bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Changes in Macrophage Distribution in Normal Mouse Ovary Over the Course of the Estrous Cycle Examined With an Image Analysis System
Authors: Petrovská Marianna , Dimitrov Dimitar G. , Michael Sandra D. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The current study considered the distribution of macrophages within the major ovarian structures throughout the estrous cycle.METHODS: Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out using an avidin‐biotin‐peroxidase staining method and the rat anti‐mouse macrophage monoclonal antibody anti‐Mac‐1 was applied to stain macrophages. A computer‐assisted image analysis system was used to quantify and compare the distribution of macrophages within individual ovarian structures during the estrous cycle. The following morphological structures were analyzed: primordial, preantral, antral, pre‐Graafian, and atretic follicles; first‐, second‐, and third‐generation corpora lutea; and the interstitium. The analysis included follicular and corpus luteum substructures: theca, granulosa cells, and interstitium. The system allows the estimation of macrophage distribution as a macrophage density per μm2 of the defined area.RESULTS: Primordial and preantral follicles did not contain macrophages during all stages of the estrous cycle. In antral, pre‐graafian, and graafian follicles, macrophages were located and quantified only in the theca and were not detected in the granulosa cell layer. In contrast, atretic follicles showed macrophage localization in both thecal and granulosa cell layers. Macrophages were present in small numbers in the granulosa luteal cell layer and in high numbers in the thecal layer of newly developing corpora lutea. In the second generation of corpus luteum, macrophages followed the same pattern of distribution, while old corpora lutea contained significantly higher numbers of macrophages in both thecal and luteal cell layers. Surprisingly, significant quantitative changes in the macrophages distribution were detected over the course of the estrous cycle. Macrophage density was significantly higher in proestrus and metestrus when compared with the density in diestrus and estrus in most of the studied substructures with the exception of atretic follicles. Atretic follicles showed high macrophage density throughout the cycle with a two‐fold higher density at metestrus.CONCLUSION: Macrophages were present in the mouse ovary over the course of the estrous cycle. The greatest numbers of macrophages appearing in corpora lutea and in atretic follicles suggest a role for macrophages in corpus luteum differentiation and follicular atresia. Their patterns of distribution at proestrus and metestrus within microenvironmental compartments suggests a functional correlation with the events of ovarian development.
Amniotic Fluid Endothelin‐1 Levels Are Increased in Pregnancy‐Induced Hypertension and Intrauterine Growth Retardation
Authors: Iorio Romolo Di , Marinoni Emanuela , Anceschi Maurizio M. , Emiliani Serena , Letizia Claudio , Cosmi Ermelando V. 
Published: September 2011

Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is a potent vasoconstrictor released by vascular endothelium. Because endothelial cell damage is considered determinant in the pathophysiology of pregnancy‐induced hypertension (PIH), this study was conducted to evaluate the role of ET‐1 produced by feto‐placental tissues in PIH.Amniotic fluid samples obtained by amniocentesis from patients with PIH (N=33), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (N=16), and PIH associated with IUGR (N=12) were evaluated for ET‐1 and compared to 42 normotensive pregnancies using a specific radioimmunoassay.ET‐1 levels were significantly increased in PIH (35.6 ± 1.9 pg/ml) and IUGR groups (33.8 ± 4.6 pg/ml) compared to controls (20.8 ± 1.4 pg/ml) (P <0.01). In patients with PIH associated with IUGR, ET‐1 concentrations were higher (P <0.05) with no correlation with the severity of IUGR.Our data indicate that in PIH and IUGR ET‐1 production and/or secretion is enhanced in the amniotic compartment, suggesting that the peptide may contribute to the pathophysiologic modifications observed in these conditions.
