Effects of Phloroglucinol on Embryo Transfer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Phloroglucinol may be able to improve embryo transfer outcomes. We aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of phloroglucinol on embryo transfer outcomes. METHODS: The databases searched were PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, Wanfang, CQVIP, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The last search was on February 7, 2023. The included studies were written in English or Chinese. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies aiming to assess the effect of phloroglucinol on embryo transfer outcomes were included. The studies reported at least one of the primary outcomes (biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. A random-effects or fixed model was used where applicable to estimate the results. RESULTS: Seventeen articles reporting 5,953 cycles were included. Biochemical pregnancy rate (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.20-2.08, I2 = 71%), clinical pregnancy rate (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.35-2.10, I2 = 64%), and live birth rate (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.23-1.71, I2 = 36%) were improved by phloroglucinol. Less miscarriage (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.35-0.60, I2 = 0%), less ectopic pregnancy (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.28-0.72, I2 = 0%), higher implantation rate (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.24-1.71, I2 = 62%) but more multiple pregnancy rate (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.13-1.94, I2 = 0%) were induced by phloroglucinol. Endometrial peristaltic waves were improved by phloroglucinol (OR = 22.87, 95% CI = 5.52-94.74, I2 = 72%). CONCLUSION: Phloroglucinol may improve the outcomes of embryo transfer, including biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates. Further studies are warranted.

AR antagonists develop drug resistance through TOMM20 autophagic degradation-promoted transformation to neuroendocrine prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer(PCa) is the most commonly occurring male cancer in the USA. Abiraterone or Enzalutamide have been approved for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the treatment-emergent neuroendocrine PCa (t-NEPC) may develop, resulting in drug resistance in about 10-17% CRPC patients. The detailed mechanisms remain unclear.. METHODS: The expression correlation of TOMM20 and AR in PCa was determined by analyzing publicly available datasets, or by IHC staining in tumor specimens. The protein interaction of TOMM20 and AR was validated by co-immunoprecipitation or GST pull-down assay. The impact of TOMM20 depletion on drug sensitivity were elucidated by assays of cell proliferation, invasion, sphere formation, xenograft growth and intravenous metastasis. The intracellular ROS level was measured by flow cytometry, and the NEPC transdifferentiation and characteristics of cancer stem-like cells were validated by RNA-seq, RT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: The protein level of TOMM20 is positively correlated with AR in PCa cells and specimens. TOMM20 protein physically interacts with AR. AR antagonists induced the protein degradation of TOMM20 through autophagy-lysosomal pathway, thereby elevating the intracellular ROS level and activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. When TOMM20 was depleted, PCa cells underwent EMT, acquired the characteristics of cancer stem-like cells, and developed resistance to AR antagonists. The stable depletion of TOMM20 promoted the transdifferentiation of PCa adenocarcinoma into NEPC and metastasis. Conversely, the rescue of TOMM20 re-sensitized the resistant PCa cells to AR antagonists. CONCLUSIONS: TOMM20 protein degradation induced by AR antagonists promoted the transdifferentiation of PCa to NEPC, thereby revealing a novel molecular mechanism by which AR antagonists develop drug resistance through mitochondrial outer membrane-mediated signaling pathway. These findings suggested that the decreasing or loss of TOMM20 expression in PCa tissues might become a useful predictor of PCa resistance to AR antagonists.

Tea green leafhopper-induced synomone attracts the egg parasitoids, mymarids to suppress the leafhopper.

