Evaluation of cytokines in follicular fluid and their effect on fertilization and pregnancy outcome.

Cytokines in follicular fluid (FF) are important for reproduction as they modulate oocyte maturation and ovulation which influence subsequent fertilization, development of early embryo and potential for implantation. We evaluated FF cytokines in women who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and their association with fertilized oocytes, embryo quality and pregnancy outcome. FF belonging to 38 patients including 18 polycystic ovary (PCO) and 20 male/unexplained infertility patients were investigated for granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), tumour necrosis factor (TNFα), interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukins (IL-4 and IL-2) by bead-based sandwich immunoassay. Our findings revealed that on the day of oocyte retrieval, G-CSF was positively correlated with the number of fertilized oocytes, while TNFα detection was associated with reduced number of fertilized oocytes. Only G-CSF showed significant positive effect to the pregnancy outcome although the cytokines studied were not associated with embryo quality. PCO as the cause of infertility did not show an association with cytokines in FF. The functions of cytokines in reproduction are likely to be complex, and cytokine evaluation may offer insight to the understanding of the mechanisms leading to success or failure of assisted reproduction.

Plasma annexin A5, anti-annexin A5 antibodies and annexin A5 polymorphism in Egyptian female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Annexin A5 exhibits anticoagulant properties that appear to be defective in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) resulting in repeated thrombosis and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). APS occurs frequently in association with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The present study aimed to find out a possible relationship between annexin A5 (gene polymorphism, antibodies or plasma level) and the pathophysiology of SLE, APS and RPL. METHODS: 47 female patients divided into 3 groups (SLE, APS and RPL) and 20 healthy controls are included in the study. Detection of annexin A5 (-1C/T) gene polymorphism was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Anti-annexin A5 antibodies (IgG and IgM) and annexin A5 plasma level were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The frequency of annexin A5 (-1C/T) polymorphism was significantly higher in SLE related groups (p = 0.02), but it did not correlate with RPL (p = 0.57) or annexin A5 level (p = 0.5). Anti-annexin A5 IgM level was significantly higher among APS patients and was associated with RPL (p = 0.005, odds ratio = 23.75, 95% confidence interval = 2.15 - 262.48). CONCLUSIONS: Annexin A5 (-1C/T) gene mutation may play a role in the pathophysiology of SLE. Anti-annexin A5 IgM was the antibody associated with RPL in this group of APS patients. Annexin A5 plasma levels are not affected by the presence of annexin A5 (-1C/T) polymorphism.

The association between hepatitis C virus infection, genetic polymorphisms of oxidative stress genes and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk in Egypt.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been postulated to be an etiological agent for lymphoid malignancies. Polymorphisms in oxidative stress genes as; superoxide dismutase (SOD2), glutathione peroxidase (GPX1), catalase (CAT), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) may influence non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) risk. HCV screening and polymorphisms in these five genes coding for antioxidant enzymes were studied in 100 Egyptian patients with B cell-NHL and 100 controls to clarify the association between HCV infection, oxidative stress genes polymorphisms and B cell-NHL risk. A significantly higher prevalence of HCV infection was detected among NHL patients relative to controls and this carried a 14-fold increased NHL risk (odds ratio (OR)=14.3, 95% confidence interval (CI)=5.4-38.3, p<0.0001). GPX1 and MPO genetic polymorphisms conveyed increase in B-NHL risk (OR=3.3, 95% CI=1.4-7.4, p=0.004 and OR=4.4, 95% CI=1.3-14.2, p=0.009 respectively). Further analyses stratified by HCV infection revealed that concomitant HCV infection and GPX1 gene polymorphism had a synergetic effect on NHL risk with an OR of 15 (95%CI=2.2-69.6, p<0.0001). In addition, combined HCV infection and MPO gene polymorphisms had a pronounced NHL risk (OR=9.2, 95%CI=2.5-33.9, p<0.0001). SOD2, CAT and NOS2 genetic polymorphisms were not found to confer increased NHL risk. This study revealed that HCV infection is a risk factor for NHL in Egypt. Polymorphisms in GPX1 and MPO genes may influence NHL risk in HCV infected Egyptian patients. Larger scale studies are warranted to establish this genetic susceptibility for NHL.