Masashi Takahashi
As the age of child-bearing increases and correlates with infertility, cryopreservation of female gametes is becoming common-place in ART. However, the developmental competence of vitrified oocytes has remained low. The underlying mechanisms responsible for reduced oocyte quality post-vitrification are largely unknown. Mouse cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were vitrified using a cryoloop technique
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Human chorionic gonadotropin improves endometrial receptivity by increasing the expression of homeobox A10. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-06-05 Mengchen Zhu,Shanling Yi,Xiaomin Huang,Junan Meng,Haixiang Sun,Jianjun Zhou
Homeobox A10 (HOXA10) is a characterized marker of endometrial receptivity. The mechanism by which hCG intrauterine infusion promotes embryo implantation is still unclear. This study seeks to investigate whether hCG improves endometrial receptivity by increasing expression of HOXA10. HOXA10 expression with human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation was analyzed in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate
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The SEPT12 complex is required for the establishment of a functional sperm head-tail junction. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-11 Yi-Ru Shen,Han-Yu Wang,Yung-Chieh Tsai,Yung-Che Kuo,Shang-Rung Wu,Chia-Yih Wang,Pao-Lin Kuo
The connecting pieces of the sperm neck link the flagellum and the sperm head, and they are important for initiating flagellar beating. The connecting pieces are important building blocks for the sperm neck; however, the mechanism of connecting piece assembly is poorly understood. In the present study, we explored the role of septins in sperm motility and found that Sept12D197N knock-in (KI) mice produce
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Potential influence of COVID-19/ACE2 on the female reproductive system. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-04 Yan Jing,Li Run-Qian,Wang Hao-Ran,Chen Hao-Ran,Liu Ya-Bin,Gao Yang,Chen Fei
The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) appeared in December 2019 and then spread throughout the world rapidly. The virus invades the target cell by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 and modulates the expression of ACE2 in host cells. ACE2, a pivotal component of the renin-angiotensin system, exerts its physiological functions by modulating the levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) and Ang-(1-7)
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Use of a human embryonic stem cell model to discover GABRP, WFDC2, VTCN1 and ACTC1 as markers of early first trimester human trophoblast. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-02 Rowan M Karvas,Samuel McInturf,Jie Zhou,Toshihiko Ezashi,Danny J Schust,R Michael Roberts,Laura C Schulz
Human placental development during early pregnancy is poorly understood. Many conceptuses are lost at this stage. It is thought that preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and other placental syndromes that manifest later in pregnancy may originate early in placentation. Thus, there is a need for models of early human placental development. Treating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with BMP4
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Treatment with 2-methoxyestradiol increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity via scavenger receptor class BI in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-04-25 Tao Dong,Seisuke Sato,Jingya Lyu,Hitomi Imachi,Toshihiro Kobayashi,Kensaku Fukunaga,Takanobu Saheki,Hisakazu Iwama,Guoxing Zhang,Koji Murao
Concentrations of 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2), a principal metabolite of estradiol, are significantly lower in women with severe preeclampsia. Nitric oxide (NO) released by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays an important role in regulating cardiovascular homeostasis. Importantly, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) stimulates eNOS activity via endothelial human scavenger receptor class B type
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Deficiency of the onco-miRNA cluster, miR-106b∼25, causes oligozoospermia and the cooperative action of miR-106b∼25 and miR-17∼92 is required to maintain male fertility. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-04-24 Alicia Hurtado,Rogelio Palomino,Ina Georg,Miguel Lao,Francisca M Real,F David Carmona,Miguel Burgos,Rafael Jiménez,Francisco J Barrionuevo
The identification of new genes involved in sexual development and gonadal function as potential candidates causing male infertility is important for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Deficiency of the onco-miRNA cluster miR-17∼92 has been shown to disrupt spermatogenesis, whereas mutations in its paralog cluster, miR-106b∼25, that is expressed in the same cells, were reported to have no effect
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Establishment of an in vitro placental barrier model cultured under physiologically relevant oxygen levels. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-15 Michael K Wong,Edward W Li,Mohamed Adam,Ponnambalam R Selvaganapathy,Sandeep Raha
The human placental barrier facilitates many key functions during pregnancy, most notably the exchange of all substances between the mother and fetus. However, preclinical models of the placental barrier often lacked the multiple cell layers, syncytialization of the trophoblast cells and the low oxygen levels that are present within the body. Therefore, we aimed to design and develop an in vitro model
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C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 as a novel intermediate in the ovulatory cascade. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-15 J P Jaworski,M Urrutia,E Dascal,G Jaita,M C Peluffo
