Establishment of 3D Cultures of Myometrium, Leiomyoma, and Leiomyosarcoma Cells: Advantages and Disadvantages of Two Different Models.

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign, monoclonal, gynaecological tumors in a woman's uterus, while leiomyosarcoma is a rare but aggressive condition caused by the malignant transformation of the myometrium. To overcome the common obstacles related to the methods usually used to study these pathologies, we aimed to devise three-dimensional models of myometrium, uterine leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma cell lines, using two different types of biocompatible scaffolds. Specifically, we exploited the agarose gel matrix in common 6-well plates and the alginate matrix using Bioprinting INKREDIBLE + (CELLINK), a pneumatic extruded base equipped with a system with double printheads, and a UV printer LED curing system.

The "Preeclampsia and Hypertension Target Treatment" study: a multicenter prospective study to evaluate the effectiveness of the antihypertensive therapy based on maternal hemodynamic findings.

Background: Despite major advances in the pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in the nonpregnant population, treatments for hypertension in pregnancy have remained largely unchanged over the years. There is recent evidence that a more adequate control of maternal blood pressure is achieved when the first given antihypertensive drug is able to correct the underlying hemodynamic disorder of the mother besides normalizing the blood pressure values.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the blood pressure control in women receiving an appropriate or inappropriate antihypertensive therapy following the baseline hemodynamic findings.

The "Bad Father": Paternal Role in Biology of Pregnancy and in Birth Outcome.

Pregnancy is generally studied as a biological interaction between a mother and a fetus; however, the father, with his characteristics, lifestyle, genetics, and living environment, is by no means unrelated to the outcome of pregnancy. The half of the fetal genetic heritage of paternal derivation can be decisive in cases of inherited chromosomal disorders, and can be the result of de novo genetic alterations. In addition to the strictly pathological aspects, paternal genetics may transmit thrombophilic traits that affect the implantation and vascular construction of the feto-placental unit, lead to placenta-mediated diseases such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth retardation, and contribute to the multifactorial genesis of preterm delivery.

Inguinoscrotal Hernia, a Possible Cause of Rapidly Developing Fetal Scrotal Mass: Case Report and Literature Update.

Inguinoscrotal hernia is a common pediatric disease but a rare condition in the fetus. We present a case, from our institution, of fetal inguinoscrotal hernia with possible rapid development. In addition to our case, we present a literature update on fetal inguinoscrotal hernia in order to enhance the ability to recognize it from the other scrotal masses on ultrasound.

HELLP Syndrome and Differential Diagnosis with Other Thrombotic Microangiopathies in Pregnancy.

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) comprise a distinct group of diseases with different manifestations that can occur in both pediatric and adult patients. They can be hereditary or acquired, with subtle onset or a rapidly progressive course, and they are particularly known for their morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy is a high-risk time for the development of several types of thrombotic microangiopathies.

Circulating miRNAs and Preeclampsia: From Implantation to Epigenetics.

In this review, we comprehensively present the literature on circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific disease considered the primary reason for maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. miRNAs are single-stranded non-coding RNAs, 20-24 nt long, which control mRNA expression. Changes in miRNA expression can induce a variation in the relative mRNA level and influence cellular homeostasis, and the strong presence of miRNAs in all body fluids has made them useful biomarkers of several diseases.

Antenatal Diagnosis and Management of Fetal Intestinal Volvulus: Case Series and Literature Review.

Fetal intestinal volvulus is a rare condition that can lead to hemorrhage, bowel necrosis, and urgent surgical treatment after birth. Thus, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoiding fetal or neonatal demise. Prenatal ultrasound is a keystone tool in the diagnostic course.

The In Vitro Effects of Romina Strawberry Extract on 3D Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Cells.

Leiomyosarcoma is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma derived from the smooth muscle cells of the uterus. We tested the effect of Romina strawberry extract treatment on three-dimensional cultured uterine leiomyosarcoma cells. We established 3D cultures in agarose gel, where the cells seeded were able to form spheroids.

Modulation of NRF2/KEAP1 Signaling in Preeclampsia.

Placentation is a key and tightly regulated process that ensures the normal development of the placenta and fetal growth. Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive pregnancy-related disorder involving about 5-8% of all pregnancies and clinically characterized by de novo maternal hypertension and proteinuria. In addition, PE pregnancies are also characterized by increased oxidative stress and inflammation.

HTRA1 in Placental Cell Models: A Possible Role in Preeclampsia.

The HtrA serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1) is a multidomain secretory protein with serine-protease activity involved in the regulation of many cellular processes in both physiological and pathological conditions. HTRA1 is normally expressed in the human placenta, and its expression is higher in the first trimester compared to the third trimester, suggesting an important role of this serine protease in the early phases of human placenta development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional role of HTRA1 in in vitro models of human placenta in order to define the role of this serine protease in preeclampsia (PE).