Human Endometrial Expression of Granulocyte Colony‐Stimulating Factor (G‐CSF) and Its Receptor, Stimulation of Endometrial G‐CSF Production by Interleukin‐1β, and G‐CSF Inhibition of Choriocarcinoma Cell Proliferation
Authors: Vandermolen David T. , Gu Yang 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To investigate the expression, regulation thereof, and actions of human endometrial granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF).METHODS: Endometrial expression of messenger ribonucleic acids for G‐CSF and its receptor were studied using reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. In tissue culture, endometrial G‐CSF protein production, baseline and in response to interleukin‐1β, was determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbant assay of the conditioned media. G‐CSF effects on proliferation of three choriocarcinoma cell lines were determined.RESULTS: In vivo, human endometrium expressed messenger ribonucleic acids for G‐CSF and its receptor throughout the menstrual cycle, and endometrium expressed G‐CSF protein in vitro. Interleukin‐1β stimulated endometrial G‐CSF protein production in time and dose dependent manners. G‐CSF inhibited proliferation of two choriocarcinoma cell lines.CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that 1) G‐CSF may have physiologic roles in the endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle; 2) endometrial G‐CSF protein production is stimulated by interleukin‐1β; and 3) that G‐CSF may, in part, mediate local actions of interleukin‐1β and modulate trophoblast proliferation.
Cytokine Expression by Models of Human Trophoblast as Assessed by a Semiquantitative Reverse Transcription‐Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique
Authors: Bennett William A. , Lagoo‐Deenadayalan Sandhya , Brackin Martha N. , Hale Enatra , Cowan Bryan D. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Cytokines form an important communication network between the mother and fetus. Defining the significance of these factors requires an understanding of their constitutive expression by maternal and fetal tissues. This study examines cytokine expression by human trophoblast.METHODS: A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) technique was used to assess cytokine expression by choriocarcinoma cells (BeWo, JEG‐3, and JAR) and term trophoblast. Placental digests were enriched for trophoblast by immunoaffinity (CD‐9) columns.RESULTS: Interleukin (IL)‐1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interferon (IFN)‐γ were weakly expressed or absent in the choriocarcinoma cells. In contrast, these cytokines were expressed by term trophoblast. IL‐6, IL‐10, IFN‐α, IFN‐β, and granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) mRNA were detected in all trophoblast cells, except for a paucity of IL‐10 expression by JEG‐3 cells.CONCLUSIONS: Human choriocarcinoma cells and term trophoblast express cytokines that may regulate critical reproductive events. Expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐1, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ by term trophoblast could trigger labor or be a consequence of labor‐associated events.
Control of Cell Proliferation by Embryonal‐Origin Factors
Authors: Barnea Eytan R. , Barnea Jean‐David , Pines Mark 
Published: September 2011

Embryogenesis can be paralleled and contrasted with cancerous cell proliferation; both embryogenesis and cancer are associated with extremely rapid cell proliferation. However, unlike cancer, embryogenesis is characterized by a delicate balance of proliferative and anti‐proliferative processes. We have found two chromatographically separated fractions derived from human embryonal neural tissue extracts that significantly suppress the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. The reduction in cell number was time dependent, with maximal inhibition (70%) observed after 4 days of incubation while maintaining cell viability. The anti‐proliferative effect was also evidenced by decreased [3H]‐thymidine incorporation. Significant inhibition of proliferation of osteosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, and Balb/c 3T3 cell lines was also obtained with a low concentration of the active fractions. Embryonal factors inhibited mouse and rat cell lines, indicating cross‐species effectiveness. The SDS‐PAGE of the biologically active ˜ 10.7 kDa region revealed several protein bands, while the biologically active ˜ 4.5 kDa fraction contained only weakly stainable bands.Thus, the embryo contains factors that control the proliferation of malignant cells. These potent and possibly novel compounds should be investigated for their potential therapeutic role in cancer and other proliferative disorders.
Neuroimmunological Aspects of Fetus and Newborn Brain Damage in Complicated Pregnancy
Authors: Borodin Yuriy , Chekhonin Vladimir 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The role of neuroautoimmune mechanisms in pathogenesis of perinatal damage of fetus and neonate brain during complicated pregnancy is considered to be important.METHOD: To determine neurospecific antigens (NSA) and their antibodies, ELISA and two‐site column enzyme immunoassay were used.RESULTS: The contents of NSA and anti‐brain antibodies, associated with fetal brain congenital development defects, account for the development of neuroautoimmune shifts in the mother‐fetus system. The time of NSA appearance in serum from pregnant women, the dynamics of their level during pregnancy, and the appearance of anti‐brain antibodies were determined, not by the nosology of extragenital pathology, but by the degree of fetus suffering, i.e., by the state of its central nervous system, connected with the decompensation of metabolic processes and homeostatic disorder in a mother‐fetus system.CONCLUSIONS: Approved immunodiagnostic test systems should be recommended as markers for determination of pregnancy risk group, prognosticating perinatal pathology of neonatal and childhood CNS disorders.
