Milk Fat Globule-EGF Factor 8 Contributes to Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8) is an anti-inflammatory glycoprotein that mediates a wide spectrum of pathophysiological processes. MFG-E8 has been studied as a key regulator of cancer cell invasion, migration, and proliferation in different tissues and organs. However, potential roles of MFG-E8 in the growth and progression of liver cancer have not been investigated to date.

Birth of a healthy baby after preimplantation genetic diagnosis in a carrier of mucopolysaccharidosis type II: The first case in Korea.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) is a rare X-linked recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by mutation of the iduronate-2-sulfatase gene. The mutation results in iduronate-2-sulfatase deficiency, which causes the progressive accumulation of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate in cellular lysosomes. The phenotype, age of onset, and symptoms of MPS II vary; accordingly, the disease can be classified into either the early-onset type or the late-onset type, depending on the age of onset and the severity of the symptoms.

Octylphenol and nonylphenol affect decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells.

This study investigated the effect of octylphenol (OP) and nonylphenol (NP) on decidualization of endometrial stromal cells. Telomerase-immortalized human endometrial stromal cells were cultured for 12 days and decidualization was induced in vitro. The cells were exposed to OP (5 or 10 μM) or NP (5 μM) during in vitro decidualization.

Generation of cytochrome P450 polymorphic human induced pluripotent stem cell lines with defective CYP activities.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes alter drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics. In particular, several SNPs within CYPs decrease CYP activities, resulting in a high plasma concentration of drugs and increasing adverse effect of commonly used drugs. Here, we generated two different human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines, which retain defective CYP2C19 or CYP3A5 activities individually.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell line with cytochrome P450 enzyme polymorphism (CYP2C19*2/CYP3A5*3C) generated from lymphoblastoid cells.

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) comprises a superfamily of monooxygenase responsible for the metabolism of xenobiotics and approximately 75% of drugs in use today. Thus, genetic polymorphisms in CYP genes contribute to interindividual differences in hepatic metabolism of drugs, affecting on individual drug efficacy and may cause adverse effects. Here, we generated a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line with pharmacologically important traits (CYP2C19*2/CYP3A5*3C), which are highly polymorphic in Asian from lymphoblastoid cells.

Pregnancy and fertilization potential of immature oocytes retrieved in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the pregnancy potential of immature (metaphase I or germinal vesicle stage) oocytes retrieved in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Methods: A total of 1,871 couples with infertility underwent 2,984 ICSI cycles. Cycles in which three or fewer oocytes were retrieved were included in this study in order to evaluate the pregnancy potential of immature oocytes.

Artificial oocyte activation in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using testicular sperm in human in vitro fertilization.

Objective: Artificial oocyte activation (AOA) is an effective method to avoid total fertilization failure in human in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles. AOA performed using a calcium ionophore can induce calcium oscillation in oocytes and initiate the fertilization process. We evaluated the usefulness of AOA with a calcium ionophore in cases of total fertilization failure in previous cycles and in cases of severe male factor infertility patients with non-motile spermatozoa after pentoxifylline (PF) treatment.

Observation of sperm-head vacuoles and sperm morphology under light microscope.

Objective: The presence of sperm-head vacuoles has been suspected to be deleterious to the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART). It is difficult to accurately distinguish morphologically abnormal sperm with vacuoles under a light microscope. This study was performed to analyze the result of the observation of sperm-head vacuoles using Papanicolaou staining under a light microscope and whether the male partner's age affects these vacuoles.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Objective: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an assisted reproductive technique for couples carrying genetic risks. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common hereditary neuropathy, with a prevalence rate of 1/2,500. In this study, we report on our experience with PGD cycles performed for CMT types 1A and 2F.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis outcomes and meiotic segregation analysis of robertsonian translocation carriers.

Objective: To investigate the meiotic segregation patterns of cleavage-stage embryos from robertsonian translocation carriers and aneuploidy of chromosome 18 according to meiotic segregation patterns.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Infertility center and laboratory of reproductive biology and infertility.

Clinical outcomes of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and analysis of meiotic segregation modes in reciprocal translocation carriers.

Balanced reciprocal translocation is the most common chromosome rearrangement, with an incidence of 1 out of 625 newborns. In reciprocal translocation carriers, genetically unbalanced gametes can be produced through three principal modes of segregation: adjacent-1, adjacent-2 and 3:1. In this study, we reviewed 133 cycles of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for 65 couples with reciprocal translocation and analyzed pregnancy outcomes and the meiotic segregation mode of gametes of the translocation carriers using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

Differential cytotoxic effects of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on blastomere-derived embryonic stem cells and differentiating neurons.

Potential applications of embryonic stem (ES) cells are not limited to regenerative medicine but can also include in vitro screening of various toxicants. In this study, we established mouse ES cell lines from isolated blastomeres of two-cell stage embryos and examined their potential use as an in vitro system for the study of developmental toxicity. Two ES cell lines were established from 69 blastomere-derived blastocysts (2.

Assessment of vascular endothelial growth factor expression and apoptosis in the ovarian graft: can exogenous gonadotropin promote angiogenesis after ovarian transplantation?

Objective: To evaluate the effects of gonadotropin on angiogenesis by assessing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in rat ovaries transplanted after freezing and thawing.

Design: In vitro laboratory experiments.

Setting: Academic research institute.

The regulators of VEGF expression in mouse ovaries.

The objectives of this study were to explore whether ovarian vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in mice can be regulated by IL-6 (interleukin-6), angiotensin II, FSH, and hCG; and to test whether the mouse ovarian VEGF expression can result in angiogenesis. The ICR mice were sacrificed, and their ovaries were recovered. Recovered ovaries were treated with IL-6, angiotensin II, FSH, and hCG separately and incubated for 24 hours in alpha-MEM.

Comparison of maturation, fertilization, development, and gene expression of mouse oocytes grown in vitro and in vivo.

Purpose: To investigate the difference of in vitro and in vivo grown oocytes, we compared maturation, fertilization, development, and maternal gene expression from both in vitro and in vivo grown mouse oocytes.

Methods: The preantral follicles isolated from 12-day-old mice were cultured on Transwell-COL membrane inserts. After culture, maturation, fertilization, and developmental rates were assessed.

Quantitative assessment of ischemic tissue damage in ovarian cortical tissue with or without antioxidant (ascorbic acid) treatment.

Objective: To estimate ischemic tissue damage in ovarian cortex and to evaluate the effectiveness of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, to protect ovarian tissue from apoptosis caused by ischemia.

Design: In vitro laboratory experiments.

Setting: Academic research institute.