HDAC6-dependent deacetylation of NGF dictates its ubiquitination and maintains primordial follicle dormancy.

Rationale: Primordial follicles are limited in number and cannot be regenerated, dormant primordial follicles cannot be reversed once they enter a growth state. Therefore, the length of the female reproductive lifespan depends on the orderly progression and selective activation of primordial follicles, the mechanism of which remains unclear. Methods: We used human ovarian cortical biopsy specimens, granulosa cells from diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) patients, Hdac6-overexpressing transgenic mouse model, and RNA sequencing to analyze the crucial roles of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) in fertility preservation and primordial follicle activation. Results: In the present study, we found that HDAC6 was highly expressed in most dormant primordial follicles. The HDAC6 expression was reduced accompanying reproductive senescence in human and mouse ovaries. Overexpression of Hdac6 delayed the rate of primordial follicle activation, thereby prolonging the mouse reproductive lifespan. Short-term inhibition of HDAC6 promoted primordial follicle activation and follicular development in humans and mice. Mechanism studies revealed that HDAC6 directly interacted with NGF, reducing acetylation modification of NGF and thereby accelerating its ubiquitination degradation. Consequently, the reduced NGF protein level maintained the dormancy of primordial follicles. Conclusions: The physiological significance of the high expression of HDAC6 in most primordial follicles is to reduce NGF expression and prevent primordial follicle activation to maintain female fertility. Reduced HDAC6 expression increases NGF expression in primordial follicles, activating their development and contributing to reproduction. Our study provides a clinical reference value for fertility preservation.

Exploring the clinical and cellular mechanisms of LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1/miR-29a-3p/SOCS3 molecular axis in cases of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the functions and mechanisms of the LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1/miR-29a-3p/SOCS3 molecular pathway in the context of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). METHODS: We conducted qRT-PCR to assess the levels of LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1, miR-29a-3p, and SOCS3 in both abortion tissues from women who experienced URSA and healthy early pregnant women. A dual-luciferase assay was employed to investigate whether miR-29a-3p targets SOCS3. Furthermore, RNA IP and RNA Pull-Down assays were employed to confirm the interaction between KCNQ1OT1 and SOCS3 with miR-29a-3p. RNA FISH was used to determine the cellular localization of KCNQ1OT1. Additionally, trophoblast cells (HTR8/SVneo) were cultured and the CCK-8 assay was utilized to assess cell proliferation, while flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell apoptosis. RESULTS: Compared to abortion tissues obtained from healthy early pregnant individuals, those from women who experienced URSA displayed a notable downregulation of KCNQ1OT1 and SOCS3, accompanied by an upregulation of miR-29a-3p. Suppression of KCNQ1OT1 resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation and the facilitation of apoptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells. Our findings suggest that KCNQ1OT1 may exert a regulatory influence on SOCS3 through a competitive binding mechanism with miR-29a-3p. Notably, KCNQ1OT1 exhibited expression in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, with a predominant localization in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, we observed a negative regulatory relationship between miR-29a-3p and SOCS3, as the miR-29a-3p mimic group demonstrated significantly reduced cell proliferation and an increased rate of apoptosis when compared to the negative control (NC mimic) group. Additionally, the SOCS3 Vector group exhibited a substantial improvement in proliferation capability and a marked reduction in the apoptosis rate in comparison to the NC Vector group. The miR-29a-3p mimic + SOCS3 Vector group demonstrated a remarkable enhancement in proliferation and a reduction in apoptosis when compared to the miR-29a-3p mimic group. CONCLUSION: The competitive binding of miR-29a-3p to LncRNA-KCNQ1OT1 appears to result in the elevation of SOCS3 expression, consequently fostering the proliferation of trophoblast cells while concomitantly suppressing apoptosis.

The role of the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase gene in preventing ovarian transplant rejection in rats.