The Role of NQO1 in Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most dangerous gynecologic malignancies showing a high fatality rate because of late diagnosis and relapse occurrence due to chemoresistance onset. Several researchers reported that oxidative stress plays a key role in ovarian cancer occurrence, growth and development. The NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is an antioxidant enzyme that, using NADH or NADPH as substrates to reduce quinones to hydroquinones, avoids the formation of the highly reactive semiquinones, then protecting cells against oxidative stress.

Downregulation of argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1) is associated with hypoxia in placental development.

Argininosuccinate synthase (ASS1) is involved in nitric oxide production, which has a key role in placental development improving pregnancy outcomes. Syncytiotrophoblast and extravillous trophoblast differentiations are milestones of placental development and their impairment can cause pathologies, such as preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to localize and quantify ASS1 in first trimester (8.

Diabetes during Pregnancy: A Transgenerational Challenge.

For many years, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been defined as "a glucose intolerance of variable magnitude that begins or is first diagnosed in pregnancy" and that, in most cases, resolves after delivery [...

Cervical pessary for preterm birth prevention after an episode of arrested preterm labor: a retrospective cohort study with targeted maximum likelihood estimation of the average treatment effect.

Objective: To evaluate whether cervical pessary effectively reduces the preterm birth < 37 weeks rate in patients who have not delivered after an episode of arrested preterm labor.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective cohort study was conducted on singleton pregnant patients admitted to our institution between January 2016 and June 2021 for threatened preterm labor and who had a cervical length < 25 mm. Women in whom a cervical pessary was placed were considered as exposed, while women in whom expectant management was preferred were considered as unexposed.

Maternal Inherited Thrombophilia in Monochorionic Twin Pregnancy with Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Background: To study the frequency of inherited thrombophilia in monochorionic twin pregnancies with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

Methods: At the Department of Obstetrics of the Polytechnic University of Marche (Ancona, Italy) a population of monochorionic diamniotic pregnant women was selected retrospectively. After termination of the pregnancy, genotyping for Factor I, Factor V Leiden, Factor II and Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR), as well as activities of the plasma proteins C and S, was performed.

Preeclampsia and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection: a systematic review.

Objective: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease that has rapidly spread worldwide, causing hundreds of thousand deaths. Normal placentation is characterized by many processes strictly regulated during pregnancy. If placentation is impaired, it can lead to gestational disorders, such as preeclampsia that is a multisystem disorder that occurs in 2-8% of pregnancies worldwide.

Modulation of matrix metalloproteases by ciliary neurotrophic factor in human placental development.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that signals through a receptor complex containing a specific subunit, CNTF receptor α (CNTFRα). The two molecules are constitutively expressed in key structures for human placental growth and differentiation. The possible role of CNTF in enhancing cell proliferation and/or invasion during placental development and remodelling was investigated using HTR-8/SVneo and BeWo cells, taken respectively as cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast models.

Maternal hemodynamics and computerized cardiotocography during labor with epidural analgesia.

Purpose: To analyze the mechanisms involved in the fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities after the epidural analgesia in labor.

Methods: A prospective unblinded single-center observational study on 55 term singleton pregnant women with spontaneous labor. All women recruited underwent serial bedside measurements of the main hemodynamic parameters using a non-invasive ultrasound system (USCOM-1A).

Hop and artichoke extracts inhibit expression of extracellular matrix components in uterine leiomyoma cells.

Objective: To screen 14 different plant extracts for their antifibrotic effect on human primary leiomyoma and healthy myometrial cells.

Design: Preclinical study.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Factors influencing intraoperative blood loss and hemoglobin drop during laparoscopic myomectomy: a tailored approach is possible?

A retrospective study was conducted on patients subjected to laparoscopic myomectomy at our institution from January 2017 to December 2018 to identify predictive factors of blood loss. Two multiple regression models were run to predict intraoperative blood loss and haemoglobin drop. Predictors of an increased intraoperative blood loss and haemoglobin drop were the presence of three-four fibroids at ultrasound (+47 ml,  = .

CD93 a potential player in cytotrophoblast and endothelial cell migration.

CD93, also known as complement component C1q receptor, is expressed on the surface of different cellular types such as monocytes, neutrophils, platelets, microglia, and endothelial cells, and it plays a pivotal role in cell proliferation, cell migration, and formation of capillary-like structures. These processes are strictly regulated, and many fetal and maternal players are involved during placental development. At present, there are no studies in literature regarding CD93 in placental development, so we investigated CD93 expression in first and third trimester and PE placentas by immunohistochemistry and western blotting analysis.

HTRA family proteins in pregnancy outcome.

HTRA (High temperature requirement protease A) family proteins includes HTRA1 (L56 or PRSS11), HTRA2/Omi, HTRA3 (PRSP) and HTRA4. These are oligomeric serine proteases highly conserved from bacteria to humans and are involved in a variety of biological functions including the maintenance of normal cell physiology and pathogenicity such as cell growth, apoptosis, neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation diseases and cancer. These proteins are normally expressed in placental villi during all pregnancy but their expression is found to be altered in pathological pregnancies suggesting a possible role of those proteins in the development of human placenta.