Expression of immune function genes within follicle cells has been reported in ovaries from many species. Recent work from our laboratory showed a direct effect of the monocyte chemoattractant protein 1/C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 system within the feline cumulus oocyte complex, by increasing the mRNA levels of key genes involved in the ovulatory cascade in vitro. Studies were designed to evaluate
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Prednisolone in early pregnancy inhibits regulatory T cell generation and alters fetal and placental development in mice. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-05-15 Tom Ec Kieffer,Peck Y Chin,Ella S Green,Lachlan M Moldenhauer,Jelmer R Prins,Sarah A Robertson
Corticosteroids have been utilised in the assisted reproduction setting with the expectation of suppressing aberrant immune activation and improving fertility in women. However, the effects of corticosteroids on fertility, and on pregnancy and offspring outcomes, are unclear. In this study, mice were administered prednisolone (1 mg/kg) or PBS daily in the pre-implantation phase, and effects on the
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Abnormal uterine inflammation in obstetric syndromes: molecular insights into the role of chemokine decoy receptor D6 and inflammasome NLRP3. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Chiara Tersigni,Manu Vatish,Silvia D'Ippolito,Giovanni Scambia,Nicoletta Di Simone
The adaptation of the uterine environment into a favorable immunological and inflammatory milieu is a physiological process needed in normal pregnancy. A uterine hyperinflammatory state, whether idiopathic or secondary to hormonal or organic uterine disorders (polycystic ovary syndromes, endometriosis/adenomyosis and fibroids), negatively influences the interactions between decidua and trophoblast
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The identification of novel mutations in PLCZ1 responsible for human fertilization failure and a therapeutic intervention by artificial oocyte activation. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Jian Mu,Zhihua Zhang,Ling Wu,Jing Fu,Biaobang Chen,Zheng Yan,Bin Li,Zhou Zhou,Wenjing Wang,Lin Zhao,Jie Dong,Yanping Kuang,Xiaoxi Sun,Lin He,Lei Wang,Qing Sang
Fertilization involves a series of molecular events immediately following egg-sperm fusion; Ca2+ oscillations are the earliest signaling event, and they initiate the downstream reactions including pronucleus formation. Successful human reproduction requires normal fertilization. In clinical IVF or ICSI attempts, some infertile couples suffer from recurrent fertilization failure. However, the genetic
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Excess palmitate induces decidual stromal cell apoptosis via the TLR4/JNK/NF-kB pathways and possibly through glutamine oxidation. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Si-Yao Ha,Xue-Min Qiu,Zhen-Zhen Lai,Hui-Li Yang,Yan Wang,Lu-Yu Ruan,Jia-Wei Shi,Xiao-Yong Zhu,Da-Jin Li,Ming-Qing Li
During gestation, excess palmitate (PA) is enriched in decidua. Both excess PA and decidual dysfunctions are associated with numerous adverse pregnancy outcomes such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction. Here, mRNA data about the effects of PA were collected from multiple databases and analyzed. Human decidual tissues were obtained from clinically
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Developmental biology meets toxicology: contributing reproductive mechanisms to build adverse outcome pathways. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Monica Kam Draskau,Cassy M Spiller,Julie Boberg,Josephine Bowles,Terje Svingen
An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) is a simplified description of the sequence of mechanistic events that lead to a particular toxicological effect, from initial trigger to adverse outcome. Although designed to inform regulatory risk assessors, the AOP framework also provides a platform for innovative collaborations between experts from relevant research fields and the regulatory community. The underpinning
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Melatonin protects the mouse testis against heat-induced damage. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Pengfei Zhang,Yi Zheng,Yinghua Lv,Fuyuan Li,Lihong Su,Yuwei Qin,Wenxian Zeng
Spermatogenesis, an intricate process occurring in the testis, is responsible for ongoing production of spermatozoa and thus the cornerstone of lifelong male fertility. In the testis, spermatogenesis occurs optimally at a temperature 2-4°C lower than that of the core body. Increased scrotal temperature generates testicular heat stress and later causes testicular atrophy and spermatogenic arrest, resulting
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Role of intrauterine administration of transfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells by GM-CSF on embryo implantation and pregnancy rate in mice. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-02-29 Delsuz Rezaee,Mojgan Bandehpour,Bahram Kazemi,Mohammad Salehi
One of the effective treatments in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is the use of immune cells to facilitate embryo implantation. Previous studies have shown that intrauterine transmission of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) increased the embryo implantation rate. In this study using B6D2F1 (C57BL/6 × DBA2) mice, a fragment of the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor
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Metabolic profile of in vitro derived human embryos is not affected by the mode of fertilization. Mol. Hum. Reprod. (IF 3.636) Pub Date : 2020-04-24 Christine Leary,Roger G Sturmey
The pattern of metabolism by early embryos in vitro has been linked to a range of phenotypes, including viability. However, the extent to which metabolic function of embryos is modified by specific methods used during ART has yet to be fully described. This study has sought to determine if the mode of fertilization used to create embryos affects subsequent embryo metabolism of substrates. A metabolic