The dynamic expression of SOX17 in germ cells from human female foetus and adult ovaries after specification.

Background: SOX17 has been identified as a critical factor in specification of human primordial germ cells, but whether SOX17 regulates development of germ cells after sex differentiation is poorly understood.

Methods: We collected specimens of gonadal ridge from an embryo (n=1), and ovaries of foetuses (n=23) and adults (n=3). Germ cells were labelled with SOX17, VASA (classic germ cells marker), phosphohistone H3 (PHH3, mitosis marker) and synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SCP3, meiosis marker).

Identification of common genetic polymorphisms associated with down-regulated gonadotropin levels in an exome-wide association study.

Objective: To investigate whether common genetic polymorphisms are associated with gonadotropin levels after down-regulation with daily gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and whether the polymorphisms of candidate variants influence the ovarian response to exogenous gonadotropins.

Design: Genetic association study.

Setting: University-affiliated in vitro fertilization center.

Pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome who conceived after single thawed blastocyst transfer: a propensity score-matched study.

Background: It remains unclear whether polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an independent risk factor for pregnancy complications in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. For the integrative treatment of PCOS patients, it is still important to investigate the pregnancy outcomes of PCOS patients after adjusting for potential biases, such as body mass index, embryo quality and endometrial preparation method.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study ultimately included a total of 336 PCOS patients who conceived after single thawed blastocyst transfer in the PCOS group and 2,325 patients in the control group from January 2018 to December 2020.

Trophectoderm biopsy reduces the level of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin in early pregnancy.

Objective: To assess whether trophectoderm biopsy has any impact on the level of serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) in early pregnancies.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University-affiliated reproductive medical center.

Higher chromosomal abnormality rate in blastocysts from young patients with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss.

Objective: To determine whether the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in blastocysts is higher in patients with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (iRPL) who underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) than in those who underwent preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic defects (PGT-M).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University-affiliated reproductive center.

Karyomapping in preimplantation genetic testing for β-thalassemia combined with HLA matching: a systematic summary.

Purpose: To investigate the validity, accuracy, and clinical outcomes of Karyomapping in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for β-thalassemia combined with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching.

Methods: A total of 128 cycles from January 2014 to December 2017 were identified, and 1205 embryos were biopsied. The case group included 88 cycles using Karyomapping for PGT-HLA, compared with 40 cycles using polymerase chain reaction-short tandem repeat (PCR-STR) as the control group.

Influence of spontaneous fetal reduction on dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization: a large-sample retrospective study.

Objective: To examine the incidence of spontaneous fetal reduction during dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and its influence on pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 4447 DCDA twin pregnancies and 14,551 singleton pregnancies after IVF-ET at a single center between 2009 and 2015. The spontaneous pregnancy reduction (SPR) group included 759 women.

Effect of the initiation of progesterone supplementation in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer outcomes: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To analyze the influence of the start point of luteal support on clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and live birth rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles.

Design: Single-center prospective randomized controlled trial.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF unit.

Embryo pooling: a promising strategy for managing insufficient number of embryos in preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

This retrospective study evaluated the embryo pooling strategy for managing insufficient number of embryos in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) through serial vitrification of cleavage-stage embryos from consecutive cycles, and simultaneous blastocysts biopsy in combination with blastocysts obtained in ultimate fresh cycle. A retrospective analysis of the cumulative pregnancy rate of 68 patients underwent cleavage-stage embryos accumulation (Embryo Pooling Group) and 94 patients underwent one stimulation cycle (Control Group) over a 2-year period were conducted. The blastocyst formation rate was comparable between the consecutive cycles and the ultimate cycle in embryo pooling group (56.

Number of blastocysts biopsied as a predictive indicator to obtain at least one normal/balanced embryo following preimplantation genetic diagnosis with single nucleotide polymorphism microarray in translocation cases.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the minimum number of blastocysts for biopsy to increase the likelihood of obtaining at least one normal/balanced embryo in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for translocation carriers.

Methods: This blinded retrospective study included 55 PGD cycles for Robertsonian translocation (RT) and 181 cycles for reciprocal translocation (rcp) to indicate when only one of the couples carried a translocation. Single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray after trophectoderm biopsy was performed.

Epigenetics changes caused by the fusion of human embryonic stem cell and ovarian cancer cells.

To observe the effect of gene expression and tumorigenicity in hybrid cells of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo using a mouse model, and to determine its feasibility in reprogramming tumour cells growth and apoptosis, for a potential exploration of the role of hESCs and tumour cells fusion in the management of ovarian cancer. Stable transgenic hESCs (H1) and ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR-3 were established before fusion, and cell fusion system was established to analyse the related indicators. PTEN expression in HO-H1 cells was higher than those in the parental stem cells and lower than those in parental tumour cells; the growth of OV-H1 (RFP+GFP) hybrid cells with double fluorescence expressions were obviously slower than that of human embryonic stem cells and OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells.

Nonprofessional phagocytosis in trophectoderm cells of human preimplantation blastocysts.

Unlabelled: Trophoblast phagocytosis has been considered important in pregnancy. However, whether human preimplantation blastocysts possess phagocytic activity is still unclear. In this study, we determined the phagocytosis potential in human trophectoderm cells of blastocysts prior to implantation.

Low aneuploidy rate in early pregnancy loss abortuses from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

A prospective cohort study was conducted to determine whether chromosome aneuploidy increases the risk of early spontaneous abortions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of 1461 patients who conceived after IVF and embryo transfer were followed; 100 patients who had experienced clinical spontaneous abortion were recruited, 32 with PCOS and 68 without PCOS. Before 2013, genetic analysis comprised conventional cultured villus chromosome karyotyping and a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification subtelomere assay combined with fluorescence in-situ hybridization; since 2013, array-based comparative genomic hybridization technique combined with chromosome karyotyping has been used.

