| 1. |
- Aghajanova, Lusine, et al.
(author)
-
Receptors for thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid hormones in human ovarian tissue
- 2009
-
In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - : Elsevier BV. - 1472-6483 .- 1472-6491. ; 18:3, s. 337-347
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dysfunction in thyroid regulation can cause menstrual and ovulatory disturbances, the mechanism of which is not clear. The distribution and activity of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSHR), and the thyroid hormone receptors (TR) alpha1, alpha2 and beta1 in human ovarian tissue and in granulosa cells was studied using immunohistochemistry, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative PCR and immunoassays. Strong immunostaining of TSHR, TRalpha1 and TRbeta1 was observed in ovarian surface epithelium and in oocytes of primordial, primary and secondary follicles, with minimal staining in granulosa cells of secondary follicles. Granulosa cells of antral follicles expressed TSHR, TRalpha1 and TRbeta1 proteins. Messenger RNA for all receptors was present in ovarian tissue. Mature human granulosa cells expressed transcripts for 5' deiodinases types 2 and 3, but not type 1, indicating the possibility of conversion of peripheral thyroid hormone thyroxin (T(4)). Granulosa cells stimulated with TSH showed a significant increase in cAMP concentrations after 2 h of culture (P = 0.047), indicating activation through TSHR. Stimulation with T(4) resulted in increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 activation after 10, 30, 60 min and 24 h. These data demonstrate that TSH and thyroid hormone receptors may participate in the regulation of ovarian function.
|
|
| 2. |
- Altmäe, Signe, et al.
(author)
-
Aromatase gene (CYP19A1) variants, female infertility and ovarian stimulation outcome : a preliminary report
- 2009
-
In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - 1472-6483 .- 1472-6491. ; 18:5, s. 651-657
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Progress has been made towards ascertaining the genetic predictors of ovarian stimulation in IVF. Aromatase cytochrome P450, encoded by the CYP19A1 gene, catalyses a key step in ovarian oestrogen biosynthesis. Hence, the aromatase gene is an attractive candidate for genetic studies. This study aimed to examine the genetic influences of CYP19A1 TCT trinucleotide insertion/deletion (Ins/Del) and (TTTA)(n) microsatellite intronic polymorphisms on ovarian stimulation outcome and aetiology of female infertility. IVF patients (n = 152) underwent ovarian stimulation according to recombinant FSH and gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist protocol. Del/Del homozygous patients with shorter TTTA repeats exhibited decreased ovarian FSH sensitivity in ovarian stimulation, which may reflect variations in aromatase gene expression during early antral follicle development. Accordingly, this study demonstrates correlations between Del allele and shorter (TTTA)(n) repeat sizes with smaller ovaries (r = -0.70, P = 0.047) and fewer antral follicles (r = 0.21, P = 0.018) on days 3-5 of spontaneous menstrual cycle, respectively. Furthermore, Del variation linked with low-repeat-number (TTTA)(n) alleles are involved in enhanced genetic susceptibility to unexplained infertility (adjusted OR = 4.33, P = 0.039) and endometriosis (r = -0.88, P = 0.026), which corroborates evidence on the overlapping patient profiles of ovarian dysfunction in both types of female infertility.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bortolotti, Lisa, et al.
(author)
-
Reproductive and parental autonomy: an argument for compulsory parental education
- 2009
-
In: Reproductive Biomedicine Online. - : Elsevier. - 1472-6491 .- 1472-6483. ; 19:1, s. 5-14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper we argue that comprehensive and systematic parental education has the potential to equip young adults with the necessary information for the responsible exercise of their autonomy in choices about reproduction and parenting. Education can allow young adults to acquire largely accurate beliefs about reproduction and parenting and the implications of their reproductive and parental choices. Far from being a limitation of individual freedom, the acquisition of relevant information about reproduction and parenting and the acquisition of self-knowledge with respect to reproductive and parenting choices can help give shape to individual life plans. We make a case for compulsory parental education on the basis of the need to respect and enhance individual reproductive and parental autonomy within a culture that presents contradictory attitudes towards reproduction and where decisions about whether to become a parent are subject to significant pressure and scrutiny.
|
|
| 4. |
- Kartberg, A-J, et al.
