Impact of endometriosis on embryo quality and endometrial receptivity in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology

ART is an important treatment method for infertile patients with endometriosis. However, the effects of endometriosis on embryo quality and endometrial receptivity remain unclear. Thus, we aimed to simultaneously investigate the impact of endometriosis and its stage on embryo quality and endometrial receptivity in women undergoing ART. We retrospectively analyzed the data from patients with and without endometriosis who underwent oocyte retrieval and/or high-quality embryos transfer between July 2015 and December 2020, including 1312 IVF cycles and 608 IVF or frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, respectively. The endometriosis group had a lower percentage of good cleavage-stage embryos and fertilization rates than those in the control group (p = 0.038 and 0.008, respectively). The number of retrieved oocytes, MII oocytes, cleavage, blastocysts, and blastulation rates was comparable between two groups. We found no significant difference in clinical pregnancy, implantation, live birth, miscarriage, or multiple pregnancy rates between the two groups among patients who transferred high-quality embryos. Stratification analysis showed that patients with stage III-IV endometriosis had fewer retrieved oocytes than those with stage I-II endometriosis (p = 0.012) and marginally fewer retrieved oocytes than the control group (p = 0.051). The stage I-II group had the lowest percentage of good cleavage-stage embryos, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (p = 0.043). In FET cycles, patients with stage III-IV endometriosis had a higher miscarriage rate than those in the control group (p = 0.023). Our results suggest that endometriosis does not alter endometrial receptivity but affects embryo quality, oocyte fertilization ability, and ovarian response.     

Insemination patterns in HawaiianDrosophila species (Diptera: Drosophilidae) correlate with ovarian development

In 35 Hawaiian Drosophilaspecies collected from natural populations, all reproductively mature females were inseminated. Onset of receptivity to insemination broadly correlated with the vitellogenic stage of ovarian development, but species and species groups varied in the exact stage of vitellogenesis at which earliest insemination took place. A striking exception was observed in two picture-winged species of the adiastolasubgroup, which were precociously inseminated in previtellogenesis, close to the time of adult eclosion. For a given species, the range of ovarian stages from earliest receptivity to insemination of all females, termed the insemination period, also varied among species. This variability may be due to physiological variation between females in hormonal levels, low population densities, and lek behavior of males, or it may reflect variation in degree of female discrimination toward male courtship attempts. Consideration of the quantities of sperm observed stored in the female sperm storage organs, relative to the numbers of eggs produced, indicates obligatory multiple insemination for some species, notably the fungus breeders. In other species groups, there is no apparent necessity for remating, although it may occur.This paper is No. IV in the series Studies of Oogenesis in Natural Populations of Drosophilidae.     

Circ-8073 regulates CEP55 by sponging miR-449a to promote caprine endometrial epithelial cells proliferation via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a large class of endogenous non-coding RNAs that function as regulators in various cells and tissues. Here, the function and mechanism of circRNA8073 (Circ-8073) on endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and the development of endometrial receptivity were investigated in dairy goats. Circ-8073 could bind to and inhibit miR-449a activity. Circ-8073 binding to the target site of miR-449a had a negative feedback relationship. Centrosomal protein55 (CEP55) was a direct target gene of miR-449a, and Circ-8073 could increase the expression levels of CEP55 by sponging miR-449a in EECs in vitro. Circ-8073/miR-449a/CEP55 could promote EECs proliferation via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. In addition, CEP55 could regulate the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) in EECs, which contributed to the development of endometrial receptivity. These findings showed that Circ-8073 regulated CEP55 by sponging miR-449a to promote EEC proliferation via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, suggesting that it could function as a regulator in the development of endometrial receptivity in dairy goats.     

GnRH agonist treatment regulates IL-6 and IL-11 expression in endometrial stromal cells for patients with HRT regiment in frozen embryo transfer cycles

To evaluate the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) pretreatment time on clinical outcomes of patients who underwent endometrial preparation in HRT cycles and the molecular mechanism in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, we retrospectively chose 1143 cycles and separated four groups. Endometrial tissues were collected from 44 patients who were cancelled on the day of embryo transfer (there were 10 patients refused to collect endometrium) and were tested for endometrial receptivity marker mRNA and miR-124-3p expression. Furthermore, endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) were transfected to investigate the molecular mechanism. The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were significantly high in group B. The endometrial expression of the IL-6 and IL-11 mRNAs was significantly increased in groups with GnRHa pretreatment compared with group A without the GnRHa pretreatment. Similar results were obtained for the endometrial receptivity markers LIF and integrin αvβ3. The groups treated with GnRHa exhibited a progressive and significant time-dependent decrease in the IL-6 and IL-11 mRNA. In contrast, the levels of LIF and integrin αvβ3 expression remained unaltered among group B-D. In addition, transfection of ESCs with miR-124-3p mimics significantly reduced levels of the IL-6 and IL-11 mRNAs and proteins. The luciferase report assay demonstrated that IL-6 and IL-11 is a target gene of miR-124-3p. The results showed that ultra-long GnRHa administration can improve outcomes, especially after 3 cycles of GnRHa pretreatment, and endometrial receptivity through IL-6 and IL-11 expression levels of ESC regulated by the miR-124-3p for patients with HRT, who underwent FET cycles.     