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) plays important roles in maternal immune tolerance. Female Sprague Dawley rats (9-11 weeks old) were randomly divided into an autoplastic transplantation group (n = 75) and an allograft transplantation group (n = 300) further divided into subgroups of ovarian transplantation, allograft ovarian transplantation, allograft ovarian transplantation with cyclosporine A treatment, allograft ovarian transplantation and transfection with IDO-expressing lentiviruses, and allograft ovarian transplantation and transfection with control lentiviruses. IDO was successfully transfected intothe transplanted ovarian tissue. The survival rate, success rate of ovarian transplantation, period until estrous cycle restoration, and estrogen levels of rats that received IDO-expressing lentiviruseswere significantly different from those of rats that underwent allograft transplantation and with control transfection (all P < 0.05), but not significantly different from those of rats that received autoplastic transplantation (all P > 0.05). The number of ovarian follicles in the transplanted ovarian tissue of rats that received IDO-expressing lentiviruses was also significantly higher. The expression level of IDO protein detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting was especially high in ovaries that had received IDO-containing lentiviruses. Naturally pregnant rats were found in each group postoperatively. These results indicate that IDO-expressing lentiviruses were successfully transfected into transplanted ovarian tissues of rats and that IDO was stably expressed within a certain time. These findings suggest that the expression level of IDO protein is associated with an enhanced success rate of ovarian tissue transplantation and a short restoration period of endocrine function.

Proband-independent haplotyping based on NGS-based long-read sequencing for detecting pathogenic variant carrier status in preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases.

Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT-M) can be used to select embryos that do not develop disease phenotypes or carry disease-causing genes for implantation into the mother's uterus, to block disease transmission to the offspring, and to increase the birth rate of healthy newborns. However, the traditional PGT-M technique has some limitations, such as its time consumption, experimental procedural complexity, and the need for a complete family or reference embryo to construct the haplotype. In this study, proband-independent haplotyping based on NGS-based long-read sequencing (Phbol-seq) was used to effectively construct haplotypes. By targeting the mutation sites of single gene disease point mutations and small fragment deletion carriers, embryos carrying parental disease-causing mutations were successfully identified by linkage analysis. The efficiency of embryo resolution was then verified by classical Sanger sequencing, and it was confirmed that the construction of haplotype and SNP linkage analysis by Phbol-seq could accurately and effectively detect whether embryos carried parental pathogenic mutations. After the embryos confirmed to be nonpathogenic by Phbol-seq-based PGT-M and confirmed to have normal copy number variation by Phbol-seq-based PGT-A were transplanted into the uterus, gene detection in amniotic fluid of the implanted embryos was performed, and the results confirmed that Phbol-seq technology could accurately distinguish normal genotype embryos from genetically modified carrier embryos. Our results suggest that Phbol-seq is an effective strategy for accurately locating mutation sites and accurately distinguishing between embryos that inherit disease-causing genes and normal embryos that do not. This is critical for Phbol-seq-based PGT-M and could help more single-gene disease carriers with incomplete families, de novo mutations or suspected germline mosaicism to have healthy babies with normal phenotypes. It also helps to reduce the transmission of monogenic genetic diseases in the population.

Prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori and emodin alleviate lipid droplet accumulation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through MAPK signaling pathway inhibition.

As one of the most common liver diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects almost one-quarter of the world's population. Although the prevalence of NAFLD is continuously rising, effective medical treatments are still inadequate. Radix Polygoni Multiflori (RPM) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. As a processed product of RPM, prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori (PRPM) has been reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated whether PRPM treatment could significantly improve NAFLD. We used recent literature, the Herb database and the SwissADME database to isolate the active compounds of PRPM. The OMIM, DisGeNET and GeneCards databases were used to isolate NAFLD-related target genes, and GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were conducted. Moreover, PRPM treatment in NAFLD model mice was evaluated. The results indicate that the target genes are mainly enriched in the AMPK and de novo lipogenesis signaling pathways and that PRPM treatment improves NAFLD disease in model mice. Here, we found the potential benefits of PRPM against NAFLD and demonstrated in vivo and in vitro that PRPM and its ingredient emodin downregulate phosphorylated P38/P38, phosphorylated ERK1/2 and genes related to de novo adipogenesis signaling pathways and reduce lipid droplet accumulation. In conclusion, our findings revealed a novel therapeutic role for PRPM in the treatment of NAFLD and metabolic inflammation.

