Greater Loss of Female Embryos During Human Pregnancy: A Novel Mechanism

Given an equal sex ratio at conception, the excess of human males at birth can only be explained by greater loss of females during pregnancy. It is proposed that the bias against females during human development is the result of a greater degree of genetic and metabolic “differentness” between female embryos and maternal tissues than for similarly aged males, and that successful implantation and placentation represents a threshold dichotomy, where the acceptance threshold shifts depending on maternal condition, especially stress. Right and left ovaries are not equal, and neither are the eggs and follicular fluid that they produce, and it is further hypothesized that during times of stress, the implantation threshold is shifted sufficiently to favor survival of females, most likely those originating from the right ovary, and that this, rather than simply a greater loss of males, explains at least some of the variability in the human sex ratio at birth.     

Beclin-1-dependent autophagy,but not apoptosis,is critical for stem-cell-mediated endometrial programming and the establishment of pregnancy

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孕酮、17β-雌二醇对在体培养人子宫内膜出血作用的初步研究

去卵巢地鼠皮下埋植孕酮和17β-雌二醇硅胶管,两周后在地鼠颊囊内移植分泌期人子宫内膜。手术后第11天用3种不同方式取出含类固醇激素管;1)10只动物仅取出17β-雌二醇管,保留孕酮管,移植内膜均无出血现象;2)31只动物取出孕酮管,保留17β-雌二醇管,有21只动物移植内膜出血,10只不出血;3)10只动物两种激素管同时取出,所有移植内膜均出血。内膜出血时间比较集中在取管后36—72小时内,占总出血动物的64％。文章讨论了子宫内膜出血原因。     

Sialyl-Lewis x and Sialyl-Lewis a are associated with MUC1 in human endometrium

Endometrial epithelial cells express MUC1 with increased abundance in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, when embryo implantation occurs. MUC1 is associated with the apical surface of epithelial cells and is also secreted, being detectable in uterine fluid at elevated levels in the implantation phase. However, its physiological role is uncertain; it may either inhibit intercellular adhesion by steric hindrance or carry carbohydrate recognition structures capable of mediating cell-cell interaction. Here we show that endometrial epithelium expresses both Sialyl-Lewis x (SLe^x) and Sialyl-Lewis a (SLe^a), with a distribution and pattern of menstrual cycle regulation similar to that of MUC1. Using Western blotting and double determinant ELISA of uterine flushings, we demonstrate that SLe^x is associated with MUC1 core protein. The endometrial carcinoma cell lines HEC1A and HEC1B are shown to express MUC1 in a mosaic pattern, while three other cell lines express much lower amounts. HEC1A expresses both SLe^x and SLe^a while HEC1B expresses SLe^a only. Immunoprecipitation has been used to demonstrate that SLe^a is associated with MUC1 in HEC1B cells, and both SLe^x and SLe^a are associated with MUC1 in HEC1A cells.     

诱导子宫内膜异位症患者子宫内膜上皮细胞调亡研究

目的:研究促性腺激素释放激素激动剂(GnRHα)对子宫内膜异位症(EMs)患者在位内膜蛋白表达的影响,为EMs的治疗提供依据。方法:94例EMs患者随机分为两组,每组47例,均实施腹腔镜手术治疗,对照组未给予药物治疗,观察组给予曲普瑞林皮下注射,28日/次,注射3次,术中及治疗三个月后观察组分别用取内膜器取少量子宫内膜组织标本,采用免疫组化法法、TUNEL染色法和Western blot检测组织内Bcl-2、Caspase3、GRP78等表达情况,并观察治疗效果。结果:治疗后观察组疼痛视觉模拟评分(VAS)为(2.13±0.69)分,低于对照组的(2.62±0.71)分(P0.05);观察组1年内妊娠率及总妊娠率分别为38.30%、51.06%,均高于对照组的19.15%、29.79%(P0.05);治疗后观察组Bcl-2、Caspase3表达量分别为(1.54±0.28)、(3.20±0.65),均高于对照组的(1.38±0.15)、(1.24±0.27)(P0.05);治疗后观察组GRP78表达量为(0.46±0.17),低于对照组的(0.61±0.24)(P0.05)。结论:GnRHα可缓解EMs患者下腹痛、痛经、性交痛等症状,提高妊娠率,其机制可能与GnRHα调控上皮细胞Bcl-2、Caspase3、GRP78等的表达有关。     

Scanning electron microscopic study of hedgehog uteri

Ultrastructural studies of hedgehog uteri (Erinaceus europaeus L.) have been made using animals in anestrus, in estrus and in estrus after sojourn of a week with a male. In estrus and anestrus the uterine epithelium is homogeneous, regularly interrupted by orifices of glands. It is composed of microvillous cells only. Microvilli decrease in number and length in anestrus. A new type of cell, a ciliated cell, appears after copulation. Probable correlation of ultrastructural aspects of endometrium with hormonal situation is discussed.     

子宫内膜蜕膜化的特征及其调节因素

子宫内膜向蜕膜的转化是正常着床和妊娠的一个重要特征,对于胚泡着床是必不可少的。在蜕膜化过程中,子宫内膜基质细胞在形态和生理等方面都发生了很大的变化。蜕膜化过程受多种因素的调节,包括cAMP、胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白-1(IGFBP-1)、自然杀伤细胞、同源盒基因-10(HOXA10)、激活素等。但对蜕膜化的机制及调节等仍不清楚。     

Inflammation-Related Molecules at the Maternal–Fetal Interface during Pregnancy and in Pathologically Altered Endometrium

The blastocyst expresses paternally derived alloantigens and induces inflammation during implantation. However, it is necessary for the onset of pregnancy. An abnormal response might result in a pathological course of pregnancy or pregnancy failure. On the other hand, a state of maternal immune tolerance is necessary to ensure the normal development of pregnancy by suppressing inflammatory processes. This article discusses recognized mechanisms and the significance of inflammatory processes for embryo implantation and pregnancy establishment. We would also like to present disorders involving excessive inflammatory response and their influence on events occurring during embryo implantation. The chain of correlation between the processes responsible for embryo implantation and the subsequent physiological course of pregnancy is complicated. Many of those interrelationships are still yet to be discovered. Undoubtedly, their recognition will give hope to infertile couples for the emergence of new treatments that will increase the chance of giving birth to a healthy child.