Therapeutic prospect on umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in animal model with primary ovarian insufficiency: a meta-analysis.

Background: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) leads to not only infertile but several adverse health events to women. Traditional treatment methods have their own set of limitations and drawbacks that vary in degree. Application of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) is a promising strategy for POI. However, there is a lack of literatures on application of hUCMSC in human. Animal experimental model, however, can reflect the potential effectiveness of this employment. This study aimed to evaluate the curative effect of hUCMSC on animals with POI on a larger scale. Methods: To gather data, Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies published up to April 2022. Various indices, including the animals' estrous cycle, serum sex hormone levels, and follicle number in the ovary, were compared between the experimental group and those with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). Results: The administration of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSC) has been shown to significantly improve the estrous cycle (RR: 3.32, 95% CI: [1.80, 6.12], I2 = 0%, P = 0.0001), but robustly decrease its length (SMD: -1.97, 95% CI: [-2.58, -1.36], I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). It can also strikingly increase levels of serum estradiol (SMD: 5.34, 95% CI: [3.11, 7.57], I2 = 93%, P < 0.00001) and anti-müllerian hormone (SMD: 1.92, 95% CI: [0.60, 3.25], I2 = 68%, P = 0.004). Besides, it lowers levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (SMD: -3.02, 95% CI: [-4.88, -1.16], I2 = 93%, P = 0.001) and luteinising hormone (SMD: -2.22, 95% CI: [-3.67, -0.76], I2 = 78%, P = 0.003), and thus collectively promotes folliculogenesis (SMD: 4.90, 95% CI: [3.92, 5.88], I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). Conclusions: Based on the presented findings, it is concluded that the administration of hUCMSC in animal models with POI can result in significant improvements in several key indicators, including estrous cycle recovery, hormone level modulation, and promotion of folliculogenesis. These positive outcomes suggest that hUCMSC may have potential as a treatment for POI in humans. However, further research is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of hUCMSC in humans before their clinical application. Systematic review registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2023-5-0075/, identifier: INPLASY202350075.

Vaginal flora during pregnancy and subsequent risk of preterm birth or prelabor rupture of membranes: a nested case-control study from China.

BACKGROUND: The findings of the association of vaginal flora with preterm birth (PTB) or prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) were conflicts. Moreover, vaginal flora was different by ethnicity and the evidence from China was limited. METHODS: This study was a nested case control study, based on Yiwu birth cohort. We assessed vaginal microbiota in the second or third trimester, using 16S rDNA Amplicon Sequencing and explored the association between the diversity and composition of vaginal flora and PTB or PROM. RESULTS: We finally included 144 pregnant women. In present study, the alpha diversity of TPROM (Term prelabor rupture of membranes) samples was lower than that of full term samples (Chao1 index: P < 0.05). When we further categorized PTB (Preterm birth) into SPB (PTB without PROM) and PPROM (Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes), there was no difference between SPB and full term. In addition, we found that the proportion of PCoA2 in TPROM group was different from that in full term group and preterm group. The difference between groups was significant according to anosim analysis (R = 0.059, P < 0.001). With LEfSe (Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size) analysis, we found that the abundance of Lactobacillus in the vaginal flora of pregnant women with preterm birth was the highest (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: In Chinese pregnant women, the alpha diversity in TPROM group was significantly lower than that in both PTB and full term group. However, there was no difference between PTB and full term. Lactobacillus was the most abundant in preterm birth group. More studies should be conducted to confirm our findings.

Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Premature Ovarian Insufficiency in Rats.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or premature ovarian failure (POF) is known as a state of hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Stem cell therapy is expected to be used in the treatment of POI. The aim of the present study was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UCMSC) transplantation for the treatment of POI in a rat model of POI induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) injection. The ovarian function was examined by evaluating the weight of the ovary and body, estrus cycle, ovarian morphology, hormonal secretion, granulosa cell apoptosis, and fertility. The results showed that the ovarian function indicators of the modeled rats were comparable to those of the control rats after UCMSC transplantation, indicating that the ovarian function of the modeled rats recovered to a satisfactory extent. Our research may provide an experimental clue for the clinical application of UCMSC transplantation in the treatment of POI. Further experiments will focus on the detailed signaling pathway study of the molecular mechanisms of injury and repairment on the treatment with UCMSCs transplantation in the rat POI models.

Effect of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation on hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of precipitation in Guilin, SW China.

This study monitored the isotopic compositions of precipitation in Guilin as well as the influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the isotope ratios and water vapour sources from 2015 to 2016. The results indicate that the lower isotope values of precipitation from ocean water vapour source are affected by long transport distance and fractionation during summer and autumn. In contrast, the isotope values of winter and spring precipitation are affected by continental air masses and their evaporation sources yielding higher values. The intercepts of the local meteoric water line in Guilin are larger than those of the global meteoric water line, which is typical for subtropical monsoon climate. During the El Niño event, development of anomalous anticyclonic circulation enhances the northbound transport over the western Pacific and brings abundant water vapour to the southern part of China. During El Niño event prevailing period, precipitations exhibit a lower δ 18O value and low d (deuterium excess) value, indicating that the 2015/2016 ENSO event had a significant effect on the precipitation distribution, precipitation amount, and isotope ratios in regional precipitation.

Timing, duration, and transitions of the last interglacial Asian monsoon.

Thorium-230 ages and oxygen isotope ratios of stalagmites from Dongge Cave, China, characterize the Asian Monsoon and low-latitude precipitation over the past 160,000 years. Numerous abrupt changes in 18O/16O values result from changes in tropical and subtropical precipitation driven by insolation and millennial-scale circulation shifts. The Last Interglacial Monsoon lasted 9.7 +/- 1.1 thousand years, beginning with an abrupt (less than 200 years) drop in 18O/16O values 129.3 +/- 0.9 thousand years ago and ending with an abrupt (less than 300 years) rise in 18O/16O values 119.6 +/- 0.6 thousand years ago. The start coincides with insolation rise and measures of full interglacial conditions, indicating that insolation triggered the final rise to full interglacial conditions.