(author)
-
Vitrification with DMSO protects embryo membrane integrity better than solutions without DMSO
- 2008
-
In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - 1472-6483 .- 1472-6491. ; 17:3, s. 378-384
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vitrification has become common for cryopreservation of embryos. However, the most Optimal protocol for Vitrification is still to be found. Two vitrification protocols with similar osmolarities were compared: Protocol A. containing dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), propane-2-diol, and ethylene glycol. and Protocol B. containing propane-2-diol and ethylene glycol. Viability and the importance of specific incubation times for early embryo recovery. survival. and cleavage were studied. For assessment of cryodamage, embryos were labelled with Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated annexin V and propidium iodide. Vitrification Studies Oil early mouse embryos were followed Up with studies oil human embryos,. The two vitrification protocols did not differ ill embryo survival rates and were equally efficient ill both mouse and human embryo models. Morphological assessment of embryos directly after vitrification was not a useful tool for assessing survival in this study. Extended exposure of embryos with both vitrification protocols showed that the DMSO-containing vitrification solutions did not lead to cell membrane damage and death as quickly as the DMSO-free vitrification solutions. To assess embryo viability, the authors recommend that vitrification of early embryos should be combined with extended culture and assessment of normal blastocyst development before transferring to patients.
|
|
| 5. |
- Ahlström, Aisling, 1976, et al.
(author)
-
Cross-validation and predictive value of near-infrared spectroscopy algorithms for day-5 blastocyst transfer.
- 2011
-
In: Reproductive biomedicine online. - : Elsevier BV. - 1472-6491 .- 1472-6483.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic metabolomic profiling of spent embryo-culture media has been used to calculate a viability score for individual embryos. These scores have been found to correlate to the reproductive potential of cleavage-stage embryos. In this study, 137 spent blastocyst media samples were collected after single-embryo transfer and analysed by NIR spectroscopy to generate an algorithm and calculate viability scores. To blindly validate the algorithm development process, another algorithm was trained on 47 preselected samples from clinic 1 and then used to predict the outcome of 42 samples from clinic 2. The overall pregnancy rate from the two clinical sites was 50.4%. A positive correlation (R(2)=0.82, P=0.03) was observed with the increasing viability score quintiles and their associated implantation rates. Cross-validation of an algorithm generated from NIR analysis of media samples at one clinical setting blindly was shown to predict implantation potential of blastocysts cultured at another clinic in a different culture media and culture volume. This study demonstrates that metabolomic profiling by NIR spectroscopic analysis of day-5 spent embryo-culture media can predict the implantation potential of blastocysts. Furthermore, this method may not be restricted to a specific set of culturing conditions. The successes of IVF treatment cycles are in part limited by the ability to select the best single embryo from a cohort of patient embryos for transfer back to the woman. Routine procedures of embryo selection are based on morphology, including cell number and size, and the timing of cell division. These methods are favoured because they are quick and easy to assess. Human embryos are grown in culture solutions, which are specific for their stage of development. Recent studies analysing the culture solution in which the embryo are grown, by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic analysis, have been able to predict if an embryo will implant or not. As culture conditions often vary between IVF laboratories the questions remained if the NIR technique could be used to independently predict the implantation potential of an embryo cultured at one laboratory using an algorithm trained on embryos at a second clinic, a so-called cross-validation. The results of this study show that NIR spectroscopy can predict the ability of embryos to implant even when grown in different IVF laboratories and in two different culture solutions. This information supports the idea that NIR spectroscopy can be used globally not relying on specific culture conditions or media.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Altmae, Signe, et al.