Chinese experts' consensus guideline on preimplantation genetic testing of monogenic disorders.

Recent developments in molecular biological technologies and genetic diagnostic methods, accompanying with updates of relevant terminologies, have enabled the improvements of new strategies of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic (single gene) disorders (PGT-M) to prevent the transmission of inherited diseases. However, there has been much in the way of published consensus on PGT-M. To properly regulate the application of PGT-M, Chinese experts in reproductive medicine and genetics have jointly developed this consensus statement. The consensus includes indications for patient selection, genetic and reproductive counseling, informed consent, diagnostic strategies, report generation, interpretation of results and patient follow-ups. This consensus statement serves to assist in establishment of evidence-based clinical and laboratory practices for PGT-M.

Human UC-MSC-derived exosomes facilitate ovarian renovation in rats with chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) induced by chemotherapy is an intractable disorder with a considerable incidence that commonly results in insufficient fertility and concomitant complications in female patients. Due to limitations in the current progress in POI diagnosis and treatment, there is an urgent need to develop novel remedies to improve ovarian function and protect fertility. The ameliorative effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) and exosomes derived from them in POI treatment could be a new hope for patients. Herein, we identified exosomes from hUCMSCs (hUCMSC-Exos). Then, systematic infusion of hUCMSC-Exos was accomplished via tail intravenous injection to investigate the feasibility of the treatment of rats with chemotherapy-induced POI by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX) and busulfan (BUS). Ovarian functions in the indicated group were evaluated, including oestrous cycle, serum sex hormone levels, follicle counts, ovarian pathological changes, proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells (GCs), and reproductive ability testing. Furthermore, the potential influence of hUCMSC-Exos on ovarian tissues was illuminated by conducting RNA-seq and multifaceted bioinformatics analyses. POI rats with hUCMSC-Exos transplantation exhibited a decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and apoptosis of GCs but an increase in oestradiol (E2), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and the number of ovarian follicles and foetuses in the uterus. And the immunomodulation- and cellular vitality-associated gene sets in rats had also undergone moderate changes. Our data indicated the feasibility of hUCMSC-Exos in improving ovarian function and protecting fertility in chemotherapy-induced POI rats. HUCMSC-Exos can improve the local microenvironment of ovarian tissue in POI rats by participating in immune regulation, cellular viability, inflammation regulation, fibrosis and metabolism, and other related signal pathways.

Impact of having surplus blastocysts cryopreserved on the ongoing pregnancy rate following a fresh transfer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether a surplus of vitrified blastocysts correlated with ongoing pregnancy by analyzing the clinical outcomes of fresh transfer cycles with/without a surplus of vitrified blastocysts. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis carried out in the Reproductive Medicine Center of Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital between January 2020 and December 2021. Overall, 2482 fresh embryo transfer cycles were included in this study, including 1731 cycles with a surplus of vitrified blastocysts (group A) and 751 cycles with no surplus of vitrified blastocysts (group B). The clinical outcomes of fresh embryo transfer cycles were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR) after fresh transfer in group A were significantly higher than those in group B (59% vs. 34.1%, p < .001; 51.9% vs. 27.8%, p < .001, respectively). Moreover, the miscarriage rate was significantly lower in group A when compared to that in group B (10.8% vs. 16.8%, p = .008). When grouped by either female age or the number of good-quality embryos transferred, the same trends for CPR and OPR were seen in all subgroups. After adjusting for potential confounding factors in multivariate analysis, a surplus of vitrified blastocysts remained significantly associated with a higher OPR (OR: 1.52; 95% CI:1.21-1.92). CONCLUSION: Ongoing pregnancy outcome increases significantly in fresh transfer cycle with a surplus of vitrified blastocysts.

