Influence of Different Quality Sperm on Early Embryo Morphokinetic Parameters and Cleavage Patterns: A Retrospective Time-lapse Study.

To investigate whether sperm with low concentration and motility can impact preimplantation embryos and to analyze how the effects present under a time-lapse incubation system, 2905 oocytes were collected from 219 couples between January 2014 and December 2015. Patients were divided into three groups according to sperm quality. Morphokinetic parameters and six cleavage patterns in the initial three cleavages were evaluated using the Primo Vision system. Embryo quality and clinic outcomes such as implantation rate, pregnancy rate and live birth rate were measured. The results showed that the concentration and motility of sperm correlated strongly with the rate of 2PN embryos, good-quality embryos on D3, blastocysts on D5/6 and good-quality embryos on D5/6. The time-lapse system recordings showed that compromised sperm quality could result in a significant delay in cc1 and a decrease in cc2, and impact embryo developmental potential mainly through large fragments or/and blastomere fragmentation in the initial three cleavages. In conclusion, sperm with low concentration and motility can have paternal effects on preimplantation embryos. These paternal effects present both as changes in morphokinetic parameters and cleavage patterns, which occur as early as fertilization and may cause severe damage to the preimplantation embryos.

Oncological and Reproductive Outcomes of Fertility-sparing Surgery in Women with Early-stage Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

With delayed childbearing in women, preservation of fertility is an important issue for reproductive-age patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) can be considered in patients with early-stage disease in order to preserve fertility and improve quality of life. In order to evaluate oncological safety, attitudes toward childbearing and reproductive outcomes in women with EOC who underwent FSS, this multicenter retrospective study was conducted. Between January 2005 and December 2014, total of 87 young women with FIGO stage I EOC were included, with their clinicopathologic parameters in relation to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) assessed. Attitudes toward childbearing, ovarian function and fertility were studied in women undergoing FSS (n=36). As a result, in contrast to radical surgery, FSS did not affect prognosis by Kaplan-Meier curves (log-rank test; DFS: P=0.484; OS: P=0.125). However, two of the three recurrence cases and both death cases were in FSS group stage IC. All women undergoing FSS resumed regular menstrual periods after chemotherapy. Only 16 (44.44%) had tried to conceive, and 17 pregnancies occurred in 15 (93.75%) women. Among 20 women who did not attempt conception, the most common reason was not being married (70%), followed by already having children (15%). In summary, FSS is considered safe in young women with stage IA EOC. Regular menstruation and good obstetric outcomes can be achieved. This study also provides some insight into the attitudes and social factors regarding fertility in EOC patients.

[Effects of TSP2-8 and CUB1+2 domains on secretion direction of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease].

This study was aimed to explore if the intracellular transportation direction of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13, vWF-CP) after synthesis is determined by the carboxyl terminal TSP2-8CUB1+2 domains of ADAMTS13 and to decipher the relationship between the structure and function of ADAMTS13. The recombinant plasmids pcDNA3.1-ADAMTS13 and pcDNA3.1-delTSP2-8CUB1+2 ADAMTS13 were introduced into Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK) by lipofectamine-mediated DNA transfection. Positive cell clones gained after antibiotic-screening were grown on 6-well transwell filter units with a zeolite membrane in the middle layer. The conditioned culture media in both apical and basolateral wells were collected when cells reached confluency and the tight cell monolayer formed. ADAMTS13 proteases in the conditioned media were determined by Western blot, and the direction of ADAMTS13 secretion in polarized cells was comparatively analyzed. The results showed that Madin-Darby canine kidney cells stably expressing wild-type ADAMTS13 were grown on 6-well transwell filter units, then ADAMTS13 protease was only determined in the apical area of the transwell filter units by Western blot, but the recombinant ADAMTS13 protease was determined both in the apical and basolateral area of cells in the group of expressing TSP2-8CUB-1+2 domain-deleted ADAMTS13. It is concluded that the metalloprotease ADAMTS13 is sorted apically in polarized cells, and the carboxyl-terminal TSP2-8 and CUB1+2 domains of ADAMTS13 are important for the direction of ADAMTS13 protease transportation in the cells after being synthesized.