Respirometric reserve capacity of cumulus cell mitochondria correlates with oocyte maturity.

PURPOSE: Oocyte competence is critical in success of assisted reproduction. Metabolic signaling between oocyte and cumulus cells within the cumulus-oocyte complex procure oocyte development. This study evaluated the relationship between respirometric activity of cumulus cells and maturity of corresponding oocytes. METHODS: In prospective cohort study, 20 women of age 28-42 undergoing IVF procedure were involved. To evaluate oocyte maturity, the cumulus cells from individual oocytes were assessed flow cytometrically by double labeling of cells with mitochondria specific dyes. The respirometric stress analysis using ATPase inhibitor oligomycin was applied to assess mitochondria metabolic abnormalities. RESULTS: The cumulus cells from each of 327 oocytes were analyzed. The respirometric index of cumulus cells (O'R) strongly correlates with maternal ovarian reserve, showing to be higher in patients with higher AMH (p < 0.0017). Cumulus cells from immature oocytes had severe mitochondria deficiency, i.e., low O'R, than those from mature oocytes (p < 0.02). No significant difference in respirometric capacity was found between cumulus cells associated with good vs poor-quality embryos. CONCLUSIONS: The oocyte maturity is potentially related to the mitochondria activity of cumulus cells.

Abasic phosphorothioate oligomers inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcription and block virus transmission across polarized ectocervical organ cultures.

In the absence of universally available antiretroviral (ARV) drugs or a vaccine against HIV-1, microbicides may offer the most immediate hope for controlling the AIDS pandemic. The most advanced and clinically effective microbicides are based on ARV agents that interfere with the earliest stages of HIV-1 replication. Our objective was to identify and characterize novel ARV-like inhibitors, as well as demonstrate their efficacy at blocking HIV-1 transmission. Abasic phosphorothioate 2' deoxyribose backbone (PDB) oligomers were evaluated in a variety of mechanistic assays and for their ability to inhibit HIV-1 infection and virus transmission through primary human cervical mucosa. Cellular and biochemical assays were used to elucidate the antiviral mechanisms of action of PDB oligomers against both lab-adapted and primary CCR5- and CXCR4-utilizing HIV-1 strains, including a multidrug-resistant isolate. A polarized cervical organ culture was used to test the ability of PDB compounds to block HIV-1 transmission to primary immune cell populations across ectocervical tissue. The antiviral activity and mechanisms of action of PDB-based compounds were dependent on oligomer size, with smaller molecules preventing reverse transcription and larger oligomers blocking viral entry. Importantly, irrespective of molecular size, PDBs potently inhibited virus infection and transmission within genital tissue samples. Furthermore, the PDB inhibitors exhibited excellent toxicity and stability profiles and were found to be safe for vaginal application in vivo. These results, coupled with the previously reported intrinsic anti-inflammatory properties of PDBs, support further investigations in the development of PDB-based topical microbicides for preventing the global spread of HIV-1.

Hemivaginal septum resection in a patient with a rare variant of Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome is characterized by a triad of uterine didelphys, obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. The syndrome should be suspected in any young woman with abdominal pain or cyclic dysmenorrhea, and radiologic evidence of müllerian duct and renal anomalies. Herein is presented the case of a 25-year-old woman with a rare variant of Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome, characterized by an anomalous connection between the 2 endocervical canals, who underwent hemivaginal septum resection to relieve progressively worsening dysmenorrhea. The right hemivaginal septum was resected medially from the left cervix and laterally off the right vaginal wall. Hydrodissection between the hemivaginal septum and right cervix facilitated surgical resection. After resection of the hemivaginal septum there was complete resolution of dysmenorrhea and no recurrence of hematometra or hematocolpos.

Relationship Between Number of Oocytes Retrieved and Embryo Euploidy Rate in Controlled Ovarian Stimulation Cycles.

This cohort study is aimed to determine if higher number of oocytes retrieved affects the rate of euploidy in the embryos of women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). A negative trend between the number of oocytes retrieved and embryo euploidy rate was observed using Visual Analytics software, especially when a higher number of oocytes were retrieved. After regression analysis, patient age was the only variable found to have a statistically significant negative effect (p < 0.0001) on euploidy rate in all regression models. Number of oocytes retrieved was not found to have a statistically significant effect on euploidy rate when analyzed per number of biopsied blastocysts (p = 0.5356), per number of oocytes retrieved (p = 0.1025), and per number of fertilized oocytes (p = 0.7241). The parameter estimates in the linear regression models were negative for number of oocytes retrieved. This study shows a statistically significant effect between patient age and embryo euploidy rate, which is already known. There is some evidence to suggest that higher number of oocytes retrieved may negatively impact the number of euploid embryos per number of oocytes retrieved based on the visual analytic graphs, p value approaching significance, and the negative parameter estimates in the regression models.

Pregnancy after rebiopsy and vitrification of blastocysts following allele dropout after day 3 biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To report a clinical pregnancy after rebiopsy and vitrification of blastocysts following allele dropout (ADO) of biopsied day 3 embryos. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Private center. PATIENT(S): Thirty-year-old woman and her 33-year-old husband who carries the single-gene condition paraganglioma. INTERVENTION(S): In vitro fertilization with day 3 embryo biopsy-ET-blastocyst biopsy and vitrification-subsequent frozen ET cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Results from preimplantation genetic diagnosis and pregnancy results after fresh and frozen ETs. RESULT(S): Nineteen oocytes were retrieved of which 13 were mature and 12 fertilized. Eleven embryos were biopsied on day 3: two were normal, five were affected, and four exhibited ADO. The two normal blastocysts were transferred, and three of the ADO blastocysts were biopsied and sent for reanalysis. The biopsied blastocysts were vitrified. No pregnancy resulted from the fresh ET. One of the biopsied blastocysts was normal, one received no result, and one exhibited ADO. A singleton clinical pregnancy resulted from a subsequent frozen ET of the thawed biopsied normal blastocyst. CONCLUSION(S): Rebiopsy and vitrification of blastocysts could be used in cases of ADO or lack of results after day 3 embryo biopsy.