Metformin protects prepubertal mice ovarian reserve against cyclophosphamide via regulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and Yap-1.

Background: Cyclophosphamide is a widely utilized chemotherapeutic agent for pediatric cancers, known to elicit adverse effects, including perturbation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Hippo signaling pathways, thereby diminishing ovarian reserve and fertility potential in females. Consequently, this investigation delves into the mitigative effects of metformin on cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian impairment in prepubertal mice.

Methods: Twenty-four 14-day-old NMRI female mice were distributed into four groups: Control (Cont), Cyclophosphamide (Cyc), Metformin (Met), and Metformin plus Cyclophosphamide (Met-Cyc).

Exploring Advances in Reproduction and Stem Cell Biology: Highlights from The 24 and 19 International Congresses in Iran.

The 24 and 19 International Congresses on Reproduction and Stem Cell Biology in the Islamic Republic of Iran brought together experts and researchers worldwide to explore the latest advancements in these fields. Different topics were discussed, including such as reproductive health, infertility treatments, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine. This report provides a summary of the congress's key findings by emphasizing pioneer research and technologies that can influence the future of reproduction and stem cell biology programs.

Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor A, mucin-1, colony-stimulating factor-1, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor 2 genes in the female reproductive tracts of women with ectopic pregnancy: A case-control study.

Background: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is defined as embryo implantation in a location other than the uterine cavity.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the expression of several genes, which may play a role in EP, in the ampulla region of fallopian tubes and endometrial tissue of women with EP.

Materials And Methods: In this case-control study, 5 women who underwent salpingectomy due to EP, comprised the 5 pseudo-pregnant women as a control group.

Research Performance in Reproductive Biomedicine: A National Scientometrics Study.

Recent achievements in reproductive biomedicine have led to a revolution in infertility treatment. A comprehensive understanding of the current status of reproductive medicine is necessary for the development of a forward-looking plan by health policymakers, based on fundamental requirements. This study is a systematic review of the Scopus database to assess reproductive biomedicine publications within Iran and compared to the rest of the world from 1990 to 2020.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid Treatment Attenuates Cancerous features in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Background: A growing number of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and recurrence frequency recently have drawn researchers' attention to alternative approaches. The concept of differentiation therapies (DT) relies on inducing differentiation in HCC cells in order to inhibit recurrence and metastasis. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4) is the key hepatogenesis transcription factor and its upregulation may decrease the invasiveness of cancerous cells by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

CYP19A1 Promoters Activity in Human Granulosa Cells: A Comparison between PCOS and Normal Subjects.

Objective: Estrogen, a female hormone maintaining several critical functions in women's physiology, e.g., folliculogenesis and fertility, is predominantly produced by ovarian granulosa cells where aromatase enzyme converts androgen to estrogen.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a potent pro-inflammatory mediator which is epigenetically deregulated in endometriosis.

Objective: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease characterized by the presence of endometriotic tissue outside the uterine cavity, the condition that immunological factors play important roles in its pathogenesis. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an interleukin 7-like cytokine that triggers dendritic cell-mediated T helper2 inflammatory responses. TSLP receptor, or cytokine receptor- like factor 2 (CRLF2), forms a functional heterodimeric complex with IL-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Rα) to bind with TSLP.

HOX cluster and their cofactors showed an altered expression pattern in eutopic and ectopic endometriosis tissues.

Endometriosis is major gynecological disease that affects over 10% of women worldwide and 30%-50% of these women have pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding and infertility. The cause of endometriosis is unknown and there is no definite cure mainly because of our limited knowledge about its pathophysiology at the cellular and molecular levels. Therefore, demystifying the molecular mechanisms that underlie endometriosis is essential to develop advanced therapies for this disease.

Spontaneous and induced chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood of women with endometriosis: evidence of genomic instability.

Background: Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological disease which can lead to certain types of cancers. We investigated the spontaneous and induced chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of endometriosis patients.

Methods: We performed a pilot study utilizing mitomycin C (MMC) to assess chromosomal instability in the peripheral blood of participants.

Evaluation of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling pathway genes and its genetic polymorphisms in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis.

Objective: Toll-like receptors (TLRs, as members of the innate immune system) are expressed in the human endometrium and their aberrant regulation and expression are involved in the pathogenesis of endometrial diseases. This study is aimed at evaluation of TLR3 signaling pathway genes and its genetic changes in endometriosis patients.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples were collected from 83 endometriosis patients and 93 healthy fertile women and PCR was performed in blood-derived DNA for detection of SNP of TLR3.

Establishment and characterization of a PCOS and a normal human granulosa cell line.

Oocyte maturation is an important phase in fertility and any disorder in this process could lead to infertility. The most common disorder during folliculogenesis is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Due to the secretive activity of granulosa cells (GCs), they play a vital role in folliculogenesis.

