Temporal trends in handgrip strength for older Japanese adults between 1998 and 2017.

OBJECTIVE: to estimate temporal trends in handgrip strength (HGS) for older Japanese adults between 1998 and 2017. DESIGN AND METHODS: adults aged 60-79 years were included. Annual nationally representative HGS data (n = 176,449) for the 19-year study period were obtained from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Temporal trends in mean HGS were estimated by sample-weighted regression models relating the year of testing to mean HGS. National trends in absolute, percent and standardised HGS were estimated by a post-stratified population-weighting procedure. Temporal trends in variability were estimated as the ratio of coefficients of variation (CVs). RESULTS: collectively, there was a small improvement in mean HGS of 1.4 kg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-1.5), 4.5% (95%CI: 4.3-4.7) or 0.27 standard deviations (95%CI: 0.26-0.28) between 1998 and 2017. The rate of improvement progressively increased over time, with more recent values (post-2008) 1.5-fold larger than earlier values. Gender- and age-related temporal differences were negligible. Variability in HGS declined substantially over time (ratio of CVs [95%CI]: 0.88 [0.86-0.90]), with declines 1.9-fold larger in women compared to men and 1.7-fold larger in 70- to 79-year-olds compared to 60- to 69-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS: there has been a small, progressive improvement in mean HGS for older Japanese adults since 1998, which is suggestive of a corresponding improvement in strength capacity. The substantial decline in variability indicates that the improvement in mean HGS was not uniform across the population.

Stat3 and Socs3 expression patterns during murine placenta development.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (Stat3) has been identified as an important signal transducer in the invasive phenotype of the trophoblasts cells in in vitro studies. However, the in situ distribution and patterns of expression of this molecule in trophoblast cells during the development of the placenta are still under-elucidated. Mice uteri of gestational ages between 7 and 14 days of pregnancy (dop) were fixed in methacarn and processed with immunoperoxidase techniques for detection of Stat3 and its phosphorylation at serine (p-ser727) residues, as well as the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3) expression. Stat3 was observed at 7 through 9 dop in both the antimesometrial and mesometrial deciduas, while continued immunoreactivity between 10 and 13 dop was seen only in the mesometrial decidua. In the placenta, Stat3 was detected in the cytotrophoblast cells of labyrinth and giant trophoblast cells between 10 and 14 dop. Immunoreactivity for Stat3 was also seen in trophoblast cells surrounding the maternal blood vessels. On days 10 and 11 of pregnancy, p-ser727 was detectable in the mesometrial decidua and in giant trophoblasts, while during 12-14 dop in the spongiotrophoblast region. In addition, Socs3 was immunodetected in maternal and placental tissues, principally in the giant trophoblast cells during the whole period of the study. The present in situ study shows the distribution of Stat3, its serine activation and Socs3 in different maternal and fetal compartments during murine placental development, thus further supporting the idea that they play a role during physiological placentation in mice. 

Nuclear hormone receptors and female reproduction.

BACKGROUND: Nuclear Hormone Receptors (NHR) are, as the name implies, receptors located in the cell nucleus that have transcription modulating characteristics. Activated non-steroidal lipophilic ligands bind these receptors resulting in dimerisation of the ligands, DNA-binding and transcriptional regulation of target proteins that influence especially cell differentiation, metabolic homeostasis and embryogenesis. METHODS: This review is based on publications derived from PubMed based pursuit of scientific literature in conjunction with the authors' experience. RESULTS: Here, a summary of NHR family members (RXR, PPAR, VDR, TR) first in respect to known general aspects such as ligands, binding domains, signalling mechanism and second focussing especially their influence on female reproduction is offered. Furthermore, crosstalk with other prominent signalling proteins important to trophoblast function [signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells (NFκB), Akt/ phosphaidyl-3-kinase (PI3K), and Wnt, are described. CONCLUSION: Considering their attributes, it is not surprising that NHR family members play a central role in female reproduction by targeting cell differentiation, metabolic homeostasis and embryogenesis. However, it seems that crosstalk depends on stage of trophoblast differentiation.

IFPA Meeting 2012 Workshop Report III: trophoblast deportation, gestational trophoblastic disease, placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction, trophoblast over-invasion and accreta-related pathologies, placental thrombosis and fibrinolysis.

Workshops are an important part of the IFPA annual meeting as they allow for discussion of specialized topics. At IFPA meeting 2012 there were twelve themed workshops, five of which are summarized in this report. These workshops related to various aspects of placental biology but collectively covered areas of clinical research and pregnancy disorders: 1) trophoblast deportation; 2) gestational trophoblastic disease; 3) placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction; 4) trophoblast overinvasion and accreta-related pathologies; 5) placental thrombosis and fibrinolysis.

PP055. Preliminary results of the more prepared study (microparticle orientated risk evaluation in the prediction of preeclampsia among risk gravidas): A multicenter prospective prognostic marker study.

INTRODUCTION: Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially dangerous pregnancy pathology contributing to a higher worldwide mortality and morbidity. The negative influence of syncytiotrophoblastic microparticles (STBMs) on the placenta and maternal endothelia is thought to play a key role in generating the inflammatory effects that lead to PE symptoms. Doppler sonography of the uterine arteries assists in identifying a risk population, however, the positive predictive value for this method is low. OBJECTIVES: Aim of this study is to evaluate whether STBMs can serve as an accessory marker to conventional Doppler sonography to better identify pregnant women who will actually develop PE. METHODS: Pregnant women between 19-21 gestational weeks (GW) with abnormal uterine perfusion were enrolled into this prospective study. Plasma samples were taken at inclusion (baseline) and at two further visits at 8 week intervals to follow STBM concentration alterations during pregnancy. The primary endpoint assessed is PE and/or hemolysis, elevated liver, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. Other PE-associated pathologies (intrauterine growth retardation [IUGR], intrauterine fetal demise [IUFD], placental abruption, premature delivery) constitute the secondary endpoints. Maternal STBM concentrations were measured using a home made Enzyme Linked Sorbent Assay (ELSA) which specifically measures STBMs. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) for baseline measures are graphically displayed and area under curve (AUC) is estimated including 95% confidence levels. RESULTS: Of the 73 women included in the study, 16 developed PE (cases) and 56 did not (control). After analyses of mid-gestational probes, the ROC curve was in close proximity to the line of no-discrimination. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results indicate that the maternal STBM concentration at mid-gestation does not predict the development of PE or associated pregnancy pathologies. Further analysis is underway to assess whether STBM measurements at later gestational time points can predict PE shortly before onset of disease.

Trophoblast invasion: tuning through LIF, signalling via Stat3.

Aberrant activity of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is believed to be essential for neoplastic cell behaviour and thus for the malignancy of tumor cells [Bowman T, Garcia R, Turkson J, Jove R. STATs in oncogenesis. Oncogene 2000;19:2474-88]. Extravillous trophoblast cells resemble malignancies in their invasive and destructive features, excluding the fact of sequential restriction to the first trimester of pregnancy. Trophoblast cells from term placentas have reduced invasive capacity [Hohn HP, Denker HW. Experimental modulation of cell-cell adhesion, invasiveness and differentiation in trophoblast cells. Cells Tissues Organs 2002;172:218-36]. Constitutively activated Stat3 DNA-binding activity in choriocarcinoma cells, carcinomatous derivates of trophoblast cells, have been reported to correlate with its invasiveness [Corvinus FM, Fitzgerald JS, Friedrich K, Markert UR. Evidence for a correlation between trophoblast invasiveness and STAT3 activity. Am J Reprod Immunol 2003;50:316-21]. Here we demonstrate using RNAi that Stat3 activation is necessary in the invasive phenotype of trophoblast cells and can be controlled via Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF). LIF provides a soluble extracellular signal that stimulates invasion in trophoblast and Jeg-3 choriocarcinoma cells. Loss of LIF-mediated invasion in these cells subsequent to STAT3 knock-down strongly suggests that STAT3 plays a crucial role in mediating this invasion.

Comparative effects of L-tryptophan and 1-methyl-tryptophan on immunoregulation induced by sperm, human pre-implantation embryo and trophoblast supernatants.

PROBLEM: The hypothesis that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is necessary to regulate lymphocyte functions at the feto-maternal interface has been postulated, although a possible role of tryptophan (Trp) depletion in the T-cell tolerance during insemination as well as implantation has not been previously investigated. METHOD OF STUDY: Allogeneic phytohaemagglutinin stimulated lymphocytes were supplemented with pre-implantation embryo supernatant (PES), seminal plasma (SP), spermatozoa culture supernatant (SCS), spermatozoa, trophoblast cells, or placenta explant culture supernatants, and analyzed for expression of CD25, CD71, and CD69. Trp-degrading activity was assessed by addition of 1-methyl-Tryptophan or L-Trp. RESULTS: PES, SP, trophoblast, and explant supernatants reduced the expression of CD25 in CD3 lymphocytes. Inhibition of IDO as well as Trp supplementation prevented these effects. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor in maternal T lymphocytes is normally suppressed by Trp catabolism, and that either abnormal IDO levels or substances influencing IDO activity might lead to non-adequate immune responses on sperm, harm the conceptus or even initiate fetal rejection.