Immune imbalance in the pre-ovulatory follicular microenvironment of overweight and obese women during IVF.

Background: Overweight and obesity can induce an inflammatory milieu in the oocyte microenvironment and are closely associated with reduced assisted reproductive outcomes.

Objective: How are immune cells, cytokines and lipid profiles altered in the pre-ovulatory microenvironment of overweight and obese women?

Methods: 32 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) were included, with 14 overweight or obese (OW) and 18 normal weight (NW) participants. Serum was collected before ovulation induction, follicular fluid (FF) and aspirates were obtained during oocyte retrieval for flow cytometry, cytokines, hormone, and lipid profiles measurement.

Identification of CCR7 as a potential biomarker in polycystic ovary syndrome through transcriptome sequencing and integrated bioinformatics.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder, yet its mechanisms remain elusive. This study employed transcriptome sequencing on granulosa cells from 5 PCOS women and 5 controls, followed by bioinformatic analyses. We identified 684 mRNAs and 167 lncRNAs with significant differential expression.

Advanced paternal age exacerbates neuroinflammation in offspring via m6A modification-mediated intergenerational inheritance.

Background: The trend of postponing childbearing age is prevalent worldwide. Advanced paternal age (APA) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and offspring health. However, the underlying mechanism by which paternal aging affects the risk of offspring neuropsychiatric disorders is unclear.

Association of maternal mild hypothyroidism in the first and third trimesters with obstetric and perinatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Mild hypothyroidism, including subclinical hypothyroidism and isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia, is fairly common in pregnant women, but its impact on pregnancy outcomes is less clear, especially mild hypothyroidism in late pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of subclinical hypothyroidism and isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia in the first and third trimesters, respectively, on obstetric and perinatal outcomes.

Study Design: This large prospective study was conducted at the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital in Shanghai; 52,027 pregnant women who underwent the first-trimester antenatal screening at International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital were consecutively enrolled from January 2013 to December 2016.

[Reproductive Health-Oriented Development in Assisted Reproductive Technologies].

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are core components of the field of reproductive medicine, encompassing multiple pivotal stages of early development from gamete maturation and fertilization to embryo development. Against the backdrop of a deteriorating trend of global decline in fertility rates, patients with infertility problems increasingly turn to ARTs to realize their dreams of parenthood. However, concomitant with this trend is a growing apprehension regarding the potential adverse effects of ARTs.

Association between visceral adipose tissue area and infertility: a cross-sectional analysis.

Research Question: Is intra-abdominal fat obesity associated with infertility?

Design: This study analysed data from the 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with a total of 3013 women enrolled. The participants were divided into two groups: infertility and non-infertility. Differences between the two groups were analysed using a weighted Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test for continuous variables, or a weighted chi-squared test for categorical data.

Pre-eclamptic foetal programming predisposes offspring to hepatic steatosis via DNA methylation.

Objectives: Gamete and embryo-foetal origins of adult diseases hypothesis proposes that adulthood chronic disorders are associated with adverse foetal and early life traits. Our study aimed to characterise developmental changes and underlying mechanisms of metabolic disorders in offspring of pre-eclampsia (PE) programmed pregnancy.

Methods: Nω-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) induced pre-eclampsia-like C57BL/6J mouse model was used.

LncRNA SNHG5 adversely governs follicular growth in PCOS via miR-92a-3p/CDKN1C axis.

Small nucleolar RNA host genes (SNHGs) have been implicated in various biological processes, yet their involvement in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains elusive. Specifically, SNHG5, a long non-coding RNA implicated in several human cancers, shows elevated expression in granulosa cells (GCs) of PCOS women and induces PCOS-like features when overexpressed in mice. , SNHG5 inhibits GC proliferation and induces apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, with RNA-seq indicating its impact on DNA replication and repair pathways.

Metabolome implies increased fatty acid utilization and histone methylation in the follicles from hyperandrogenic PCOS women.

Well-balanced metabolism is essential for the high-quality of oocytes, and metabolic fluctuations of follicular microenvironment potentially encourage functional changes in follicle cells, ultimately impacting the developmental potential of oocytes. Here, the global metabolomic profiles of follicular fluid from PCOS women with ovarian hyperandrogenism and nonhyperandrogenism were depicted by untargeted metabolome and transcriptome. In parallel, functional methods were employed to evaluate the possible impact of dysregulated metabolites on oocyte and embryo development.

