Effect of dominant follicle status at the time of retrieval on the clinical outcomes in natural cycle IVF combined with immature oocyte treatment.

OBJECTIVE: It is commonly believed that the oocytes from small follicles are unhealthy when a dominant follicle (DF) is recruited in the ovaries, especially when the DF is ovulated. This study aims to confirm whether the presence or ovulation of DF at the time of retrieval affects the clinical outcome of the natural cycle IVF with in vitro maturation (NC-IVF/M) treatment. METHODS: Data were collected from 446 women with regular menstrual cycle and 536 retrieval cycles using NC-IVF/M treatment. The cycles were divided into three groups based on the results of the oocyte retrieval cycle. Group A covers the collection of oocytes from the DF and small follicles; Group B incorporates failed oocyte retrieval from DF and then the oocytes are retrieved only from small follicles; and Group C includes the retrieval of oocytes only from small follicles accompanied with an ovulated DF. Furthermore, Group B and C have subgroups to include whether in vivo matured oocytes were obtained from small follicles. Following aspiration of DF and small follicles, mature oocytes were inseminated on the date of retrieval by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the immature oocytes were matured in vitro. If the immature oocytes were matured in vitro, they were inseminated using ICSI, and then the embryos obtained from in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes were transferred accordingly. RESULTS: The oocytes from DF were successfully retrieved in 445 cycles (83.0%), failed to be retrieved in 54 cycles (10.1%) and ovulated in 37 cycles (6.9%). In Group A, an average of 2.0 ± 1.7 mature oocytes were retrieved, which was significantly higher than the average of Group B, with 1.3 ± 1.3 matured oocytes and Group C, with an average of 1.1 ± 1.5 matured oocytes (P < 0.01). However, the average number of immature oocytes retrieved from each group show no difference among the three groups. There was no significant difference in maturation rates of immature oocytes, fertilization rates among the three groups. The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer cycle is 34.5%, 34.6% and 25.7% in Group A, B and C, respectively. No significant differences were observed in embryonic development and implantation capacity in Group B and C in comparison to Group A. And there was no significant difference in clinical pregnancy, implantation, live birth and miscarriage rates among the three groups. No significant differences were observed in the developmental and implantation capacity according to with or without in vivo matured oocytes were retrieved in Group B and Group C. CONCLUSION: The presence or ovulation of the dominant follicle from the ovaries does not significantly influence the developmental and implantation capacity of immature oocytes retrieved from small follicles, suggesting that NC-IVF/M is a promising treatment option for women without ovarian stimulation.

[Activation of astrocytes effects changes of substance P in cornu dorsal medullae spinalis in chronic prostatitis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes of substance P in cornu dorsal medullae spinalis effected by activation of astrocytes in rats with pain from chronic prostatitis. METHODS: Sixty SD rats were randomized into three groups: the control group (n=20), the chronic prostatitis pain model group (n=20) and the interference group (n=20). The model was induced by injection of complete Freund adjuvant and 3% carrageenan into the prostate. Propentofylline was given with PE-10 in the spinal cord of the rat models. The activation of astrocytes and the distribution of substance P in the spinal cord were detected with immunofluorescence and the changes of substance P observed by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The activation of astrocytes was significantly increased in the models compared with controls, but significantly reduced in interfered group in comparison with the pain model group (P < 0.01), and such was the case with substance P (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: The activation of astrocytes was one important reason for the changes of substance P excreted from cornu dorsal medullae spinalis in the chronic prostatitis rats.

HPV16E7-specific siRNA inhibits cell proliferation in CaSki cells.

High-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is the main cause for the genesis of cervical carcinomas. After infection, E6 and E7 genes of HPV were integrated to the genome of the cervical epithelium. Continued expression of the transforming oncoproteins E6 and E7 not only drives the neoplastic progression in cervical epithelium, but also plays an important role in maintaining the malignant phenotype of cervical cancer cells. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of liposomal transfection of HPV16E7 siRNA on the proliferation of cervical carcinoma cell line CaSki. The siRNA interfering HPV16E7 gene was synthesized and transfected into CaSki cells by liposome to observe the cell morphology changes under microscope. The cell proliferation index was detected by flow cytometry; HPV16E7 mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR and its protein level was determined by Western blot. After transfection of the CaSki cell by siRNA, cell proliferation was inhibited significantly, and the expression of HPV16E7 mRNA and protein level of HPV16E7 decreased. HPV16E7 siRNA is able to inhibit growth of CaSki cells. HPV16E7 might become a new target for genetic therapy of cervical carcinoma.