Can Ratios Between Prognostic Factors Predict the Clinical Pregnancy Rate in an IVF/ICSI Program with a GnRH Agonist-FSH/hMG Protocol? An Assessment of 2421 Embryo Transfers, and a Review of the Literature.

None of the models developed in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) is sufficiently good predictors of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine whether ratios between prognostic factors could predict the clinical pregnancy rate in IVF/ICSI. We analyzed IVF/ICSI cycles (based on long GnRH agonist-FSH protocols) at two ART centers (the second to validate externally the data).

Relative expression of the p75 neurotrophin receptor, tyrosine receptor kinase A, and insulin receptor in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and hippocampi from Alzheimer's disease patients.

We have previously shown in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells that the expressions of basal (75 kDa) and high molecular weight (HMW; 85 kDa) isoforms of the p75 neurotrophic receptor (p75NTR) are stimulated by amyloid-β peptide1-42 oligomers (AβOs) via the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R). On the other hand, it is known that AβOs inhibit insulin receptor (IR) signaling. The purpose of the present study was to determine the involvement of IR signaling in the regulation of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) protein isoform expression in cultured SH-SY5Y cells and in hippocampi from late-stage human Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains.

Challenges in ovarian stimulation.

In 2016, ovarian stimulation faces two main challenges: how to obtain good quality oocytes while not endangering the patients treated, but also limited by maternal age and poor ovarian responders (POR). The first IVF birth, Louise Brown, was obtained from a natural cycle. With the introduction, in the 1980s of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) and in the 2000s of GnRH antagonists (GnRHant), stimulation became plurifollicular (and source of consequences).

Evidence that a synthetic amyloid-ß oligomer-binding peptide (ABP) targets amyloid-ß deposits in transgenic mouse brain and human Alzheimer's disease brain.

The synthetic ~5 kDa ABP (amyloid-ß binding peptide) consists of a region of the 228 kDa human pericentrioloar material-1 (PCM-1) protein that selectively and avidly binds in vitro Aβ1-42 oligomers, believed to be key co-drivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but not monomers (Chakravarthy et al., (2013) [3]). ABP also prevents Aß1-42 from triggering the apoptotic death of cultured human SHSY5Y neuroblasts, likely by sequestering Aß oligomers, suggesting that it might be a potential AD therapeutic.

A synthetic peptide corresponding to a region of the human pericentriolar material 1 (PCM-1) protein binds β-amyloid (Aβ1-42 ) oligomers.

We have recently reported that a ~19-kDa polypeptide, rPK-4, is a protein kinase Cs inhibitor that is 89% homologous to the 1171-1323 amino acid region of the 228-kDa human pericentriolar material-1 (PCM-1) protein (Chakravarthy et al. 2012). We have now discovered that rPK-4 binds oligomeric amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)1-42 with high affinity.

Reduction of the immunostainable length of the hippocampal dentate granule cells' primary cilia in 3xAD-transgenic mice producing human Aβ(1-42) and tau.

The hippocampal dentate gyrus is one of the two sites of continuous neurogenesis in adult rodents and humans. Virtually all dentate granule cells have a single immobile cilium with a microtubule spine or axoneme covered with a specialized cell membrane loaded with receptors such as the somatostatin receptor 3 (SSTR3), and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)). The signals from these receptors have been reported to stimulate neuroprogenitor proliferation and the post-mitotic maturation of newborn granule cells into functioning granule cells.

Identification of protein kinase C inhibitory activity associated with a polypeptide isolated from a phage display system with homology to PCM-1, the pericentriolar material-1 protein.

We had previously identified a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor in murine neuroblastoma cells (Chakravarthy et al. [1]). Similar PKC inhibitory activity was also found in adult rat brain.

Involvement of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor signaling in the amyloid-β peptide oligomers-induced p75 neurotrophin receptor protein expression in mouse hippocampus.