Research progress and challenges of preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic diseases.

Preimplantation genetic testing is an important part in assisted reproductive technology, which can block the intergenerational inheritance of a single gene or chromosomal diseases. Preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic disease risk (PGT-P) is one of the latest developments in the field. With the development of artificial intelligence and genetic detection technology, PGT-P can be used to analyze genetic material, calculate polygenic risk scores and convert these into incidence probability.

Follicle-stimulating hormone orchestrates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion of pancreatic islets.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is involved in mammalian reproduction via binding to FSH receptor (FSHR). However, several studies have found that FSH and FSHR play important roles in extragonadal tissue. Here, we identified the expression of FSHR in human and mouse pancreatic islet β-cells.

The causal association between smoking initiation, alcohol and coffee consumption, and women's reproductive health: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

A number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated that smoking initiation and alcohol and coffee consumption were closely related to women's reproductive health. However, there was still insufficient evidence supporting their direct causality effect. We utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis with summary datasets from genome-wide association study (GWAS) to investigate the causal relationship between smoking initiation, alcohol and coffee consumption, and women's reproductive health-related traits.

COM33 suppresses carboplatin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition via inhibition of Twist1 in ovarian cancer.

Despite favorable responses to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer (OC), chemoresistance is still a major cause of treatment failure. Hence, we develop a novel synthetic agent, COM33, to relieve the chemoresistance caused by carboplatin. The anti-cancerous effects of the combination of COM33 and carboplatin on OC are evaluated by cell viability, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays.

Living birth following preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders to prevent low-level germline mosaicism related Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome.

Paternal sperm mosaicism has few consequences for fathers for mutations being restricted to sperm. However, it could potentially underlie severe sporadic disease in their offspring. Here, we present a live birth of a female infant from a father with low-level sperm DNA mosaicism achieved preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M).

Associations Between Asthma and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Current Perspectives.

A potential correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and asthma, used to be identified as diseases originating from two independent systems, has been supported by increasing evidence. From an epidemiological perspective, mounting studies have confirmed that women suffering from PCOS exhibit increased susceptibility to asthma. Meanwhile, PCOS and asthma seem to share several mutual pathological conditions, such as metabolic disorders, hormonal fluctuation, proinflammatory state, etc.

Environmental epigenetic interaction of gametes and early embryos†.

In recent years, the developmental origins of diseases have been increasingly recognized and accepted. As such, it has been suggested that most adulthood chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even tumors may develop at a very early stage. In addition to intrauterine environmental exposure, germ cells carry an important inheritance role as the primary link between the two generations.

Polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents with obesity.

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age with the prevalence from 5% to 15%, and the prevalence of PCOS in adolescents with obesity seems even higher. The weight status is significantly associated with the quality of life in adolescents with PCOS.

Objective: This review aims to summarize the latest findings of pathogenesis, diagnosis, comorbidity, and management in PCOS adolescents with obesity.

Comparison of Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiles of Human Fetal Tissues Conceived by Fertilization and Natural Conception.

Background: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) might induce adverse pregnancy outcomes and increase the risk of metabolic diseases in offspring' later life with unknown reasons. Here we evaluated the global methylation level and methylation profile of fetal tissue from elective terminations of pregnancy (ETP) after natural conception and multifetal pregnancy reduction (MFPR) after fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Results: Global methylation levels were comparable between the fetal tissue of ETP after natural conception group and MFPR after IVF-ET group.

Association between circadian rhythm disruption and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To explore the association of circadian rhythm disruption with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the potential underlying mechanism in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs).

Design: Multicenter questionnaire-based survey, in vivo and ex vivo studies.

Setting: Twelve hospitals in China, animal research center, and research laboratory of a women's hospital.

Steroid metabolome profiling of follicular fluid in normo- and hyperandrogenic women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disease defined by the presence of at least two of the following features: hyperandrogenism, oligoanovulation (OA), and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM). Hyperandrogenism is considered the cornerstone of PCOS. However, the most prevalent phenotype in Chinese women with PCOS is OA + PCOM [normo-androgenic PCOS (NA-PCOS)].