The Relationship between Functional Promoter Variants of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor and Endometriosis.

Objective: Endometriosis is a common gynecological and inflammatory disorder. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that is secreted by accumulated active macrophages in ectopic endometrial tissues. Two promoter polymorphisms of [-794(CATT) /-173G/C] were identified to susceptibility and severity of several immune and inflammatory diseases.

A novel gene-wide haplotype at the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) locus is associated with endometrioma.

Objective: Endometriosis is a common complex gynecological disorder that may result in infertility. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that is overexpressed in endometriosis tissues. However, hitherto, no study tested the possible relevancy at genetic level.

Correlation of Visual Quality of Life With Clinical and Visual Status in Friedreich Ataxia.

Background: The primary objective was to determine the association of patient-reported vision-specific quality of life to disease status and visual function in patients with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA).

Methods: Patients with FRDA were assessed with the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) along with measures of disease status (ataxia stage) and visual function (low- and high-contrast letter acuity scores). The relations of NEI-VFQ-25 scores to those for disease status and visual function were examined.

Differential expression of progesterone receptor isoforms related to +331g/a polymorphism in endometriosis: A case-control study.

Background: Endometriosis are defined as a progesterone-resistance disease. Two progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms, namely PR-A and PR-B, mediate the special effects of progesterone. One of the most effective polymorphism in the promoter region of is the +331G/A.

Increased expression of stemness genes and in women with ovarian endometriosis versus normal endometrium: A case-control study.

Background: Endometriosis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease which is defined as an overgrowth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The etiology of this disease is complex and multifactorial but there is a strong evidence that supports the presence of endometrial stem cells and their possible involvement in endometriosis.

Objective: In this study, we analyzed the mRNA expression of stemness gene and reconsidered three other stemness genes in women with endometriosis compared to normal endometrium.

Role of epigenetic modifications in the aberrant gene expression in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Introduction: In this study, the global DNA methylation, histone acetylation and methylation levels of cumulus cells (CCs) in infertile polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and the correlation of these epigenetic modifications with the expression of the ovarian aromatase gene (as an important marker in the etiology of PCOS) were investigated.

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 24 patients (12 PCOS patients and 12 healthy women), who underwent ovarian stimulation. Nucleosome ELISA was performed, in order to identify the global occupancy level of Mecp2 (as a marker of DNA methylation) and H3K9me2/H3K9ac as histone modification markers in chromatin fractions obtained from CCs.

The Effect of Imbalanced Progesterone Receptor-A/-B Ratio on Gelatinase Expressions in Endometriosis.

Background: Gelatinases degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components to allow for physiological remodeling and contribute to pathological tissue destruction in endometriosis. It is known that the function of gelatinases is resistant to suppression by progesterone in endometriosis. The ability of progesterone to impact gene expression depends on the ratio.

Epigenetic role of the nuclear factor NF-Y on ID gene family in endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis: a case control study.

Background: A predominant difference between endometrial and normal cells is higher proliferation rate in the former cells which is benign. The genes of inhibitor of differentiation (ID) family play a major role in cell proliferation regulation which might be targeted by the nuclear transcription factor Y (NF-Y) for subsequent epigenetic modifications through the CCAAT box regulatory region. The present study was designed to investigate the epigenetic role of NF-Y on ID gene family in endometrial tissue of patients with endometriosis.

Altered expression of 3´paralogus clusters in endometriosis disease: A case-control study.

Background: Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological disease, with limited known etiology and more researches are required to identify its etiology. In this manner, there is no evidence for expression and function of 3´ genes in 4 clusters in the limb and pelvic organs such as the uterus and its disorders (Genes in the - clusters are subdivided into 13 paralogous groups).

Objective: This study designed to investigate the expression profile of 5 paralogous (1-5) in four clusters of genes (A, B, C, and D) in ectopic and eutopic tissues of women with endometriosis compared to the normal endometrium.

Epigenetic Dynamics of HOXA10 Gene in Infertile Women With Endometriosis.

Endometriosis, which has been considered an epigenetic disease, is a prevalent gynecological disorder worldwide. With an emphasis on changes in the HOXA10 gene expression of the endometrium of women with endometriosis, the aim of this study was to investigate HOXA10 gene expression and its correlation with the epigenetic characteristics of the specific promoter region of the gene in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. Thirty-six patients and 21 healthy fertile women were recruited as participants of this study.

A Review on Various Uses of N-Acetyl Cysteine.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), as a nutritional supplement, is a greatly applied antioxidant and . NAC is a precursor of L-cysteine that results in glutathione elevation biosynthesis. It acts directly as a scavenger of free radicals, especially oxygen radicals.