The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) has been thought to play a critical role in amyloid-β peptide (Aβ)-mediated neurodegeneration and Aβ metabolism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Our previous report showed that membrane-associated p75NTR protein expression was significantly increased in the hippocampi of two different strains of transgenic AD mice and was associated with the age-dependent elevation of Aβ1-42 levels. Here, we provide evidence that the Aβ1-42 oligomers known as ADDLs (Aβ-derived diffusible ligands) induce p75NTR protein expression through insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) phosphorylation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells.

Hippocampal membrane-associated p75NTR levels are increased in Alzheimer's disease.

The pan-specific p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is involved in mediating amyloid-β (Aβ) toxicity and stimulating amyloidogenesis. In addition, we have recently shown that stimulating cultured SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells with Aβ(42) increases the level of membrane-associated p75(NTR) and that Aβ(42)-accumation in two strains of transgenic AD model mice is accompanied by an increased level of hippocampal membrane-associated p75(NTR) (Chakravarthy et al.

The p75 neurotrophin receptor is localized to primary cilia in adult murine hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells.

The densely ciliated granule cell layer of the adult murine hippocampal dentate gyrus is one of two sites of adult neurogenesis. The granule cells have already been proven to localize their SSTR3 (somatostatin receptor 3) receptors to their so-called primary cilia. Here we show for the first time that 70-90% of these cells in 7-18 months-old wild-type and 3×Tg-AD (Alzheimer disease transgenic) mice also load p75(NTR) receptors into the structures containing SSTR3, i.

Amyloid-beta peptides stimulate the expression of the p75(NTR) neurotrophin receptor in SHSY5Y human neuroblastoma cells and AD transgenic mice.

The progression toward end-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the aging brain is driven by accumulating amyloid-beta (Abeta)(1-42) oligomers that is accompanied by the downregulation of the Trk A neurotrophin receptor and by either upregulation or at least maintenance of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)), which can be stimulated by the accumulating Abeta(1-42) peptides. Here we show that Abeta(1-42) and its active fragment Abeta(25-35), but not Abeta(42-1), can at least double the level of p75(NTR) receptors in the membranes of model SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. We also show that p75(NTR) is upregulated in the hippocampi of two strains of AD transgenic mice.

Association of Gap-43 (neuromodulin) with microtubule-associated protein MAP-2 in neuronal cells.

Gap-43 (B-50, neuromodulin) is a presynaptic protein implicated in axonal growth, neuronal differentiation, plasticity, and regeneration. Its activities are regulated by its dynamic interactions with various neuronal proteins, including actin and brain spectrin. Recently we have shown that Gap-43 co-localizes with an axonal protein DPYSL-3 in primary cortical neurons.

A comparison of image deconvolution algorithms applied to the detection of endocytic vesicles in fluorescence images of neural proteins.

In this work we present a comparative study of three image deconvolution methods applied to fluorescence images of neural proteins. The purpose of this work is to compare the efficiency of these methods, in order to establish which one performs better the restoration of this type o image. Moreover we show that image deconvolution improve not only image quality, but detection capabilities and thus the counting of endocytic vesicles.

Co-localization and interaction of DPYSL3 and GAP43 in primary cortical neurons.

Dihydropyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3) and GAP43 are both involved in neurite outgrowth, a crucial process for the differentiation of neurons. The present study shows for the first time that DPYSL3 co-localizes with GAP43 in primary cortical neurons. Further co-immunoprecipitation and overlay assay showed the ability of both recombinant and endogenous DPYSL3 to bind GAP43, indicating a specific interaction between DPYSL3 and GAP43 in primary cortical neurons.

Estrogen withdrawal-induced NF-kappaB activity and bcl-3 expression in breast cancer cells: roles in growth and hormone independence.

About one-third of breast cancers express a functional estrogen (beta-estradiol [E2]) receptor (ER) and are initially dependent on E2 for growth and survival but eventually progress to hormone independence. We show here that ER(+), E2-independent MCF-7/LCC1 cells derived from E2-dependent MCF-7 cells contain elevated basal NF-kappaB activity and elevated expression of the transcriptional coactivator Bcl-3 compared with the parental MCF-7 line. LCC1 NF-kappaB activity consists primarily of p50 dimers, although low levels of a p65/p50 complex are also present.