RhoB Promotes Endometrial Stromal Cells Decidualization Via Semaphorin3A/PlexinA4 Signaling in Early Pregnancy.

Endometrial decidualization refers to a series of morphological changes and functional remodeling of the uterine endometrium to accept the embryo under the effect of estrogen and progesterone secreted by ovaries after ovulation. During decidualization, endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) proliferate and differentiate into decidual stromal cells, undergoing cytoskeletal rearrangement-mediated morphological changes and expressing decidualization markers, such as insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and prolactin. Ras homology (Rho) proteins, a family of small G proteins, are well known as regulators of cellular morphology and involved in multiple other cellular processes.

SCM-198 Prevents Endometriosis by Reversing Low Autophagy of Endometrial Stromal Cell Balancing ERα and PR Signals.

Background: Endometriosis (EMS), an endocrine-related inflammatory disease, is characterized by estrogen and progesterone imbalance in ectopic lesions. However, its pathogenic mechanism has not been fully elucidated. While SCM-198 is the synthetic form of leonurine and has multiple pharmacological activities such as antioxidation and anti-inflammation, it remains unknown whether it could inhibit the progress of EMS by regulating estrogen signaling and inflammation.

Evaluation of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine on semen parameters in reproductive-age males: a retrospective cohort study.

During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic, there have been concerns about the impact of vaccines on people's fertility, including the fertility of those who are currently preparing for pregnancy and those who might become pregnant in future. However, there is still a lack of research on the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine on male fertility, and it is not surprising that couples and donors have concerns regarding vaccination. In this study, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine semen quality before and after receipt of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine.

SCM-198 Alleviates Endometriosis by Suppressing Estrogen-ERα mediated Differentiation and Function of CD4CD25 Regulatory T Cells.

Endometriosis (EMS), a typical endocrine immune disorder, associates with dramatically increased estrogen production and disorganized immune response in ectopic focus. Peritoneal regulatory T cells (Tregs) expansion in women with EMS and their pathogenic role attributable to endometriotic immunotolerance has been reported. Whether local high estrogen promotes EMS by discipling Tregs needs to be further explored.

MicroRNA let-7i inhibits granulosa-luteal cell proliferation and oestradiol biosynthesis by directly targeting IMP2.

Research Question: Increased granulosa cell division is associated with abnormal folliculogenesis in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Lethal-7i microRNA (let-7i) may play an important role in the follicular development and granulosa cell growth; therefore is let-7i involved in PCOS pathogenesis?

Design: The expression of let-7i was measured in granulosa-luteal cells (GLC) from women with or without PCOS. A human granulosa cell line, KGN, was used for the functional study.

The risk of intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in female COVID-19 patients: A comprehensive review.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new type of coronavirus that has caused fatal infectious diseases and global spread. This novel coronavirus attacks target cells through the interaction of spike protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2), leading to different clinical symptoms. However, for a successful pregnancy, a well-established in-uterine environment includes a specific immune environment, and multi-interactions between specific cell types are prerequisites.

Decidual CXCR4 CD56 NK cells as a novel NK subset in maternal-foetal immune tolerance to alleviate early pregnancy failure.

Natural killer (NK) cells preferentially accumulate at maternal-foetal interface and are believed to play vital immune-modulatory roles during early pregnancy and related immunological dysfunction may result in pregnant failure such as recurrent miscarriage (RM). However, the mechanisms underlying the establishment of maternal-foetal immunotolerance are complex but clarifying the roles of decidual NK (dNK) cells offers the potential to design immunotherapeutic strategies to assist RM patients. In this report, we analysed RNA sequencing on peripheral NK (pNK) and decidual NK cells during early pregnancy; we identified an immunomodulatory dNK subset CXCR4 CD56 dNK and investigated its origin and phenotypic and functional characteristics.

[Research advances on adrenergic receptor signaling involved in disease microenvironment through regulation of macrophages].

Adrenergic receptor (AR), one of the key receptors for nervous system, plays an important role in the immune microenvironment and the progression of many diseases. In recent years, the regulation of ARs and its signal on macrophages has become a research hotspot. Researchers found that ARs could exert different regulatory functions on macrophages in different microenvironments, which in turn affects occurrence and development of diseases such as tumor, heart failure, obesity, acute injury, infection and pregnancy-related diseases.

[Research advances in the function of T cells at the maternal-fetal interface].

Immune tolerance at maternal-fetal interface is the basis for establishment and maintenance of successful pregnancy. T cells are pivotal compositions of uterine decidual immune cells, which are required to mediate anti-infection immunity and protect embryos from external antigens attack. T cells also participate in the complex immune regulation process of maternal acceptance of semi-allogeneic embryos, and play an important role in regulating embryo implantation and maintaining pregnancy.