有生育要求的子宫肌瘤患者经高强度聚焦超声消融治疗前后子宫内膜容受性、性激素的变化及其妊娠结局的影响因素分析

摘要 目的：观察有生育要求的子宫肌瘤患者经高强度聚焦超声（HIFU）消融治疗前后子宫内膜容受性、性激素的变化,并分析其妊娠结局的影响因素。方法：选择2018年11月~2020年6月期间在我院接受HIFU消融术治疗且有生育要求,符合条件的子宫肌瘤患者176例,均接受HIFU消融治疗,观察治疗前后子宫内膜容受性、性激素的变化和并发症发生情况。根据治疗后是否妊娠将其分为妊娠组和未妊娠组,经单因素与多因素Logistic回归分析妊娠结局的影响因素。结果：术后3个月,子宫肌瘤患者的子宫内膜厚度较术前增厚,子宫内膜容积较术前增加,血管化指数（VI）、血流指数（FI）较术前升高（P<0.05）。与术前相比,术后3个月的雌二醇（E₂）、促卵泡生长激素（FSH）、促黄体生长素（LH）无明显变化,组间对比无统计学差异（P>0.05）。HIFU治疗的患者中,并发症发生率为2.84%。176例患者中,妊娠患者118例纳为妊娠组,剩余58例未妊娠纳为未妊娠组,妊娠率为67.05%。单因素比较发现：妊娠结局与年龄、术前不孕史、术后症状改善、肌瘤分型、术后靶肌瘤体积缩小率≥50%、体质量指数有关（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示年龄、术前不孕史、肌瘤分型是妊娠结局的影响因素（P<0.05）。结论：有生育要求的子宫肌瘤患者经HIFU消融治疗后,子宫内膜容受性得到明显改善,且对患者的性激素分泌无明显影响,安全可靠。此外,年龄、术前不孕史、肌瘤分型是妊娠结局的影响因素。     

关苍术花部综合特征与繁育系统的研究

采用定点观察,运用杂交指数估算、花粉/胚珠比(P/O)测定、套袋授粉等方法,对关苍术的花部综合特征及繁育系统进行研究。结果表明:种群花期为7月下旬至9月初,单花序花期为12~17 d,小花日开放高峰期为早上7:00~8:00;花粉活力最高(90%以上)在开花后2 h以内,而此时其柱头尚无可授性,柱头在花开48~72 h以内具有较强可授性;花粉/胚珠比为6 690,杂交指数为5,繁育系统为专性异交,优势访花者为蜂类和蝇类;套袋和授粉实验结果表明关苍术不存在无融合生殖现象,自交和同株异花结实率很低,其繁育系统以异交为主。通过关苍术花部综合特征和繁育系统的研究,进一步了解其生物学特性,为关苍术资源保护和人工培育提供了理论基础。     

Facilitatory and Inhibitory Effects of β-Endorphin on Lordosis in Female Rats: Relation to Time of Administration

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of time of β-endorphin (β-EP) administration on lordosis in ovariectomized female rats injected subcutaneously (sc) with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (Prog). Intracerebroventricular (icv) injections of β-EP and naloxone (NLX), an opioid receptor antagonist, were administered at the various stages of sc steroid hormone priming. Facilitation of lordosis induced by 10 μg β-EP was observed exclusively within the initial 6 h of estrogen action, after which inhibition of lordosis occurred. At 12 h after EB priming, at the time of sc Prog treatment (or 43 h after EB priming), icv injection of 10 μg β-EP significantly inhibited lordosis. Lordosis was significantly facilitated by icv injections of 1 and 10 μg β-EP at the time of sc EB priming, but not by 0.1 μg β-EP. A dose–response relationship was identified for lordosis in experimental animals receiving icv injection of β-EP. Lordosis was inhibited by icv injections of 1 and 10 μg β-EP at 1 h before the test (or 47 h after EB priming). Lordosis was significantly inhibited by icv injection of NLX at all stages. From the present results, it seems that two different mechanisms are involved in endorphinergic modulation of rats' sexual receptivity: (a) the endorphinergic system at the initial stages of estrogen action facilitates the estrogen activation of lordosis; (b) the endorphinergic system at the final stages of steroid action inhibits lordosis. Moreover, there exists a critical time between 6 and 12 h after estrogen priming for endorphinergic mediation to modulate estrogen action.     

Uterine lipid alterations during early pseudopregnancy and following the artificial induction of decidualization by concanavalin A in QS mice

Lipid extracts of whole uterine tissue from mice were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry during days 2, 3, and 4 of pseudopregnancy (day 1 = copulatory plug) and following the artificial induction of the decidual cell reaction (DCR) on day 4. The range of lipids identified during pseudopregnancy and their percentage composition on day 2 included saturated fatty acids (SFA, 38%), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 20%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 17%), sterols (25%), long chain alcohols (0.12%), and alkylglycerols (0.11%). Of these, the main components were the fatty acids 16:0 (21%), 18:0 (14%), cis18:1n-9 (14%), 18:2n-6 (8.5%), and cholesterol (24%). Although only subtle changes in the composition of uterine lipids occurred through days 2 and 3 of pseudopregnancy, more substantial changes were detected on day 4, at a time when the uterus normally initiates its transient “window of receptivity.” Following induction of the DCR with the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) at this time, even greater alterations in uterine lipid composition were observed. From 20 to 1,280 min post-Con A-treatment the percentage composition of SFA in the treated left uterine horn changed from 43% to 64%, sterols from 19% to 4%, PUFA from 15% to 10%, while MUFA remained unchanged at 23%. The lipid profile of the untreated right uterine horn of these animals was similar to that of the Con A-treated left uterine horn during the early stages. However, by 1,280 min substantial differences were observed, at a time corresponding with Con A-induced uterine growth. In contrast, differences in the lipid profile of Con A- and saline-treated uteri were observed at 320 min post-treatment, a time preceding Con A-induced uterine growth. Furthermore, the tissue concentration (nmol/mg dry weight) of SFA and sterols in uterine tissue decreased significantly following Con A treatment. The results suggest that uterine lipid changes are implicated in the development of uterine receptivity, and in the remodeling of uterine tissue for successful embryonic invasion and the establishment of pregnancy. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc