Stem Cell Therapies for Human Infertility: Advantages and Challenges.

Physical and mental health and hormonal imbalance are associated with the problems related to infertility and reproductive disorders. The rate of infertility has increased globally over the years, due to various reasons. Given the psychosocial implications of infertility and its effects on the life of the affected people, there has been an increased focus on its treatment over the last several years. Assisted reproductive technology can only solve about 50% of the cases. Moreover, it contains significant risks and does not solve the fundamental problem of infertility. As pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into almost any type of cell, they have been widely regarded as a promising option in the development of stem cell-based fertility treatments, which could even correct genetic diseases in offspring. These advancements in reproductive biotechnology present both challenges and possibilities for solving infertility problems caused by various unexplainable factors. This review briefly presents the different types of infertility disorders and the potential applications of stem cells in the treatment of these reproductive diseases.

Psychological Stress and Functional Endometrial Disorders: Update of Mechanism Insights.

The human endometrium plays a vital role in providing the site for embryo implantation and maintaining the normal development and survival of the embryo. Recent studies have shown that stress is a common factor for the development of unexplained reproductive disorders. The nonreceptive endometrium and disturbed early maternal-fetal interaction might lead to infertility including the repeated embryo implantation failure and recurrent spontaneous abortion, or late pregnancy complications, thereby affecting the quality of life as well as the psychological status of the affected individuals. Additionally, psychological stress might also adversely affect female reproductive health. In recent years, several basic and clinical studies have tried to investigate the harm caused by psychological stress to reproductive health, however, the mechanism is still unclear. Here, we review the relationship between psychological stress and endometrial dysfunction, and its consequent effects on female infertility to provide new insights for clinical therapeutic interventions in the future.

FSTL1 aggravates OVA-induced inflammatory responses by activating the NLRP3/IL-1ß signaling pathway in mice and macrophages.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma, a well-known disease with high morbidity, is characterized by chronic airway inflammation. However, the allergic inflammation mechanisms of follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) have not been elucidated. This study aims to investigate the effects of FSTL1 in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice and macrophages on nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein 3 (NLRP3)/interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) signaling pathway. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into control-WT, OVA-WT, control-Fstl1±, OVA-Fstl1±. Histological changes were assessed by HE and PAS staining. The protein levels of Muc-5AC, FSTL1, NLRP3, and IL-1ß in lung tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in mice and human serum samples were detected by ELISA. Then, mice were grouped into control, FSTL1, MCC950 + FSTL1 to further investigate the relationship between FSTL1 and NLRP3/IL-1ß. Alveolar macrophage cells (MH-S cells) were separated into control, OVA, FSTL1, OVA + FSTL1, OVA + siNC, OVA + siFSTL1, MCC950, and FSTL1 + MCC950 groups to explore the effect of FSTL1 on the NLRP3/IL-1ß signaling. The protein expression of NLRP3 and IL-1ß in MH-S cells was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The present results uncovered that Fstl1± significantly ameliorated OVA-induced Muc-5AC production and mucus hypersecretion. Fstl1± was also found to decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory cell infiltration in OVA-induced asthmatic mice. Meanwhile, the serum concentrations of FSTL1 and IL-1ß were higher in  asthma subjects than the health subjects, and Fstl1± ameliorated the production of NLRP3 and IL-1ß in OVA-induced asthmatic mice. Furthermore, mice by injected FSTL1 substantially stimulated the expression of NLRP3 and IL-1ß, while pretreatment with MCC950 in mice significantly weakened the production of NLRP3 and IL-1ß induced by injection FSTL1. Pretreatment with siFSTL1 or MCC950 significantly reduced the production of NLRP3 and IL-1ß induced by OVA or FSTL1 in MH-S cells. CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that FSTL1 played an important role in allergic airway inflammation by activating NLRP3/IL-1ß. Hence, inhibition FSTL1 could be applied as a therapeutic agent against asthma.

[Roles of Th17 lymphocytes and inflammatory cytokines in airway inflammation exacerbation of murine asthmatic model].

AIM: To investigate the roles of Th17 lymphocytes and its inflammatory cytokines in airway inflammation exacerbation of murine asthmatic model. METHODS: Twenty mice were randomized into control group and asthma group. For the murine asthma model, the mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). The control mice were given normal saline alone under the same conditions as the asthma group. We observed the changes in cellular proportions in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) under a light microscope and the histological changes in lung tissue by HE staining. The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and IL-17 were detected by ELISA. Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells in the peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. We did a correlation analysis between Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells in the peripheral blood and neutrophils in BALF. RESULTS: The total cell number and the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes in BALF of the asthmatic mice were significantly higher than those in the control mice (P<0.05). The neutrophils and eosinophils infiltration in pulmonary tissue was also dramatically detected in asthmatic mice. The levels of IL-4 and IL-17 were significantly higher than those in the control mice (P<0.05), while the level of IFN-γ was much lower than in the control mice (P<0.05). Besides, the percentages of Th2 and Th17 cells in peripheral blood were significantly higher in the asthmatic mice than in the control mice (P<0.05). The expression of Th17 was positively correlated with the levels of neutrophils in BALF(r(Th17);=0.394, P<0.05), and the expression of Th1 was negatively correlated with the level of neutrophils in BALF (r(Th1);=-0.446, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Th17 cells could induce the recruitment of inflammatory cytokines and neutrophils into airways, which might aggravate the asthmatic inflammation and be related with asthma exacerbation.

[Effect of XPA expression on the chemotherapy sensitivity of A549/DDP cells].

AIM: To investigate the influence on platinum-based chemotherapy sensitivity by silencing xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) gene expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) drug resistance cell lines (A549/DDP). METHODS: We detected the expression of XPA in lung normal and tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting. We silenced XPA expression in A549/DDP cells by XPA-shRNA transfection, and detected the expression of XPA by qPCR and Western blotting. The cell sensitivity to cisplatin and the apoptosis of A549/DDP cells transfected with XPA-shRNA were determined by MTT assay. RESULTS: The expression of XPA was higher in NSCLC tissues than that in normal lung tissues. Silencing XPA gene increased the apoptosis and sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin. CONCLUSION: Silencing XPA gene can partly reverse the cisplatin resistance in human cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cell line A549/DDP.

Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in TSLP gene are associated with asthma susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway that is mediated by T-helper 2(TH2) cells. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) can aggravate asthmatic lung inflammation by activating dendritic cells (DCs) to promote TH2 differentiation. TSLP promoter polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to bronchial asthma in Japanese population. We sought to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TSLP gene are associated with asthma in Chinese Han population. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the polymorphism of the two SNPs Rs2289276 and Rs2289278 in TSLP gene and to evaluate the association between the two SNPs and asthma susceptibility in Chinese Han population by using case-control study. METHODS: five hundred and thirty one asthmatic patients and 540 age-sex matched normal controls were collected and DNA were extracted from peripheral blood, then the genotypes of SNPs Rs2289276 and Rs2289278 in TSLP gene were detected with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and analyzed with Chi-square test. RESULTS: Frequencies of CC/CT/TT genotypes at Rs2289276 site were 0.4706/0.4392/0.0902 in the asthmatic patients and 0.5604/0.3800/0.0595 in the healthy controls. Frequencies of CC/CG/GG genotypes at Rs2289278 site were 0.6502/0.2966/0.0532 in the asthmatic patients and 0.5795/0.3428/0.0777 in the healthy controls. The genotype and allele frequencies of the two SNPs in asthma patients were significantly different from those in the healthy controls. Rs2289278 C allele was correlated with decreased FEV(1): FVC (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: TSLP variants are significantly associated with bronchial asthma. TSLP might be a new therapeutic target molecule for asthma.

[IL-25 derived from epithelial cells has the potential to promote airway remodeling in asthma].