The Interleukin‐1 System and Human Implantation
Authors: Simón Carlos , Mercader Amparo , Gimeno Maria José , Pellicer Antonio 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Cytokines and growth factors are increasingly implicated in embryonic implantation. In the present study, we focus on the interleukin‐1 system as an example of local regulator in human implantation.METHOD: Three different approaches are considered. First, we present evidence demonstrating its presence, regulation, and relevance on the human endometrium. Second, we demonstrate the presence of the IL‐1 system in the human embryo and the selective IL‐1 release only when embryos were co‐cultured with human endometrial epithelial cells (EEC) or EEC‐conditioned media, indicating an obligate role of the endometrium in the regulation of the embryonic IL‐1 system. Finally, we show data regarding the presence, hormonal regulation, and endometrial origin of IL‐1α, IL‐1β, and IL‐1ra levels in the endometrial fluid inside the endometrial cavity. Specifically, we present the IL‐1 intracavitary microenvironment surrounding the human embryo at the apposition phase.RESULTS: This work suggests that the IL‐1 system seems to be relevant for human endometrial and embryonic physiology. Furthermore, this family of molecules must be considered as a relevant paracrine language displayed by both partners that may be important to endometrial and embryonic crosstalk during embryonic implantation.
Phospholipid Binding Plasma Proteins Required for Antiphospholipid Antibody Detection—An Overview
Authors: McIntyre John A. , Wagenknecht Dawn R. , Sugi Toshitaka 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Antibodies to phospholipid antigens (aPA) are associated with thrombosis thrombocytopenia and recurrent pregnancy loss. Contemporary data show many aPA target phospholipid‐binding plasma proteins and not phospholipids. The purpose of this overview is to describe several phospholipid‐binding proteins and provide data to demonstrate how the interaction between phospholipids and phospholipid binding proteins results in expression of neo‐autoantigenic epitopes.METHOD: Review of existing data.RESULTS: Illustrations of how certain plasma proteins β2 glycoprotein I, prothrombin, high and low molecular weight kininogens interact with the anionic phospholipids, cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine and the zwitterionic phospholipid, phosphatidylethanolamine are shown and discussed. A model of aPA mediated thrombosis is presented.CONCLUSIONS: Some aPA recognize phospholipids directly, however, the majority and many which correlate with pathology target phospholipid binding proteins. Published data indicate that aPA represent a constellation of antibodies with multiple specificities. Insight into mechanisms responsible for aPA‐associated thrombosis should provide a basis for treatment.
Immune Responses of Chemically Modified Homologous LDH‐C4 and Their Effect on Fertility Regulation in Mice
Authors: Gupta G.S. , Syal N. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Lactate dehydrogenase‐C4 (LDH‐C4) is an iso‐, allo‐ and auto‐antigen of mammalian sperm. In spite of being cell specific, LDH‐C4 does not induce infertility in females of homologous species after immunization. The present study examines the application of homologous LDH‐C4 after chemical modifications in the immunological infertility of female mice.METHODS: LDH‐C4 from testes of LACA mice was chemically modified by interacting it with gossypol (gossy‐LDH‐C4) and glucosylation with lactose (Glu‐LDH‐C4) in vitro and evaluated for immune responses and induced immunological infertility in allogeneic Balb/c mice after inoculation through intrarectal route using Al(OH)3 as adjuvant.RESULTS: Native LDH‐C4, which elicited high antibody response after immunization with a primary (50 μg) and three secondary doses (30 μg each) at an interval of 15 days each, did not reduce fertility significantly in mice. In contrast, study provides evidence that chemically modified LDH‐C4 induces high infertility, since 85–100% of mice failed to conceive in two independent sets of experiments. Mice inoculated with modified LDH‐C4 were associated with 2–3‐fold anti‐LDH‐C4 antibody titre compared to antibody response elicited by native LDH‐C4. Splenocytes from immunized non‐pregnant mice were evaluated for polyclonal activation using Con A as mitogen. It was found that splenocytes primed with native LDH‐C4 were significantly more stimulated than the non‐immune control cultures. However cells primed with gossy‐LDH‐C4 were non‐reactive to Con A and cells primed with glu‐LDH‐C4 were suppressed for ConA proliferation.CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that LDH‐C4‐gossypol adduct offers a potential application in the induction of infertility of homologous species in marked contrast to native LDH‐C4. Application of Al(OH)3 as adjuvant in the induction of immune response through intra‐rectal route has been suggested.