Leonurine: From Gynecologic Medicine to Pleiotropic Agent.

Leonurus japonicus Houtt, a Chinese traditional herbal medicine, has been widely used to cure gynecological diseases, such as incomplete abortion and menoxenia. Leonurine, a major active alkaloid compound only be found in Leonurus japonicus Houtt, has been successfully extracted and purified. Recent evidence has shown that leonurine can regulate a variety of pathologic processes including oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, and multiple metabolic disorders.

Three macrophage subsets are identified in the uterus during early human pregnancy.

Macrophages are crucial for a successful pregnancy, and malfunctions of decidual macrophages correlate with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as spontaneous abortion and preeclampsia. Previously, decidual macrophages were often thought to be a single population. In the present study, we identified three decidual macrophage subsets, CCR2-CD11cLO (CD11c, ~80%), CCR2-CD11cHI (CD11c, ~5%), and CCR2+CD11cHI (CD11c, 10-15%), during the first trimester of human pregnancy by flow cytometry analysis.

Relationship between receipt of substitutable for-fee vaccines and completion of the expanded programme on immunisation: a cross-sectional study in Fujian, China.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between receipt of the substitutable-for-fee vaccines (SFV) and completion of the expanded programme on immunisation (EPI).

Design And Settings: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Fujian province, China.

Participants: Children who were born from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2011, and who had been residing in the township for at least 3 months, were randomly recruited from 34 townships.

dNK cells facilitate the interaction between trophoblastic and endothelial cells via VEGF-C and HGF.

Decidual NK (dNK) cells, identified as CD56CD16CD3, account for ~70% of lymphocytes within the uterine wall during early pregnancy. Accumulating evidence suggests that tight interactions between placental trophoblasts and dNK cells are critical for trophoblast cell differentiation. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored in detail.

Tim-3 and PD-1 regulate CD8 T cell function to maintain early pregnancy in mice.

During pregnancy, CD8 T cells are important regulators in the balance of fetal tolerance and antiviral immunity. T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) are well-recognized negative co-stimulatory molecules involved in viral persistence and tumor metastasis. Here, we demonstrate that CD8 T cells co-expressing Tim-3 and PD-1 were down-regulated in the deciduae of female mice in abortion-prone matings compared with normal pregnant mice.

Co-Signaling Molecules in Maternal-Fetal Immunity.

Physiologically, a successful pregnancy requires the maternal immune system to recognize and tolerate the semiallogeneic fetus, and allow for normal invasion of trophoblasts. Thus, pregnancy complications are considered to be associated with dysfunctional maternal-fetal crosstalk. Co-signaling molecules are a group of cell surface molecules that positively or negatively modulate the immune response.

Role of Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine in Diabetic Microvascular Complications.

Microvascular complications are the leading causes of acquired blindness, end-stage renal failure, and varieties of neuropathy associated with diabetes. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, is involved in endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation associated with the progression of diabetic microvascular complications. Elevated ADMA has been detected in experimental animals and patients with diabetic microangiopathy like retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy.

Inhibition of AKT sensitizes chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin by abrogating S and G2/M arrest.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway is frequently altered in human malignancies and Akt over-expression and/or activation induces malignant transformation and chemoresistance. However, the role of Akt in the mechanisms of chemoresistance remains elusive. Here we reported that cisplatin treatment of chemosensitive, but not resistant, ovarian cancer cells (OVCAs) markedly increased the cell proportion in sub-G1 phase.

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) regulate CD4+ T cells to induce Type 2 helper T cell (Th2) bias at the maternal-fetal interface.

Study Question: Are the immune regulatory molecules programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) involved in regulating CD4+ T cell function during pregnancy?

Summary Answer: PD-1 and Tim-3 promote Type 2 helper T cell (Th2) bias and pregnancy maintenance by regulating CD4+ T cell function at the maternal-fetal interface.

What Is Known Already: The maternal CD4+ T cell response to fetal antigens is thought to be an important component of maternal-fetal tolerance during pregnancy. PD-1 and Tim-3 are important for limiting immunopathology.

Combination of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells with MLC-BE and BE-Ab2: an efficient evaluation of the therapy of paternal lymphocyte induced immunization in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the immune tolerance status of patients suffered from unexplained spontaneous abortion (URSA) before and after treatment with paternal lymphocyte induced immunization (PLII) four times, and its relationship to the pregnancy outcome. 168 URSA patients were included in the present study. Among 168 couples, 138 couples were conceived again, of whom 86 were successfully pregnant till 20 gestational weeks, 31 cases again failed in the first trimester, 21 cases were still under follow-up, another 30 cases still had not conceived.