Pharmacologic Interventions in Preventing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a severe iatrogenic complication of controlled ovarian stimulation. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have proven several pharmacologic interventions to be effective in OHSS prevention, but these trials have seldom compared multiple drugs. We identified randomised controlled trials (RCTs) through June 2015 by searching databases and compared 11 intervention strategies in preventing OHSS (primary outcome) and their influence on pregnancy rate (secondary outcome).

Self-control study on reduced-dose depot versus daily administration of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists for pituitary desensitization in in vitro fertilization cycles.

Aim: Our aim was to analyze the effect of reducing the dose of depot gonadotrophin-regulating hormone-agonist (GnRH-a) to 1.0 mg on pituitary desensitization and clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles.

Material And Methods: This retrospective self-control study was conducted on 143 patients who underwent repeated long-protocol treatment from 1 January 2011 to 31 May 2012 at our hospital.

Derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines without any exogenous growth factors.

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines are traditionally derived through immunosurgery. Their maintenance in culture requires the presence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) as feeder cells and media supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or other growth factors-both of which might introduce animal-derived culture components. The drawbacks associated with immunosurgery, MEF co-culture, and the cost of growth factors necessitate the exploration of a xeno-free method to maintain the self-renewal capacity of hESCs.

[Combination of multiple displacement amplification with short tandem repeat polymorphismin preimplantation genetic diagnosis].

Objective: To explore the application of multiple displacement amplification (MDA) combined with short tandem repeats (STRs) in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

Methods: MDA was applied to amplify the whole genome of a single cell and to retrieve and assemble the highly heterogeneous STR loci among human population. Haplotype analytic system was established with aiming at diagnosis of the single gene diseases by selecting the STR loci located within the pathogenic genes or on both bounding sides of the pathogenic genes.

Preliminary investigation of the impact of anticentromere antibody on oocyte maturation and embryo cleavage.

Objective: To explore whether anticentromere antibody (ACA) is the most significant antibody among antinuclear antibodies (ANA), which adversely affect oocyte maturation, embryo cleavage, and pregnancy outcome in women undergoing an intracytoplasmic sperm injection program.

Design: Retrospective, nested case-control study.

Setting: Center for reproductive medicine, university hospital.

Growth differential factor-9 inhibits testosterone production in mouse theca interstitial cells.

Objective: To explore the effect of growth differential factor-9 (GDF-9) alone on cell proliferation, cell viability, steroidogenesis, and hormone-stimulated gene expression in cultured mouse theca interstitial cells.

Design: Basic research.

Setting: University hospital.

Effects of M II stage oocytes zona pellucida birefringence on pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To explore the effects of different M II stage oocytes zona pellucida birefringence on pregnancy outcome.

Methods: A total of 46 couples with infertile which induced by single cause received in-vitro fertilization treatment were analyzed retrospectively, and randomly divided into the high zona birefringence (HZB)/HZB group, HZB/low zona birefringence (LZB) group and LZB/LZB group according to different oocytes zona pellucida birefringence. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome was analyzed and compared.

A further exploration of the impact of antinuclear antibodies on in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer outcome.

Objective: To determine the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in follicular fluid (FF) and embryos as to their potential impact on IVF outcome.

Methods: A total of 100 women presenting to IVF/ICSI program were recruited in this study, wherein 50 women sero-positive for ANA served as study group (ANA+ group) and 50 women seronegative for ANA served as control group (ANA- group), and patients were age-matched in the two groups. ANA level in serum and FF were examined by ELISA, and immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect IgG within embryos.

A retrospective study on IVF outcome in patients with anticardiolipin antibody: effects of methylprednisolone plus low-dose aspirin adjuvant treatment.

Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer have a high prevalence of anticardiolipin antibody (ACA). However, the relationship between ACA and IVF outcome is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential effect of anticardiolipin antibody on IVF outcome and determine the role of adjuvant treatment in these ACA positive patients.

Comparison of Endocrine Profile and In Vitro Fertilization Outcome in Patients with PCOS, Ovulatory PCO, or Normal Ovaries.

Aim. To compare the basic endocrine profile and outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovulatory polycystic ovaries (PCO), or normal ovaries (NO). Methods.

Antinuclear antibodies predicts a poor IVF-ET outcome: impaired egg and embryo development and reduced pregnancy rate.

To investigate the impact of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs) on the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), 66 (96 cycles) infertile women positive for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA+ group), and 233(285 cycles) infertile women negative for ANAs (ANA- group) were enrolled. The clinical characteristics and IVF outcome were compared between the two groups. In the ANA+ group, the proportion of MII oocytes and two-pronuclear zygotes (2PN), cleavage rate, number of available embryos and proportion of available embryos, number of high-quality embryos and proportion of high-quality embryos were significantly lower than those in the ANA- group.

Relationship between antithyroid antibody and pregnancy outcome following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Objective: To investigate the impact of antithyroid antibody on pregnancy outcome following the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: A total of 90 patients (156 cycles) positive for antithyroid antibody (ATA+ group) and 676 infertile women (1062 cycles) negative for antithyroid antibody (ATA- group) undergoing IVF/ICSI from August 2009 to August 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: There was no significant difference in the days of ovarian stimulation, total gonadotropin dose, serum E2 level of HCG day and number of oocytes retrieved between the two groups.