Molecular mechanisms involved in the IL-6-mediated upregulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) expression in the chorionic villi and decidua of women in early pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: IL-6 induces the upregulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) at the maternal-foetal interface, but the regulation mechanisms of IDO1 by IL-6 at this interface have not been fully understood. METHODS: Western blotting, qRT-PCR and/or immunohistochemistry were employed to measure the expression of IDO1, IL-6, SHP-1/2, SOCS3 and STAT3/p (STAT3 and pSTAT3) in tissues of chorionic villi and decidua (TCVD) in vivo and in cultured TCVD that were treated with IL-6 in the presence or absence of an IL-6 inhibitor. RESULTS: Mutually positive relationships among the protein levels of IL-6, IDO1, SHP-1/2 and STAT3/p was observed, and the expression of IDO1, SHP-1/2 and STAT3/p was increased in a dose-dependent manner in TCVD in vivo and in cultured TCVD treated with IL-6 at increasing concentrations (0-100 ng/ml). The level of IL-6 was negatively related to SOCS3 level in TCVD. The expression of SOCS3 was increased in a dose-dependent manner, and SOCS3 level was positively correlated with SHP-1, SHP-2 and STAT3/p level in cultured TCVD treated with 0-2 ng/ml IL-6; however, opposite results were observed after treatment with 2-100 ng/ml IL-6. The IL-6-induced upregulation of IDO1, SHP-1, SHP-2 and STAT3/p expression could be reversed, while the IL-6-induced upregulation of SOCS3 expression was exacerbated by Corylifol A. CONCLUSIONS: In normal pregnancy, IL-6 upregulates the expression of IDO1 by promoting SHP-1/2 expression via STAT3/p and simultaneously negatively regulates the expression of SOCS3. High expression of IL-6 causes the upregulation of IDO1 expression and the downregulation of SOCS-3 expression, which may be beneficial for maintaining immunological tolerance.

Radix polygoni multiflori protects against hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in diabetic encephalopathy by inhibiting the HDAC4/JNK pathway.

With an poorly characterized pathogenesis, Diabetic encephalopathy (DE), one of the main chronic complications of diabetes, would require further studies. Recent studies have proven that DE developing in conjunction with neuronal apoptosis, which is tightly regulated by a variety of processes and involved with histone acetylation and molecular signaling or so on. Though the histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4), HDAC5, HDAC7, and HDAC9 form class IIa of the HDAC superfamily have been found participating in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, while JNK signaling pathway activation was hypothesized as a key cause leading to cell apoptosis, the correlation between HDAC4 and JNK signaling pathway remains unknown. Studies have found that Radix Polygoni Multiflori (RPM) contains a variety of ingredients, such as TSG and Emodin, could exert antioxidant effects, scavenge free radicals, inhibit cell apoptosis and provide neuroprotection, but the underlying mechanism has not fully elucidated yet. In the present study, we further explored the mechanism by which RPM improves the cognitive function of diabetic rats. Simultaneously, TSG and Emodin were used to stimulate HT-22 hippocampal neurons treated with high glucose. After RPM extracts or TSG, Emodin treatments, the cognitive functions of DE rats improved while the hippocampal neurons arranged tighter and increased. Meanwhile, the expression level of HAT, HDAC, HDAC4 and JNK signaling pathway and apoptosis related genes were decreased. Our finds indicates that RPM and Emodin would inhibit HDAC4 expression, curb the activation of the JNK pathway, reduce hippocampal neuron apoptosis and ultimately meliorate the cognitive function from diabetes. Additionally, the markedly inhibitory effects of the RPM and Emodin on HAT and HDAC was identified for the first time in this study, which provides a basis for future drug targeting histones acetylation development and application.

