[Decellularized collagen matrix from tilapia fish scales for corneal reconstruction (BioCornea)]. / Dezellularisierte Kollagenmatrix aus der Schuppe des Tilapia-Fisches als Hornhautersatz ("BioCornea").

BACKGROUND: The worldwide need for donor corneal tissue clearly exceeds the availability of transplantable human tissue; therefore, recent efforts aim to identify and characterize alternative tissues, such as decellularized collagen scaffolds. OBJECTIVES: The transparent fish scales of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) were analyzed as a potential alternative for corneal reconstruction ("BioCornea"). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The article gives a review of the literature and own preliminary results. After decellularization the tissue characteristics of the fish scales, the repopulation with corneal epithelium and stromal cells, immunogenicity, the feasibility of corneal transplantation and the angiogenic properties were analyzed in vitro and in various animal models. RESULTS: The fish scales mainly consist of collagen type I and show an architecture that is similar to the human cornea. Corneal epithelium and stromal cells are able to grow over and into the scaffold. It is possible to transplant fish scales in various animal models without severe inflammatory responses. Furthermore, in mice, less blood and lymphatic vessels grow into the xenograft when compared to conventional allogenic transplants. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results with decellularized tilapia fish scales as an alternative for corneal reconstruction ("BioCornea") are promising.

Adenoviral gene transfer of bone morphogenetic protein-7 enhances functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury in rats.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor-ß subfamily, function as instructive signals for neuronal lineage commitment and promote neuronal differentiation. However, the mechanism of BMP7 action in vivo after peripheral nerve injury is poorly understood. This study examines the efficacy of gene transfer of adenoviral (Ad) BMP7 on peripheral neuropathy. Transgene expression was found in both Ad-infected sciatic nerves and their respective remote neurons, indicating Ad transduction by a retrograde transport. After AdBMP7 infection to nerves, the sciatic nerves were crushed or transected. Hind limb functional behavior, including rotarod test and sciatic functional index, were conducted in rats weekly after nerve injury. Interestingly, enhanced BMP7 expression significantly improved hind limb functional recovery in AdBMP7-transduced rats when compared with AdGFP-transduced nerve-crushed or transected rats. Furthermore, AdBMP7 transduction reduced injury-induced macrophage activation, nerve demyelination and axonal degeneration. By contrast, AdBMP7 infection did not affect the hyperalgesia paw-withdrawal latency after nerve injury. We further examined the effect of AdBMP7 infection on sciatic nerve explant and Schwann cell cultures. Enhanced cell proliferation was significantly increased by AdBMP7 transduction in both cultures. Taken together, BMP7 overexpression by Ad gene transfer was beneficial in both nerves and Schwann cells on functional recovery after sciatic nerve injury in rats.

WNT7A mutations in patients with Müllerian duct abnormalities.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: WNT7A gene mutations were evaluated as a potential cause for Müllerian duct derivative abnormalities in human females. The WNT gene family encodes glycoproteins that serve as signaling molecules during early development. The WNT7A gene has been previously identified as necessary for normal murine Müllerian duct development. WNT7A mutant mice display several Müllerian duct derivative abnormalities. DESIGN: Molecular genetic analysis of female patients with Müllerian duct derivative abnormalities. SETTING: Medical center-based academic research institution. PARTICIPANTS: 40 women with developmental abnormalities of the uterus and vagina and 12 normal controls. INTERVENTIONS: Polymerase chain reaction DNA amplification from human genomic DNA and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of amplified DNA fragments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence or absence of WNT7A gene mutations in analyzed DNA fragments. RESULTS: No mutations were found in the WNT7A gene in any patient or control tested. CONCLUSIONS: WNT7A mutations are an unlikely cause of Müllerian duct derivative abnormalities in humans.

Three-dimensional power Doppler imaging of ovarian stromal blood flow in women with endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this retrospective study were to investigate whether the quantification of ovarian stromal blood flow and/or leptin concentration are predictive of in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in women after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy for large endometriomas. METHODS: Twenty-two women undergoing IVF after laparoscopic surgery for ovarian endometriomas (> 6 cm) comprised the study group. Twenty-six women with tubal factor infertility constituted the control group. Ovarian stromal blood flow was evaluated by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound imaging using virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL( trade mark )). Serum and follicular fluid (FF) leptin concentrations were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: There were significantly decreased ovarian stromal blood flow parameters (including vascularization index, flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index) in the endometriosis group without an evident difference in total ovarian volume on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin. The value of FF leptin demonstrated a negative correlation with ovarian stromal FI in the control group, but there was a loss of this effect in the endometriosis group. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of ovarian stromal blood flow by 3D power Doppler ultrasound in women with endometriosis may provide an important prognostic indicator in those undergoing IVF.

