Contribution of IL-12A and IL-12B polymorphisms to Chlamydia trachomatis-specific cell-mediated immune responses.

Inherited variance in the IL-12B gene is associated with susceptibility to Chlamydia trachomatis-induced tubal factor infertility and disease severity. In this study, our aim was to discover how polymorphisms in IL-12-coding genes influence C. trachomatis-induced immune responses and IL-12 production.

Pregnancy incidence and outcome before and after cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a retrospective cohort study.

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 3530 women treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, to investigate whether CIN treatment itself affects pregnancy incidence and outcome. We estimated the incidence of live births, miscarriages, extrauterine pregnancies, molar pregnancies, and termination of pregnancies (TOPs) before and after CIN treatment using nationwide registers. Women were followed up until death, emigration, sterilization, or the end of 2004.

TBX6, LHX1 and copy number variations in the complex genetics of Müllerian aplasia.

Background: Müllerian aplasia (MA) is a congenital disorder of the female reproductive tract with absence of uterus and vagina with paramount impact on a woman's life. Despite intense research, no major genes have been found to explain the complex genetic etiology.

Methods And Results: We have used several genetic methods to study 112 patients with MA.

Effect of IL12A and IL12B polymorphisms on the risk of Chlamydia trachomatis-induced tubal factor infertility and disease severity.

Background: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and related cytokines induce activation and differentiation of T cells. Our aim was to investigate the associations between genetic differences in IL-12-family cytokines and the pathogenesis of chlamydial disease.

Methods: The final study population consisted of 100 women with Chlamydia trachomatis-induced tubal factor infertility (TFI) and 125 pregnant women as controls.

Evaluation of SHOX copy number variations in patients with Müllerian aplasia.

Background: Müllerian aplasia (MA) characterized by congenital loss of functional uterus and vagina is one of the most difficult disorders of female reproductive health. Despite of growing interest in this research field, the cause of the disorder for the majority of patients is still unknown. A recent report of partial SHOX duplications in five patients with MA has motivated us to further evaluate their role in the disorder.

Pregnancy incidence and outcome among patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the effect of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) treatment on incidence of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, the sole reference centre in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region for women referred for colposcopy.

Methylation of H19 and its imprinted control region (H19 ICR1) in Müllerian aplasia.

Severe hypomethylation of the H19 imprinted control region (ICR1) in two patients with Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) who have genital malformations has encouraged us to study DNA methylation in a cohort of 83 patients with Müllerian aplasia (MA). Site-specific methylation analyses of H19 ICR1 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 80 clinically well-diagnosed Finnish MA patients showed no association between hypomethylation and the MA phenotype, but studies of the H19 locus in 38 patients showed aberrant methylation in 3/16 studied sites.

Cytokine gene polymorphism and Chlamydia trachomatis-specific immune responses.

Chlamydia trachomatis-induced fallopian tube damage leading to tubal factor infertility (TFI) is linked with TNF, IL-10, and probably IFNG gene polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to clarify the contribution of these cytokine gene polymorphisms to interindividual variation in C trachomatis-specific immune responses and the cross-regulation of secreted cytokines and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Cytokine polymorphisms (IL-10 -1082A/G, -819T/C, and -592A/C, IFNG +874T/A, and TNF -308G/A) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction in 139 women.

Cytokine polymorphisms and severity of tubal damage in women with Chlamydia-associated infertility.

Chronic inflammation induced by Chlamydia trachomatis can lead to tubal factor infertility (TFI). To investigate the genetic basis of chlamydial TFI and various manifestations of tubal damage, we studied functional polymorphisms in selected cytokine genes (IL-10 -1082 A/G, -819 T/C, and -592 A/C; IFN-gamma +874 T/A; TNF-alpha -308 G/A; TGF-beta1 codons 10 T/C and 25 G/C; and IL-6 -174 G/C) in 114 women with laparoscopically verified TFI (hereafter known as "cases") and in 176 controls. Evidence of past infection with C.

Does the Y chromosome have a role in Müllerian aplasia?

Objective: To investigate whether Y chromosomal genetic material has a role in the development of Müllerian aplasia in Finland. We have studied the TSPY1 gene and 38 additional male-specific fragments covering areas of both the long and short arms of the Y chromosome in Finnish patients with Müllerian aplasia.

Design: A retrospective study.

The role of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in male infertility.