Effective Radiative Forcings Due To Anthropogenic Emission Changes Under Covid-19 and Post-Pandemic Recovery Scenarios.

With the continuation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the impacts of this catastrophe on anthropogenic emissions are no longer limited to its early stage. This study quantitatively estimates effective radiative forcings (ERFs) due to anthropogenic well-mixed greenhouse gases (WMGHGs) and aerosols for the period 2020-2050 under the three latest Covid-19 economic-recovery scenarios using an aerosol-climate model. The results indicate that reductions in both WMGHG and aerosol emissions under the Covid-19 green recoveries lead to increases ranging from 0 to 0.3 W m-2 in global annual mean anthropogenic ERF over the period 2020-2050 relative to the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 2-4.5 scenario (the baseline case). These positive ERFs are mainly attributed to the rapid and dramatic decreases in atmospheric aerosol content that increase net shortwave radiative flux at the top of atmosphere via weakening the direct aerosol effect and low cloud cover. At the regional scale, reductions in aerosols contribute to positive ERFs throughout the Northern Hemisphere, while the decreased WMGHGs dominate negative ERFs over the areas away from aerosol pollution, such as the Southern Hemisphere oceans. This drives a strong interhemispheric contrast of ERFs. In contrast, the increased anthropogenic emissions under the fossil-fueled recovery scenario lead to an increase of 0.3 W m-2 in global annual mean ERF in 2050 compared with the baseline case, primarily due to the contribution of WMGHG ERFs. The regional ERF changes are highly dependent on local cloud radiative effects.

Weather-Climate Anomalies and Regional Transport Contribute to Air Pollution in Northern China During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Two persistent and heavy haze episodes during the COVID-19 lockdown (from 20 Jan to 22 Feb 2020) still occur in northern China, when anthropogenic emissions, particularly from transportation sources, are greatly reduced. To investigate the underlying cause, this study comprehensively uses in-situ measurements for ambient surface pollutants, reanalysis meteorological data and the WRF-Chem model to calculate the contribution of NOx emission change and weather-climate change to the "unexpectedly heavy" haze. Results show that a substantial NOx reduction has slightly decreased PM2.5 concentration. By contrast, the weakest East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) in the 2019-2020 winter relative to the past decade is particularly important for haze occurrence. A warmer and moister climate is also favorable. Model results suggest that climate anomalies lead to a 25-50 µg m-3 increase of PM2.5 concentration, and atmospheric transport is also an important contributor to two haze episodes. The first haze is closely related to the atmospheric transport of pollutants from NEC to the south, and fireworks emissions in NEC are a possible amplifying factor that warrants future studies. The second one is caused by the convergence of a southerly wind and a mountain wind, resulting in an intra-regional transport within BTH, with a maximal PM2.5 increment of 50-100 µg m-3. These results suggest that climate change and regional transport are of great importance to haze occurrence in China, even with significant emission reductions of pollutants.

Progesterone decreased indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1(IDO1) expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase1(IDO1) is one of the most important proteins in protect the embryos from the mother's immune system during pregnancy. However, the regulation of the protein expression at the maternal-foetal interface is not fully known. We aimed to study the regulation of IDO1 expression by progesterone in villi and decidua of in early pregnancy. Fifty cases of early pregnancy women's villi and decidua were collected. Tissue explants of chorionic villi and the decidua were cultured in media containing in different concentrations of progesterone, in the presence or absence of mifepristone. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of IDO1 in chorionic villi and decidua in cultured tissues. IDO1 protein was identified in chorionic villi and decidua tissues of normal pregnant women, and the expression of IDO1in the decidua was significantly higher than those in chorionic villi. Progesterone decreased IDO1 expression in early pregnancy chorionic villi and decidua, and mifepristone, as the progesterone inhibitor, reverted this effect. In normal physiological state of pregnancy, progesterone may be involved in the regulation of immune tolerance by negative regulation of IDO1 expression at maternal foetal interface. Progesterone may down-regulate IDO1 expression during early pregnancy.