Flow resistance in carotid and middle cerebral arteries in postmenopausal women: a comparative study of tibolone and continuous combined hormone replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The study sought to compare the vascular resistance and serum lipids of postmenopausal women assigned to tibolone therapy or continuous combined hormone replacement therapy. DESIGN: This was a 6-month, prospective, single-blind, single-center, randomized study. A total of 50 healthy postmenopausal women were enrolled. At study end, 40 women had completed a 6-month follow-up. The first group (23 subjects) received conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625 mg/day and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 5 mg/day. The second group (17 subjects) received tibolone 2.5 mg/day. The pulsatility and resistance indexes of the carotid and middle cerebral arteries, and serum lipid profiles were monitored. RESULTS: Comparisons demonstrated that there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of changes in the pulsatility index (PI) and the resistance index (RI) of the common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), and middle cerebral artery (MCA) within the study period. Both treatments effectively reduced the total cholesterol level and with no significant differences found between the two regimens. However, in comparing the two groups, we found that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the tibolone group at either 3 months or 6 months after treatment, whereas a significantly higher triglycerides level was observed in the CEE + MPA group after 3 months of treatment. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels indicated no significant differences between the two groups after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that major neck and cerebral vascular impedance was not influenced significantly by either regimen. Nonetheless, lipid profiles were affected differently by tibolone and by continuous combined CEE + MPA. However, whether or not these findings might modify cardiovascular risk is still unknown.

Expression of DAZL protein in the human corpus luteum.

The DAZL gene and its homologues are required for the development of male and female germ cells in different species. However, their role in other aspects of human reproduction is not known. We have generated a polyclonal antibody to the DAZL protein and developed a sensitive standard curve quantitative-competitive-RT-PCR assay to characterize the expression of DAZL in the human corpus luteum (CL). DAZL transcripts are expressed in the CL, but the concentrations decreased with advancing luteal phase. In accordance with the mRNA data, DAZL protein was most abundant in the early phase CL. Immunohistochemical staining showed DAZL protein in the cytoplasm of granulosa-luteal cells. The distinct expression pattern of DAZL protein in the human CL may play an important role in the regulation of luteal function.

Quality of life and sexuality changes in postmenopausal women receiving tibolone therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tibolone on the sexuality and quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausal women. METHODS: Forty-eight postmenopausal women were enrolled and prospectively randomized to receive either HRT or tibolone for 3 months. At the end of the 3-month period, quality of life measures were assessed using the Greene Climacteric Scale and attitudes of sexuality were evaluated using the McCoy Sex Scale. RESULTS: Based on subjective qualitative scores, tibolone treatment was at least as effective as continuous combined HRT in improving quality of life. It also effectively prevented withdrawal bleeding, which may occur during HRT use. Compared with continuous combined HRT, tibolone treatment was also associated with perceived improvement of sexual performance, including general sexual satisfaction, sexual interest, sexual fantasies, sexual arousal and orgasm, with decreased frequencies of vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that both tibolone and continuous combined HRT have positive effects on the quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausal women. Sexuality is affected more by tibolone than by HRT.

Raloxifene versus continuous combined estrogen/progestin therapy: densitometric and biochemical effects in healthy postmenopausal Taiwanese women.

We treated 116 healthy postmenopausal women (age 47-66 years, mean 57 years) in Taiwan with either raloxifene (RLX) 60 mg (n = 92) or 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogen plus 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (CCEP, n = 24) daily for 12 months in a randomized, double-masked, active-controlled fashion. The results showed that both regimens increased bone mineral density (BMD) at hip sites (means: RLX 2.5-4.9%, CCEP 4.6-7.9%, all p<0.005 compared with baseline), and the difference between the two regimens was not significant. The spinal BMD increased significantly in both groups (1.4% with RLX and 6.0% with CCEP, both p<0.01), and more with CCEP (p<0.003). Osteocalcin levels and urinary type I collagen C-telopeptide/creatinine ratios decreased significantly in both regimens, but the decreases were significantly larger with CCEP. Compared with baseline, both RLX and CCEP decreased the total cholesterol (median 4.9% and 8.6% respectively, p<0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (median 11% and 19% respectively, p<0.001), and increased HDL-cholesterol (median 8.6% and 10.7% respectively, p<0.01). Both regimens increased triglyceride levels (median 3.2% and 18.9% respectively, both p<0.05), although to a lesser extent with RLX than with CCEP (p<0.05). Only 3 subjects (3.3%) reported vaginal bleeding in the RLX group, as compared with 31% (7/22) with CCEP (p<0.05). We conclude that in healthy, postmenopausal Taiwanese women, RLX 60 mg given daily has favorable results in BMD, bone turnover and serum lipids, although the dosage we used showed a potency less than that of conventional CCEP.