(author)
-
Endometrial transcriptome analysis indicates superiority of natural over artificial cycles in recurrent implantation failure patients undergoing frozen embryo transfer
- 2016
-
In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - : Elsevier BV. - 1472-6483 .- 1472-6491. ; 32:6, s. 597-613
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Little consensus has been reached on the best protocol for endometrial preparation for frozen embryo transfer (FET). It is not known how, and to what extent, hormone supplementation in artificial cycles influences endometrial preparation for embryo implantation at a molecular level, especially in patients who have experienced recurrent implantation failure. Transcriptome analysis of 15 endometrial biopsy samples at the time of embryo implantation was used to compare two different endometrial preparation protocols, natural versus artificial cycles, for FET in women who have experienced recurrent implantation failure compared with fertile women. IPA and DAVID were used for functional analyses of differentially expressed genes. The TRANSFAC database was used to identify oestrogen and progesterone response elements upstream of differentially expressed genes. Cluster analysis demonstrated that natural cycles are associated with a better endometrial receptivity transcriptome than artificial cycles. Artificial cycles seemed to have a stronger negative effect on expression of genes and pathways crucial for endometrial receptivity, including ESR2, FSHR, LEP, and several interleukins and matrix metalloproteinases. Significant overrepresentation of oestrogen response elements among the genes with deteriorated expression in artificial cycles (P < 0.001) was found; progesterone response elements predominated in genes with amended expression with artificial cycles (P = 0.0052).
|
|
| 8. |
- Andersen, Claus Yding, et al.
(author)
-
Preovulatory progesterone concentration associates significantly to follicle number and LH concentration but not to pregnancy rate
- 2011
-
In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - : Elsevier BV. - 1472-6491 .- 1472-6483. ; 23:2, s. 187-195
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using data from a large prospective randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effect of recombinant LH (rLH) co-administration for ovarian stimulation, the present study assessed whether progesterone concentration on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration was associated with pregnancy outcome. Progesterone concentration was measured on stimulation day 1 and on the day of HCG administration in 475 patients who underwent IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment following ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and recombinant FSH with or without rLH administration from day 6 of stimulation. There was no significant association between the late-follicular-phase progesterone concentration and the clinical pregnancy rate. However, progesterone concentration was strongly associated with the number of follicles and retrieved oocytes. Late-follicular-phase LH concentration also showed a significant positive association with progesterone concentration (P = 0.018). Administration of rLH during ovarian stimulation did not affect progesterone concentration. The present study does not support an association between progesterone concentration on the day of HCG administration and the probability of clinical pregnancy in women undergoing ovarian stimulation with GnRH agonists and gonadotrophins for assisted reproduction treatment. Instead, late-follicular-phase progesterone concentration appears to be governed by the number of preovulatory follicles and LH concentration. (C) 2011, Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 9. |
- Bergh, Christina, 1953, et al.
(author)
-
Corifollitropin alfa for ovarian stimulation in IVF: a randomized trial in lower-body-weight women.
- 2010
-
In: Reproductive biomedicine online. - : Elsevier BV. - 1472-6491 .- 1472-6483. ; 21:1, s. 66-76
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, equivalence trial (Ensure), 396 women weighing 60kg or less who underwent controlled ovarian stimulation prior to IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to a single dose of 100mug corifollitropin alfa or daily 150IU recombinant FSH (rFSH) for the first 7days of stimulation in a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. The mean +/- SD number of oocytes retrieved per started cycle was 13.3 +/- 7.3 for corifollitropin alfa versus 10.6 +/- 5.9 for rFSH. The estimated treatment difference of +2.5 oocytes (95% CI 1.2-3.9) in favour of corifollitropin alfa (P<0.001) was well within the predefined equivalence margin. The median (range) duration of stimulation was 9 (6-15) days in both groups. In 32.8% of the patients, one injection of corifollitropin alfa was sufficient to reach the human chorionic gonadotrophin criterion. The incidence of moderate and severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was 3.4% for corifollitropin alfa and 1.6% for rFSH. A dose of 100mug corifollitropin alfa offers a simplified treatment option for potential normal responder patients with a lower body weight.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
