Do BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation carriers have a reduced ovarian reserve? Protocol for a prospective observational study.

Introduction: BRCA1/2 gene mutations increase risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer and may have implications for reproductive health. Indirect biomarkers of the ovarian primordial follicle pool (anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)) and one small study in female cadavers suggest that ovarian reserve may be reduced in BRCA mutation carriers, but findings are conflicting and association between circulating AMH and primordial follicle number is not established. The aim of this study is to measure primordial follicle density in premenopausal ovarian tissue samples from women with BRCA1/2 gene mutations versus age-matched comparison group.

Fibulin-5 localisation in human endometrial cancer shifts from epithelial to stromal with increasing tumour grade, and silencing promotes endometrial epithelial cancer cell proliferation.

Endometrial cancer is the most common invasive gynaecological malignancy. While endocrine, genetic and inflammatory factors are thought to contribute to its pathogenesis, its precise etiology and molecular regulators remain poorly understood. Fibulin-5 is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein that inhibits cell growth and invasion in several cancer cell types and is downregulated in a number of types of human cancer.

Flotillin-1 protein is upregulated in human endometrial cancer and localization shifts from epithelial to stromal with increasing tumor grade.

Endometrial cancer is the most common invasive gynecological malignancy. Flotillin-1 is an integral membrane protein and estrogen responsive gene. Flotillin-1 expression and localization in human endometrial cancers grades 1-3 was investigated using real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Decidual-secreted factors alter invasive trophoblast membrane and secreted proteins implying a role for decidual cell regulation of placentation.

Inadequate or inappropriate implantation and placentation during the establishment of human pregnancy is thought to lead to first trimester miscarriage, placental insufficiency and other obstetric complications. To create the placental blood supply, specialized cells, the 'extravillous trophoblast' (EVT) invade through the differentiated uterine endometrium (the decidua) to engraft and remodel uterine spiral arteries. We hypothesized that decidual factors would regulate EVT function by altering the production of EVT membrane and secreted factors.