Distinct Expression of Cytokines and Mitogenic Inhibitory Factors in Semen of Fertile and Infertile Men
Authors: HULEIHEL MAHMOUD , LEVY AYELET , LUNENFELD EITAN , POTASHNIK GAD , GLEZERMAN MAREK , HOROWITZ SHULA 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To assess the effect of seminal plasma (SP) of fertile and infertile men on leukocyte mitogenic response, and the capability of sperm cells to produce IL‐1.METHODS: This study included four groups: fertile men (donors, normal), infertile men with azoospermia (azoo), oligo‐terato‐asthenozoospermia (OTA), and OTA with genital infection (OTA‐inf). Mouse spleen cell proliferation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Concanavalin‐A (Con‐A) was examined in the presence of SP from the above four groups. Supernatants (sup) and lysates (lys) of sperm cells from fertile and oligoteratoasthenospermic (OTA) men were evaluated for IL‐1 bioactivity by specific bioassay.RESULTS: Seminal plasma (SP) of the four groups were shown to inhibit the mitogenic response of mouse spleen cells to LPS and Con‐A. SP of fertile men was significantly more inhibitory than SP from infertile men. Sperm cells from fertile and OTA infertile men constitutively produced IL‐1. Sperm cells of both groups produced similar levels of IL‐1 as examined in the supernatants and lysates.CONCLUSIONS: Seminal plasma of fertile men had more inhibitory mitogenic activity than that of OTA. Sperm cells constitutively produce IL‐1. It is possible that the factors involved in this inhibition are not only anti‐proliferative immune factors. Cytokines and inhibitory factors of mitogenesis in the seminal plasma may be involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of sperm functions and thus affect male fertility.
Correlation of Basal Menses CA‐125 Levels and 6 Month Pregnancy Rates in Women Undergoing Treatments for Infertility Without Assisted Reproductive Methods
Authors: CHECK JEROME H. , COHEN RACHEL , PEYMER MARK , RESNICK MICHAEL , SURYANARAYAN CHITOOR 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation of menstrual CA‐125 levels with pregnancy rates (PRs) after 6 months of treatment for infertility.METHOD: The sample consisted of a heterogenous group of 160 women who sought treatment for infertility. Treatments include progesterone supplementation, donor insemination, intrauterine insemination, and ovulation induction therapy. No laparoscopies were done during the study period. A baseline CA‐125 level was drawn during menses before the initiation of therapy. Patients were followed for 6 months of treatment or until a pregnancy was achieved.RESULTS: There was no difference in the 6 month PR or viable PR by CA‐125 level.CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CA‐125 levels are not predictive of poor fertility potential at least during the first 6 months of infertility therapy. Even though these higher levels sometimes suggest that endometriosis is present, the data suggest that correction of male factor, cervical factor or ovulation factor provides effective PRs without the need for laparoscopic intervention.
Expression of an Immunomodulatory Protein Known as Progesterone Induced Blocking Factor (PIBF) Does Not Correlate With First Trimester Spontaneous Abortions in Progesterone Supplemented Women
Authors: Check Jerome H. , Ostrzenski Adam , Klimek Rudolf 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: An immunomodulatory protein known as the progesterone induced blocking factor (PIBF) has been found to positively correlate with early pregnancy beta human chorionic gonadotropin (B‐hCG) levels. The study presented herein evaluated PIBF levels from conception to the end of the first trimester to determine if lower levels will correlate with first trimester spontaneous abortions (SAB).METHOD: Progesterone induced blocking factor expression by lymphocytes measured using an immunocytochemistry method was compared in pregnant women with ongoing vs. failed pregnancies.RESULTS: There were no differences in the proportion of women having lymphocytes expressing PIBF or in the median numbers when comparing ongoing vs. failed pregnancies. There was no B‐hCG interval where failed pregnancies were found to have lower frequency of PIBF expressing lymphocytes.CONCLUSION: Inadequate PIBF expression independent of low P levels does not appear to be an etiologic factor for first trimester SABs; thus measuring this protein in pregnant women lacks practical usefulness.
