CDC20 inhibitor Apcin inhibits embryo implantation in vivo and in vitro.

For successful implantation, endometrial receptivity must be established. The high expression of CDC20 in many kinds of malignant tumours has been reported, and it is related to the occurrence and development of tumours. According to these functions, we think that CDC20 may also play important roles in the process of embryo implantation. To prove our hypothesis, we observed the distribution and expression of CDC20 in mouse and human early pregnancy. The effect of E2 and/or P4 on the expression of CDC20 in human endometrial cells was detected by Western blot. To further explore whether CDC20 is an important factor in adhesion and proliferation. The results showed that the expression of CDC20 in the uterus and menstrual cycle of early pregnant mice was spatiotemporal. E2 can promote the expression of CDC20. On the contrary, P4 and E2 + P4 inhibited the expression of CDC20. We also detected the proliferation and adhesion of human endometrial cells. We found that the inhibition of CDC20 with its inhibitor Apcin could reduce the adhesion rate and proliferation ability to RL95-2 and HEC-1A cells, respectively. Inhibiting CDC20 by Apcin could interfere the embryo implantation of mouse. It is suggested that CDC20 may play an important role in the process of embryo implantation. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Embryo implantation is an extremely complex and delicate process, including identification, localisation, adhesion and invasion between embryo and endometrium. Studies have shown the process of embryo implantation is very similar to that of tumour invasion. CDC20 is a cancer-promoting factor. We found CDC20 is spatially and spatially expressed in mouse and human menstrual cycles and is regulated by oestrogen and progesterone. Apcin can inhibit the adhesion of JAR cells and embryo implantation of mouse. CDC20 may provide a new way to improve the success rate of assisted reproduction.

Characteristics of vascular supply to uterine leiomyoma: an analysis of digital subtraction angiography imaging in 518 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the characteristics of the vascular supply to uterine leiomyomas based on digital subtraction angiography. METHODS: The feeding artery, vascularity of uterine leiomyoma and visualisation of the ovarian vessel network were studied in 518 patients undergoing uterine artery embolisation (UAE). Mean patient age was 38.97 ± 6.09 years (range, 22-54 years). The types of vascular supply were analysed by the vascular supply to the leimyoma and grades of vascularity by the degree of enhancement of the leimyoma compared with the myometrium. RESULTS: The blood supply of leiomyomas could not be classified in 3.28 % of patients. Blood was supplied solely by the uterine artery in 88.61 % of leiomyomas, 8.11 % of leiomyomas were partially fed by an ovarian artery, and 0.39 % by it exclusively. Leiomyoma blood supply was classified as unilateral predominant, bilateral balanced, single unilateral uterine artery and single ovarian artery in 36.48, 49.23, 10.62 and 0.39 % of cases respectively. Leiomyoma vascularity was classified as extremely hypervascular (8.69 %), hypervascular (46.14 %), isovascular (33.39 %) and hypovascular (11.78 %). CONCLUSIONS: Uterine leiomyomas supplied by both uterine arteries and with rich blood flow were seen in approximately 50 % of patients. However, close attention also should be given to the collateral circulation during UAE.

Construction of PLGA Porous Microsphere-Based Artificial Pancreatic Islets Assisted by the Cell Centrifugation Perfusion Technique.

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising treatment that could potentially reverse diabetes, but its clinical applicability is severely limited by a shortage of organ donors. Various cell loading approaches using polymeric porous microspheres (PMs) have been developed for tissue regeneration; however, PM-based multicellular artificial pancreatic islets' construction has been scarcely reported. In this study, MIN6 (a mouse insulinoma cell line) and MS1 (a mouse pancreatic islet endothelial cell line) cells were seeded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) PMs via an upgraded centrifugation-based cell perfusion seeding technique invented and patented by our group. Cell morphology, distribution, viability, migration, and proliferation were all evaluated. Results from glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) assay and RNA-seq analysis suggested that MIN6 and MS1-loaded PLGA PMs exhibited better glucose responsiveness, which is partly attributable to vascular formation during PM-dependent islet construction. The present study suggests that the PLGA PM-based artificial pancreatic islets may provide an alternative strategy for the potential treatment of diabetes in the future.

Non-mulberry silk fiber-based scaffolds reinforced by PLLA porous microspheres for auricular cartilage: An in vitro study.

Designing clinical applicable polymeric composite scaffolds for auricular cartilage tissue engineering requires appropriate mechanical strength and biological characteristics. In this study, silk fiber-based scaffolds co-reinforced with poly-L-lactic acid porous microspheres (PLLA PMs) combined with either Bombyx mori (Bm) or Antheraea pernyi (Ap) silk fibers were fabricated as inspired by the "steel bars reinforced concrete" structure in architecture and their chondrogenic functions were also investigated. We found that the Ap silk fiber-based scaffolds reinforced by PLLA PMs (MAF) exhibited superior physical properties (the mechanical properties in particular) as compared to the Bm silk fiber-based scaffolds reinforced by PLLA PMs (MBF). Furthermore, in vitro evaluation of chondrogenic potential showed that the MAF provided better cell adhesion, viability, proliferation and GAG secretion than the MBF. Therefore, the MAF are promising in auricular cartilage tissue engineering and relevant plastic surgery-related applications.

Modulating surface charge of dexamethasone non-spherical microcrystals for improved inner ear delivery.

It is important to achieve precise surface charge manipulation of non-spherical drug microcrystals using facile and time-efficient methods for local drug delivery. In this study, silk-coated dexamethasone (DEX) non-spherical microcrystals were synthesized by precipitation technique followed by alternate deposition of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) (or PAH-coated Fe3O4) and silk fibroin (SF) via layer-by-layer assembly. EDC and glutaraldehyde were employed to manipulate positive or negative charge of particles by simple chemical cross-linking reactions, respectively. In vivo assessment was carried out by intratympanic (IT) injection of DEX non-spherical microcrystals in guinea pigs. In vivo pharmacokinetic results demonstrate that negatively charged DEX microcrystals appeared to improve outcomes of inner ear delivery in comparison to positively-charged counterparts. This is partly because of the adhesive features of the SF. The present study may provide new ideas to construct surface charge-tunable drug delivery vehicles that are capable of crossing biological barriers, especially for inner ear delivery due to the simple and practical strategy.