METTL3 is essential for normal progesterone signaling during embryo implantation via mA-mediated translation control of progesterone receptor.

Embryo implantation, a crucial step in human reproduction, is tightly controlled by estrogen and progesterone (P) via estrogen receptor alpha and progesterone receptor (PGR), respectively. Here, we report that -methyladenosine (mA), the most abundant mRNA modification in eukaryotes, plays an essential role in embryo implantation through the maintenance of P signaling. Conditional deletion of methyltransferase-like 3 (), encoding the mA writer METTL3, in the female reproductive tract using a Cre mouse line with promoter () resulted in complete implantation failure due to pre-implantation embryo loss and defective uterine receptivity.

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.

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.

[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.

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.

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.

Insufficient histone-3 lysine-9 deacetylation in human oocytes matured in vitro is associated with aberrant meiosis.

Objective: To characterize histone acetylation during meiosis in human oocytes matured in vitro or in vivo.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: University reproductive medical center.

Differentially expressed micoRNAs in human oocytes.

Purpose: To identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and expression patterns of specific miRNAs during meiosis in human oocytes.

Materials And Methods: To identify differentially expressed miRNAs, GV oocytes and MII oocytes matured at conventional FSH levels (5.5 ng/ml) were analyzed by miRNA microarray.

A novel disintegrin, jerdonatin, inhibits platelet aggregation and sperm-egg binding.

A novel disintegrin, jerdonatin, was purified to homogeneity from Trimeresurus jerdonii venom by gel filtration and reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. We isolated the cDNA encoding jerdonatin from the snake venom gland. Jerdonatin cDNA precursor encoded pre-peptide, metalloprotease and disintegrin domain.