To study the association between plasma antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and male infertility, 90 men from infertile couples attending a University Hospital IVF clinic for IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and 190 healthy blood donors as control subjects were studied for IgG and IgA antibodies to C. trachomatis, and for the men from infertile couples seminal fluid analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria. The prevalence of plasma IgG antibodies to C.

IL-10 polymorphism and cell-mediated immune response to Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection induces an inflammatory response that is crucial in resolving acute infection but may also play a key role in the pathogenesis of C trachomatis associated infertility. The immune response is linked to cytokine secretion pattern which is influenced by the host genetic background. To study a relationship between interleukin-10 (IL-10) promoter -1082 polymorphism and cell-mediated immune response during C trachomatis infection in vitro, lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine (IL-10, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5) secretion were analysed in subjects with different IL-10 genotypes.

Chlamydia trachomatis and chlamydial heat shock protein 60-specific antibody and cell-mediated responses predict tubal factor infertility.

Background: To evaluate the role of Chlamydia trachomatis-induced humoral and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses in predicting tubal factor infertility (TFI).

Methods: Blood samples were taken from 88 women with TFI and 163 control women. C.

Single embryo transfer is an option in frozen embryo transfer.

Background: A good strategy to decrease multiple pregnancy rate in assisted reproduction technology (ART) is the use of single embryo transfer (SET).

Methods: This retrospective study analysed 1647 frozen embryo transfers carried out during 1998-2003 in Helsinki University Central Hospital; of these, 872 were double embryo transfers (DETs) and 775 SETs. The SET group included 140 (18.

Impact of elective single embryo transfer on the twin pregnancy rate.

Background: It is unclear how the implementation of elective single embryo transfer in clinical practice would affect clinical pregnancy and delivery rates and multiple birth rates.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed 1871 IVF/ICSI cycles carried out from 1997 to 2001 in the IVF programme of a single university infertility clinic.

Results: The number of elective single embryo transfers increased from 11 to 56%.

Differences in glycosylation and sperm-egg binding inhibition of pregnancy-related glycodelin.

Glycodelin is a glycoprotein produced in many glands, particularly those of reproductive tissues. It appears as different glycoforms in amniotic fluid (glycodelin-A) and seminal plasma (glycodelin-S), but only glycodelin-A inhibits gamete adhesion. In the present study, glycodelin from secretory-phase endometrium, first-trimester pregnancy decidua, and midtrimester amniotic fluid was studied with respect to physicochemical properties, including glycosylation patterns and inhibitory activity of sperm-egg binding.

Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock protein-60 induced interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 production in infertile women.

Chlamydia trachomatis-associated tubal factor infertility (TFI) involves enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immune response to the chlamydial 60 kDa heat shock protein (CHSP60). We evaluated the role of CHSP60-induced immune response in TFI by studying lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine (interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-10) secretion in response to C. trachomatis elementary body (EB) and CHSP60 antigens in 57 women with TFI and in 76 women with other causes of infertility.

HLA DQ alleles and interleukin-10 polymorphism associated with Chlamydia trachomatis-related tubal factor infertility: a case-control study.

Background: The relationship between Chlamydia trachomatis tubal factor infertility (TFI) and the host's immunoregulatory genes was studied.

Methods: Cell-mediated immune responses to C. trachomatis and chlamydial heat shock protein (CHSP60) were determined by lymphocyte proliferation assay.

Portfolios as a learning tool in obstetrics and gynaecology undergraduate training.

Context: We developed a structured portfolio for medical students to use during their obstetrics and gynaecology undergraduate training. The main objective was to support the learning process of the students. We also wanted feedback information to enhance teaching.

Monoclonal antibodies, immunofluorometric assay, and detection of human semenogelin in male reproductive tract: no association with in vitro fertilizing capacity of sperm.

Semenogelin plays an important role in sperm clotting and is degraded into smaller fragments by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) during clot liquefaction. Semenogelin and its fragments inhibit sperm motility in vitro. We studied the expression of semenogelin I mRNA and its localization in various tissues of the male genital tract.

Elective single embryo transfer: the value of cryopreservation.

In-vitro fertilization is associated with a high rate of multiple pregnancies, a consequence of the number of embryos transferred. There is a challenge in avoiding even twin pregnancies in assisted reproduction, and this can be accomplished with elective single embryo transfer and a good cryopreservation programme. In our follow-up study, we analysed all our elective single embryo transfers during 1998-1999.