[IL-6 up-regulates indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) expression in chorionic villi and decidua].

Objective To investigate the regulatory effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) in the early pregnant chorionic villi and decidua tissues. Methods The chorionic villi and decidua tissues of women who received induced abortion at early pregnancy were collected. The expression of IL-6 and IDO in the chorionic villi and decidua tissues was detected by Western blotting. Subsequently, 10, 50 and 100 ng/mL IL-6 was added into the chorionic villi and decidua tissues to culture for 48 hours. In addition, changes in the IDO mRNA and protein expression levels in chorionic villi and decidua tissues were detected by real-time quantitative reverse PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Results Both IDO and IL-6 were expressed in human early pregnant chorionic villi and decidua tissues. Besides, the expression of these two proteins were positively correlated (r=0.72, 0.91). After being cultured with 10, 50 and 100 ng/mL IL-6 for 48 hours, IDO protein expression significantly increased in the cultured early pregnant chorionic villi and decidua tissues in an IL-6 concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion The expression of IL-6 and IDO proteins at the maternal-fetal interface show a positive correlation in normal physiological pregnancy, and IL-6 may up-regulate the expression of IDO.

Effect of the IDO Gene on Pregnancy in Mice with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) gene on pregnancy outcome in mice with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and its mechanism of action in the maternal-fetal interface. An RPL model was established via natural mating of female CBA/J mice with male DBA/2 mice; thereafter, the female mice were randomly divided into groups treated with LV-EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein)-IDO (lentivirus vector carrying IDO-EGFP gene), LV-EGFP (negative control lentivirus vector), or phosphate-buffered saline (control). The mice were sacrificed at 13.5 days of pregnancy, and the embryo absorption rate was determined. Peripheral blood regulatory T cells (Tregs) from the pregnant mice were detected using flow cytometry. Placental and decidual tissue IDO expression was detected using immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Inflammatory cell infiltration of the placental and decidual tissue was observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The LV-EGFP-IDO group had a significantly lower embryo absorption rate than the LV-EGFP and control groups (P = 0.0006 and P = 0.0049, respectively) and significantly more Tregs than the LV-EGFP and control groups (P = 0.0151 and P = 0.0392, respectively). Placental and decidual IDO protein levels correlated positively with peripheral blood Treg expression levels. The LV-EGFP-IDO group had significantly higher placental and decidual IDO protein levels than the LV-EGFP and control groups (P < 0.005), and it had significantly less inflammatory cell infiltration than the LV-EGFP and control groups. The IDO gene may reduce the embryo absorption rate in an RPL mouse model, possibly improving pregnancy outcome by upregulating Tregs and reducing the inflammatory response.

Prevalence of oligomenorrhea among women of childbearing age in China: A large community-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and the related characteristics of oligomenorrhea among women within childbearing age in China. STUDY DESIGN: A large-scale community-based investigation was conducted from 2013 to 2015. A total of 12,964 women aged 18-49 years from 9 provinces/municipalities in China were recruited for healthcare screening in local community health centers. Outcome measures include clinical history, ultrasonographic exam, and hormonal and metabolic parameters. RESULTS: Among women within childbearing age in China, the prevalence of oligomenorrhea was 12.2% (1,579/12,964). Both sociodemographic factors and medical history were significantly associated with oligomenorrhea (P < 0.05). In such women, the prevalence of obesity, acne, seborrhea, acanthosis, larger ovarian size, and polycystic ovarian morphology was higher when compared with normal women; the prevalence of anti-Mullerian hormone, total testosterone, and androstenedione (P < 0.05) was higher as well. The infertility rates of all women were higher in the oligomenorrhea group (17.2%, 272/1,579) than in the non-oligomenorrhea group (9.0%, 1,024/11,385), and among women without contraception, for the oligomenorrhea group, the infertility rate was 32.5% (128/394), and for the non-oligomenorrhea group, 17.9% (400/2,240). In the oligomenorrhea group, 57.4% (156/272) of the women underwent treatments for infertility, which was higher than the non-oligomenorrhea group 36.1% (370/1,024). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity, acne, seborrhea, acanthosis, larger ovarian size, and polycystic ovarian morphology were significantly associated with oligomenorrhea. The increase of anti-Mullerian hormone, total testosterone, and androstenedione level was also demonstrated in the oligomenorrhea group. Higher prevalence of infertility and medical treatment rate was observed in women with oligomenorrhea.

