Deconvolution at the single-cell level reveals ovarian cell-type-specific transcriptomic changes in PCOS.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive endocrine disorders in females of childbearing age. Various types of ovarian cells work together to maintain normal reproductive function, whose discordance often takes part in the development and progression of PCOS. Understanding the cellular heterogeneity and compositions of ovarian cells would provide insight into PCOS pathogenesis, but are, however, not well understood. Transcriptomic characterization of cells isolated from PCOS cases have been assessed using bulk RNA-seq but cells isolated contain a mixture of many ovarian cell types. METHODS: Here we utilized the reference scRNA-seq data from human adult ovaries to deconvolute and estimate cell proportions and dysfunction of ovarian cells in PCOS, by integrating various granulosa cells(GCs) transcriptomic data. RESULTS: We successfully defined 22 distinct cell clusters of human ovarian cells. Then after transcriptome integration, we obtained a gene expression matrix with 13,904 genes within 30 samples (15 control vs. 15 PCOS). Subsequent deconvolution analysis revealed decreased proportion of small antral GCs and increased proportion of KRT8high mural GCs, HTRA1high cumulus cells in PCOS, especially increased differentiation from small antral GCs to KRT8high mural GCs. For theca cells, the abundance of internal theca cells (TCs) and external TCs was both increased. Less TCF21high stroma cells (SCs) and more STARhigh SCs were observed. The proportions of NK cells and monocytes were decreased, and T cells occupied more in PCOS and communicated stronger with inTCs and exTCs. In the end, we predicted the candidate drugs which could be used to correct the proportion of ovarian cells in patients with PCOS. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, this study provides insights into the molecular alterations and cellular compositions in PCOS ovarian tissue. The findings might contribute to our understanding of PCOS pathophysiology and offer resource for PCOS basic research.

Association between serum AMH levels and IVF/ICSI outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

CONTEXT: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels are increased in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and are associated with PCOS severity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations between serum AMH levels and in vitro fertilization (IVF)/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in patients with PCOS. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched on 11 July 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Studies reporting the association between serum AMH levels and IVF/ICSI outcomes in PCOS patients were considered for inclusion. The primary outcomes were clinical pregnancy, live birth, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted using a standardized data extraction form. Study quality was assessed independently by two groups of researchers. DATA SYNTHESIS: Nineteen studies were included in this review. Meta-analyses demonstrated that PCOS patients with a serum AMH level within the 75-100th percentile had a decreased odds of clinical pregnancy (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.93) and livebirth (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58-0.87) compared to those within the 0-25th percentile. An increased AMH level was also correlated with an increased number of oocytes retrieved (SMD: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.30-1.51) and a lower odds of fertilization (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.98). There was no significant difference in the number of MII oocytes (SMD: 1.85, 95% CI: -1.07-4.78), E2 on the day of hCG (SMD: 0.12; 95% CI: -0.98-1.23), or implantation (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.28-2.39) between the two groups. In addition, we found significant dose-response associations between serum AMH level and clinical pregnancy, live birth, number of oocytes retrieved, and fertilization in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION: AMH may have clinical utility in counseling regarding IVF/ICSI outcomes among women with PCOS who wish to undergo fertility treatment. More large-scale, high-quality cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The effectiveness of mHealth interventions on postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common psychiatric condition during the postnatal period that negatively impacts the well-being of both the mother and her infant. This study describes a systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of mobile health (mHealth) interventions, which is defined as the use of portable electronic devices to support public health and medical practice, in addressing depressive symptoms among postpartum women. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, Embase and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on PPD from database inception to December 2019. RESULTS: The initial search identified 754 studies, of which, 11 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated four types of distinct mHealth interventions and involved 2424 participants across six countries. Pooled results demonstrated that compared to the controls, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score decreased in the mHealth intervention group (mean difference: -1.09, 95% confidence interval: -1.39 to -0.79). DISCUSSION: Our study suggested that mHealth interventions may be a promising tool to complement routine clinical care in the prevention and treatment of PPD, but the clinical effectiveness of mHealth interventions needs to be better established. While most studies focused on telephone-based interventions, recent researches have also suggested the superiority and effectiveness of short messaging service (SMS) and smartphone applications, but the exact efficacy needs further evaluation. Therefore, more high-quality RCTs on app-based and SMS-based interventions are needed before the large-scale roll-out of these interventions in clinical practice.