Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in women with ovarian endometriosis.

AIM: In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in ovarian endometriosis and ovarian tissue from women without endometriosis. Understanding the pathogenesis of the disease could help us design preventative strategies as well as novel and appropriate treatment approaches in this regard. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 50 and 49 ovaries with and without endometriosis, respectively, were evaluated for the presence of high-risk HPV using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Prevalence of HPV infection and other related characteristics of the studied population were compared. RESULTS: High-risk HPV infection was detected in 13 (26%) and five (10.2%) of the samples with and without endometriosis, respectively (P = 0.041, χ2  = 3.16). Mean age and parity were not significantly different in subjects with and without HPV infection in the two studied groups (P = 0.7 and P = 0.06 for age in case and control groups, respectively; and P = 0.32 and P = 0.09 for parity in case and control groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicated a higher rate of high-risk HPV infection among patients with endometriosis. The findings could provide us baseline information for future studies regarding the pathogenesis of endometriosis and the role of viral infection and their possible impact on future cancer development in this group of patients.

Vitrification at Day3 stage appears not to affect the methylation status of H19/IGF2 differentially methylated region of in vitro produced human blastocysts.

One of the most widely used assisted reproductive technology (ART) is vitrification. The aim of this study is to evaluate DNA methylation of H19/IGF2 differentially methylation region (DMR) in in vitro produced human blastocysts derived from non-vitrified and vitrified day3 embryos. Day3 embryos derived from ICSI cycles from fertile couples referring for family balancing program were either biopsied or vitrified/warmed and subsequently biopsied. Following biopsy, embryos were cultured to day 5. Day5 blastocysts with desired sex were transferred or vitrified for future use. Blastocysts with un-desired sex were donated for research. The assessment of the embryos was performed in two non-vitrified and vitrified groups. Methylation level of H19/IGF2 DMR was analysed by bisulfite conversion and sequencing at 18 CpG sites (CpGs) located in this region. Results showed that the overall methylated CpGs percentages of this region in the vitrified and non-vitrified groups were 35.3% ± 3.6 and 38.27 ± 4.1%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not significant. Vitrification of day3 embryo appears to have no adverse effect on DNA methylation status of H19/IGF2 DMR of embryos cultured in vitro to blastocyst stage. These data may have implications for performing frozen embryo cycles transfer instead of fresh embryo transfer cycles, owing to the naturally synchronized uterus and subsequently improved endometrial receptivity in frozen embryo transfer instead of imbalanced hormonal milieu in fresh embryo transfer cycles.

Factors influencing sperm retrieval following testicular sperm extraction in nonobstructive azoospermia patients.

OBJECTIVE: Azoospermia owing to testicular disorders is the most severe manifestation of male infertility. The main concern for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the probability of successful sperm retrieval following testicular sperm extraction (TESE). Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine predictive factors correlated with sperm retrieval. METHODS: We assessed the testicular histopathological patterns, the choice of TESE surgical procedure, hormone levels, and chromosomal abnormalities in patients with NOA (n=170). The histopathology specimens were analyzed based on the histopathological patterns of hypospermatogenesis, maturation arrest, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome. RESULTS: The mean rate of sperm retrieval was 48.8%. The rate of sperm retrieval was significantly higher in the hypospermatogenesis group than in the other groups (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between micro-TESE (vs. conventional TESE) and the sperm retrieval rate (odds ratio, 8.077; p<0.01). A logistic regression model demonstrated that high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and small testicular volume were significantly associated with lower chances of successful sperm retrieval. CONCLUSION: Some parameters, including testicular histopathology patterns, FSH levels, testicular volume, and method of TESE surgery, may be able to predict the chances of obtaining spermatozoa in patients with NOA. However, despite the efficiency of some predictive models, the hope of retrieving any functioning spermatozoa may be sufficient to disregard predictive factors of the success of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in these patients.

Methylation Status of H19/IGF2 Differentially Methylated Region in in vitro Human Blastocysts Donated by Healthy Couples

BACKGROUND: Imprinted genes are a unique subset of few genes that have been differentially methylated region (DMR) in a parental origin-dependent manner during gametogenesis, and these genes are highly protected during pre-implantation epigenetic reprogramming. Several studies have shown that the particular vulnerability of imprinting genes during suboptimal pre- and peri-conception micro-environments often is occurred by assisted reproduction techniques (ART). This study investigated the methylation status of H19/IGF2 DMR at high-quality expanding/expanded human blastocysts donated by healthy individuals to evaluate the risks linked to ART. METHODS: Methylation levels of H19/IGF2 DMR were analyzed by bisulfite conversion and sequencing at 18 CpG sites (CpGs) located in this region. RESULTS: The overall percentage of methylated CpGs and the proportion of hyper-methylated clones of H19/IGF2 DMR in analyzed blastocysts were 37.85±4.87% and 43.75±5.1%, respectively. For validation of our technique, the corresponding methylation levels of peripheral human lymphocytes were defined (49.52±1.86% and 50%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the absence of in vivo- produced human embryos, it is not possible to conclude that the methylation found in H19/IGF2 DMR is actually normal or abnormal. Regarding the possible risks associated with ART, the procedures should be optimized in order to at least reduce some of the epigenetic risks.