Estrogen induces IDO expression via TGF­ß in chorionic villi and decidua during early stages of pregnancy.

Indoleamine 2,3­dioxygenase (IDO) is one of the most important proteins protecting the embryos from the mother's immune system during pregnancy; however, little is known about the regulation of expression of this protein at the maternal­fetal interface. In the current study, chorionic villi and decidua were collected from women at early stages of pregnancy. Samples of chorionic villi and decidua were cultured in medium containing different concentrations of 17ß­estradiol and estriol respectively, with or without fulvestrant. Western blot analysis and/or immunofluorescent staining were used to detect the expression of transforming growth factor ß (TGF­ß) and IDO in chorionic villi and decidua tissues. Both TGF­ß and IDO were expressed in chorionic villi and decidua. The expression levels of these two proteins increased the most in samples of chorionic villi and decidua cultured in medium containing 17ß­estradiol at the concentration of 10 ng/ml, or estriol at the concentration of 1 µg/ml. This increase could be reversed when fulvestrant was added in the medium at the concentration of 10 µg/ml. IDO expression increased in a dose­dependent manner in tissue samples cultured in medium containing TGF­ß. The results of the current study revealed that administration of estrogen at doses similar to those observed in healthy pregnant women may upregulate the expression of IDO by TGF­ß, suggesting that estrogen may prevent allogeneic fetal rejection and may be used as an immunomodulator.

PRAS40 hyperexpression promotes hepatocarcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers, whereas the molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. PRAS40 (encoded by AKT1S1) phosphorylation was increased in human melanoma, prostate cancer and lung cancer specimens, which was considered as the results of Akt activation. However the mechanism in detail and its role in HCC stay elusive. METHODS: PRAS40 expression and phosphorylation were analyzed in HCC specimens, and the survival rates of patients were investigated. Functional analyses of PRAS40 in HCC were performed in vivo and in vitro. The miR-124-3p binding sites in PRAS40 were investigated using luciferase assay. MiR-124-3p expression in HCC specimens was examined by In Situ hybridization, and the correlation to PRAS40 level was evaluated. FINDINGS: The phosphorylation, protein and mRNA levels of PRAS40 were increased significantly in HCC specimens from our cohorts and TCGA database, which was positively correlated to the poor prognosis of HCC patients. Compared to Akt1s1+/+ mice, hepatocarcinogenesis was suppressed in Akt1s1-/- mice, and the activation of Akt was impaired. PRAS40 depletion resulted in the inhibition of HCC cellular proliferation. Tumor suppressor miR-124-3p was found to downregulate PRAS40 expression by targeting its 3'UTR. MiR-124-3p levels were inversely correlated to PRAS40 protein and phosphorylation levels in HCC specimens. The proliferation inhibition by miR-124-3p mimics was partially reversed by exogenous PRAS40 introduction in HCC cells. INTERPRETATION: PRAS40 hyperexpression induced by loss of miR-124-3p contributes to PRAS40 hyperphosphorylation and hepatocarcinogenesis. These results could be expected to offer novel clues for understanding hepatocarcinogenesis and developing approaches.