A Study of Early Pregnancy Factor Activity in Preimplantation
Authors: Xiao‐Guang Fan , Zhen‐Qun Zheng , XIAO‐GUANG FAN , ZHEN‐QUN ZHENG 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM and METHOD: Early pregnancy factor (EPF), an Immunosuppressive substance, which appears in pregnant women's sera 48 h after fertilization, is a kind of pregnancy‐specific protein. To determine whether the EPF activity could be a super early indicator of pregnancy, we used rosette inhibition assay to detect EPF activity in the sera, collected from 70 women 2–7 days after ovulation intending to conceive monitored by ultrasonography. Simultaneously we selected 40 non‐pregnant sera and 12 early‐pregnant sera as negative control and positive control, respectively.RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated that EPF activity is detected in 35 women's sera out of 70 women within 2–7 days after ovulation, and 28 women out of the 35 were pregnant, which was known by follow‐up, and 7 were not pregnant, possibly due to either false positive results or embryo loss because of preimplantation failure, thus causing no pregnancy. The other 35 out of 70 had no EPF activity and 34 of them were not pregnant, which was known by follow‐up, but one case became pregnant, which was false negative result. Our study showed that diagnosis of the super early pregnancy could be made by detecting EPF activity in maternal serum within the time of preimplantation. The accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis by this method is 88.6%, with a false negative rate of 3.4% and a false positive rate of 17.1%. The β‐HCG level was measured from the above 70 women's sera in order to contrast EPF activity. All of the sera collected 2–6 days following ovulation indicated that there were lower β‐HCG values in very early pregnancy (≥a5 mIU/ml). On the seventh day after ovulation, EPF activity was detected in 11 out of 15 sera with only 2 of them with a b‐HCG level that reached or slightly surpassed that of the early pregnancy diagnosis (5 mIU/ml and 5.4 mIU/ml, respectively). This demonstrated that β‐HCG is not the earliest signal of pregnancy; otherwise the EPF activity is one that appears 2–6 days earlier than β‐HCG appears.We measured the progesterone level of the 48 sera from the 70 collected above within 2–7 days postovulation and found most of them reached the level of progesterone in the luteal phase (7.5–98.3 nmol/L). This indicated that ovulation had taken place in these women, which was in accordance with observations by ultrasonography.CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that diagnosis (of 88.6%) of super early pregnancy could be made with an accuracy of 88.6% by detecting EPF activity in maternal serum within 2‐days after ovulation. This offers a basis for pregnancy diagnosis for the women who attempt to terminate their pregnancy safely or who conceive unexpectedly, and it contributes to family‐planning.
Distribution of Type‐I Interferon‐Receptors in Human First Trimester and Term Placental Tissues and on Isolated Trophoblast Cells
Authors: Paulesu Luana , Romagnoli Roberta , Fortino Vittoria , Cintorino Marcella , Bischof Paul 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Type‐I interferon (IFN) is the protein recognizing pregnancy in ruminants. Although IFN is secreted in early pregnancy, its role is not still clear in other species. Like other cytokines, IFN exerts its biological functions through specific membrane receptors. We have investigated the potential action of IFN in human pregnancy by studying the distribution of the receptors in the human placenta.METHOD: Reactivity to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to the type‐I IFN‐receptor (R) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in human placental tissues and in cytospins of first trimester trophoblast cells.RESULTS: Type‐I IFN‐R immunoreactivity was observed mostly in first trimester villous cytotrophoblasts and in the cytotrophoblast cell columns. Trophoblast in the decidua, the epithelium of the uterine glands, and most of the isolated trophoblast cells were also immunoreactive.CONCLUSION: The expression of type‐I IFN‐R in the highly proliferating and migrating trophoblast suggests that this cytokine has a role in trophoblast growth and invasion.