AIM: To explore the role of interleukin-25(IL-25) in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic asthma (EA) and non-eosinophilic asthma (NEA) through detecting its expression in serum, induced sputum and bronchial epithelial mucosa of asthmatic patients. METHODS: Serum and induced sputum were collected from 55 untreated asthmatic patients and 27 healthy control subjects. The asthmatic patients were divided into EA and NEA groups according to sputum eosinophils(EOS) percentage (3% as a dividing point). The level of IL-25 in serum and induced spntum was determined by ELISA; the expression of IL-25 in bronchial epithelium was quantified by immunohistochemistry in biopsied specimens from 10 cases of EA, 10 NEA and 10 controls. Basement membrane thickness as an important index of airway remodeling was detected by HE staining. RESULTS: Compared with healthy control subjects, the lung function was impaired in patients with EA and NEA. ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-25 in the serum and induced sputum of asthmatic patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects (P<0.05). But there were no statistic differences between EA and NEA patients (P>0.05). The immunohistochemical results indicated that the expression of IL-25 was higher in asthmatic bronchial epithelium than in control ones. HE staining showed that the basement membrane thickness increased in EA and NEA patients(P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the levels of IL-25 in serum and induced sputum were positively correlated with the average thickness of basement membrane in asthmatic patients. CONCLUSION: IL-25 secreted from epithelial cells has the potential to promote airway remodeling in asthma. EOS has nothing to do with the thickness of basement membrane, and it may not be necessary for airway remodeling in asthma.

[Expression of MADD in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells].

AIM: To investigate the expression of MAPK-activating death domain protein (MADD) in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of MADD in lung normal and tumor tissues. The expression of IG20 gene in A549 cells was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A549 cells were transfected with pEYFP-MADD plasmids carrying MADD gene or pNL-SIN-GFP-MID lentiviral vectors used for RNA interference. MADD expression and cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined by Western blot, MTT assay, and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The expression levels of MADD were higher in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma tissues than that in lung normal tissues, and lung adenocarcinoma tissues expressed more MADD than lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues. The transcript encoding MADD was expressed in A549 cells. The transfection of pEYFP-MADD plasmids could increase MADD expression and cell proliferation of A549 cells, while the A549 cells transfected with pNL-SIN-GFP-MID lentiviral vectors showed significantly decreases in the MADD level and proliferation. It is shown that MADD overexpression could inhibit A549 cell apoptosis, and knock down of MADD could promote apoptosis of them. CONCLUSION: The expression of MADD increases obviously in lung adenocarcinoma, and MADD can promote survival of lung adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting apoptosis.

Comparison of captopril and enalapril to study the role of the sulfhydryl-group in improvement of endothelial dysfunction with ACE inhibitors in high dieted methionine mice.

To examine the role of sulfhydryl (-SH) group in improvement of endothelial dysfunction with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in experimental high dose of methionine dieted rats. We compared the effects of Captopril (an ACE inhibitor with -SH group), enalapril (an ACE-inhibitor without -SH group), N-acetylcysteine (only -SH group not ACE inhibitor) on endothelial dysfunction injured by methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into seven groups: control group, L-methionine group, low dose Captopril (15 mg/kg), middle dose Captopril (30 mg/kg), high dose Captopril (45 mg/kg), enalapril (20 mg/kg), N-acetylcysteine (200 mg/kg); control group were intragastric gavaged by water and others groups were intragastric gavaged by L-methionine and drugs in water one time every day. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR), sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced endothelium-independent relaxation of aortic rings were examined. Paraoxonase1 (PON1) and ACE activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were analyzed. It was found that a single intragastric gavage by L-methionine resulted in inhibition of endothelium-dependent relaxation, markedly increased the serum level of malondialdehyde and decreased the activity of PON1 and SOD, similarly decreased the level of NO in the serum; but had no effects on endothelium-independent relaxation and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity compared with the control group. Given the treatment with three doses of Captopril (15 approximately 45 mg/kg) markedly attenuated inhibition of vasodilator responses to ACh, and eliminated the increased level of malondialdehyde, the decreased level of NO, activity of PON1 and SOD in serum by single intragastric gavaged L-methionine. However, there were some significant differences among Captopril (30 mg/kg or 45 mg/kg), enalapril (20 mg/kg), and N-acetylcysteine particular in the activity of PON1 and ACE. These results suggested that Captopril can protect the vascular endothelium against the damages induced by L-methionine in rats, and the beneficial effects of Captopril may be related to attenuating the decrease in PON1 activity and NO levels. Furthermore, this protective effect may be concerned with the sulfhydryl group.