BACKGROUND: The tea green leafhopper, Empoasca flavescens is the most important pest of tea plants in China. Mymarid attractants based on herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) from leafhopper feeding and oviposition-induced plant volatiles (OIPVs) were formulated and tested as a novel pest control agent against the leafhopper in tea plantations. RESULTS: Results showed that two mymarid species, Stethynium empoascae and Schizophragma parvula, had a reducing effect on leafhopper populations. The HIPVs and OIPVs were identified and bioassayed to screen the key synomones showing strong attraction to the mymarids. They were formulated into different blends, of which Field Attractant 1, comprising linalool, methyl salicylate, (E)-2-hexenal, perillen and α-farnesene at ratio of 1:2:3:58:146 (20 mg/lure), showed the strongest attraction to the mymarids. In field trials with the attractant, the average parasitism rate (60.46 ± 23.71%) of tea leafhoppers by the two mymarids in the attractant-baited area was significantly higher than that (42.85 ± 19.24%) in the CK area. Also, the average leafhopper density (46 ± 30 per 80 tea shoots) in the attractant-baited area was significantly lower than that (110 ± 70 per 80 tea shoots) in the CK area. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a synthetic blend of key volatiles from HIPVs and OIPVs at an optimal ratio can be formulated into an attractant with the potential to attract and retain wild mymarid populations to suppress leafhopper populations in infested tea plantations, so as to reduce or avoid the spraying of insecticides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pretreatment of Dienogest for Women with Endometriosis in in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Dienogest (DNG) was demonstrated to be comparable to gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) in controlling symptoms of endometriosis. GnRH-a is used before in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with endometriosis to improve pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to determine the effect of DNG pretreatment on IVF outcomes, including number of mature oocytes, rate of clinical pregnancies, and rate of live births in women with endometriosis. METHODS: All studies involving DNG, IVF, and endometriosis were searched from the PubMed; Ovid/MEDLINE, Wanfang, CQVIP, China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases; and ClinicalTrials.gov. The study population was women with endometriosis in IVF. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies were included. All included studies comprised a DNG group and a control group. The outcomes were number of mature oocytes, rate of clinical pregnancies, and rate of live births. We calculated the odds ratio or mean difference and 95% confidence interval for each study and used a random-effects model to estimate the results. RESULTS: Five articles were screened by the search strategy. One article without a control group was excluded. Finally, four articles with 422 patients were included. No significant differences in number of mature oocytes (MD = -1.27, 95% CI: -3.63 to 1.09, I2 = 91%), the rate of clinical pregnancies (odds ratio = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.33-3.47, I2 = 84%), or the rate of live births (odds ratio = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.34-3.46, I2 = 84%) were found between the DNG group and the control group. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with DNG for women with endometriosis who underwent IVF could not improve the number of mature oocytes, the rate of clinical pregnancies, or the rate of live births.

Effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist pretreatment on frozen embryo transfer outcomes in artificial cycles: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) before artificial cycle (AC) is expected to improve pregnancy outcomes in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). Many studies have explored the impact of GnRHa pretreatment of AC in FET, but the results were inconsistent. This meta-analysis was performed to systematically evaluate the effect of GnRHa pretreatment on AC in FET. METHODS: The last search was January 31, 2022. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies aiming to assess the effect of GnRHa as the pretreatment of AC for endometrial preparation in FET were included. GnRHa was used before AC in the treatment group. In the control group, no pretreatment was used before AC. The eligible studies included at least one of the following outcomes: implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each study and used a random-effects or fixed model to estimate the results. RESULTS: 27 articles (10 RCTs and 17 non-RCTs) and 14152 patients were included. AC + GnRHa improved the implantation rate (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.03-1.66, I2 = 79%), clinical pregnancy rate (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.45, I2 = 53%), and live birth rate (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.29, I2 = 39%). We also found that AC + GnRHa increased the implantation rate (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.07-1.69, I2 = 53%) and clinical pregnancy rate (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.01, I2 = 50%) in repeated implantation failure. In addition, AC + GnRHa was positively associated with preterm birth (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.15-1.94, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: GnRHa pretreatment in FET can improve implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates, especially in patients with repeated implantation failure. GnRHa pretreatment seems to improve FET outcomes, though with a higher preterm birth rate.

AMH-based ovarian stimulation versus conventional ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) used to establish patient profiles and predict ovarian response to stimulation, its role in assisted reproductive technology techniques is crucial. PURPOSE: To evaluate the evidence from published RCTs about the efficacy and safety of AMH-based ovarian stimulation versus conventional ovarian stimulation. METHOD: Search strategy: electronic databases were searched using the following MeSH terms (Anti-Müllerian hormone OR AMH) AND (IVF OR ICSI) and (tailored OR based). SELECTION CRITERIA: only RCTs were included. Four studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: the extracted data were entered into RevMan software, the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Primary outcomes: ongoing pregnancy: test for overall effect was in favor of AMH-based group, but there was no statistically significant difference [RR = 0.95, 95% CI (0.84-1.08), P = 0.44]. Severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) test or overall effect was in favor of AMH-based group, but there was still no statistically significant difference [RR = 0.68, 95% CI (0.43-1.06), P = 0.09]. Secondary outcomes were dose of rFSH, the number of oocytes retrieved, fertilized oocytes, embryos (day 3), blastocysts (day 5), and duration of stimulation. Only the dose of rFSH and duration of stimulation were in the favor of AMH-based group, with statistically significant difference. The other four secondary outcomes were in the favor of the conventional group but with no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: AMH-based stimulation has the same results of pregnancy rate and risk of OHSS and can reduce the dose of rFSH and duration of stimulation.