Placental Transport of Amino Acids in Rats with Methionine-Induced Hyperhomocysteinemia.

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a risk factor for intrauterine growth restriction presumably caused by a decrease in the placental transport of nutrients. We investigated the effect of experimental HHcy induced by daily methionine administration to pregnant rats on the free amino acid levels in the maternal and fetal blood, as well as on morphological and biochemical parameters associated with the amino acid transport through the placenta. HHcy caused an increase in the levels of most free amino acids in the maternal blood on gestational day 20, while the levels of some amino acids in the fetal blood were decreased.

Evaluation of folliculogenesis and oxidative stress parameters in type 1 diabetes mellitus women with different glycemic profiles.

Background: Despite enormous advances in diabetes treatment, women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) still experience delayed menarche, menstrual irregularities, fewer pregnancies, and a higher rate of stillbirths compared to women without the disease. Due to the fact that type 1 DM occurs at a young age, the preservation of reproductive health is one of the most important goals of treatment.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between different glycemic profiles and changes in the pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance and ovarian follicular apparatus in reproductive-age patients with type 1 DM.

Age-Related COVID-19 Influence on Male Fertility.

The impact of coronavirus on the reproductive health of men attracts the special attention of many researchers. While studies suggest changes in sperm parameters and the possibility of testicular inflammation, further studies are needed to elucidate any potential age-related changes in these findings, which is the purpose of the present study. The semen quality parameters, cytokine concentration, and markers of the pro- and antioxidant system were assessed in 60 men five to seven months after the coronavirus infection and in 77 controls (without a history of coronavirus infection).

Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in the Effects of Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia on the Functional State of Placenta and Nervous System Plasticity in the Offspring.

According to modern view, susceptibility to diseases, specifically to cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders, can form during embryonic development. Adverse factors affecting mother during the pregnancy increase the risk of developing pathologies. Despite the association between elevated maternal blood homocysteine (Hcy) and fetal brain impairments, as well as cognitive deficits in the offspring, the role of brain plasticity in the development of these pathologies remains poorly studied.

Imbalance of Angiogenic and Growth Factors in Placenta in Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia.

Numerous studies have shown that various adverse factors of different nature and action mechanisms have similar negative influence on placental angiogenesis, resulting in insufficiency of placental blood supply. One of the risk factors for pregnancy complications with placental etiology is an increased level of homocysteine in the blood of pregnant women. However, the effect of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) on the development of the placenta and, in particular, on the formation of its vascular network is at present poorly understood.

Impact of Antithyroperoxidase Antibodies (Anti-TPO) on Ovarian Reserve and Early Embryo Development in Assisted Reproductive Technology Cycles.

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is one of the most common endocrinopathies and is more prevalent in women. It becomes evident that the circulating antithyroid antibodies that often follow AITD have effects on many tissues, including ovaries, and therefore that this common morbidity might have an impact on female fertility, the investigation of which is the aim of the present research. Ovarian reserve, ovarian response to stimulation and early embryo development in infertile patients with thyroid autoimmunity were assessed in 45 women with thyroid autoimmunity and 45 age-matched control patients undergoing infertility treatment.

Natural Killer Cell Derived Microvesicles Affect the Function of Trophoblast Cells.

The interaction of natural killer (NK) and trophoblast cells underlies the formation of immune tolerance in the mother-fetus system and the maintenance of the physiological course of pregnancy. In addition, NK cells affect the function of trophoblast cells, interacting with them via the receptor apparatus and through the production of cytokines. Microvesicles (MVs) derived from NK cells are able to change the function of target cells.

Neurotrophins: are they involved in immune tolerance in pregnancy?

In this review, an attempt was made to substantiate the possibility for neurotrophins to be involved in the development of immune tolerance based on data accumulated on neurotrophin content and receptor expression in the trophoblast and immune cells, in particular, in natural killer cells. Numerous research results are reviewed to show that the expression and localization of neurotrophins along with their high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptors and low-affinity p75NTR receptor in the mother-placenta-fetus system indicate the important role of neurotrophins as binding molecules in regulating the crosstalk between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems in pregnancy. An imbalance between these systems can occur with tumor growth and pathological processes observed in pregnancy complications and fetal development anomalies.

Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia Disturbs the Mechanisms of Embryonic Brain Development and Its Maturation in Early Postnatal Ontogenesis.

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia causes the disruption of placental blood flow and can lead to serious disturbances in the formation of the offspring's brain. In the present study, the effects of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia (PHHC) on the neuronal migration, neural tissue maturation, and the expression of signaling molecules in the rat fetal brain were described. Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia was induced in female rats by per os administration of 0.

Oxidative Stress Markers and Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Men Recovered from COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 negatively affects semen characteristics, impairs various biochemical processes in seminal fluid and within spermatogenic cells ultimately leading to male fertility decline. However, the distinct mechanisms, in particular, the role of oxidative stress on the consequences of coronavirus infection, have not been well investigated, which is the purpose of the present study. The standard semen parameters, its pro- and antioxidant system state, as well as the level of sperm DNA fragmentation, were assessed in 17 semen samples of men five months after the coronavirus infection and in 22 age-matched control patients.

Glucose variability as the risk factor of preeclampsia in pregnant patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To analyze glucose variability and investigate its role as a predictor for preeclampsia development in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with various insulin therapy regimens.

Methods: A total of 200 pregnant women with T1DM were included in the study. A hundred women used continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), and the rest of the group was administered with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI).

Prenatal Stress in Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia: Impairments in the Fetal Nervous System Development and Placental Function.

The article presents current views on maternal hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) as an important factor causing prenatal stress and impaired nervous system development in fetuses and newborns in early ontogenesis, as well as complications in adulthood. Experimental data demonstrate that prenatal HHcy (PHHcy) affects the morphological maturation of the brain and activity of its neurotransmitter systems. Cognitive deficit observed in the offspring subjected to PHHcy in experimental studies can presumably cause the predisposition to various neurodegenerative diseases, as the role of maternal HHcy in the pathogenesis such diseases has been proven in clinical studies.

Prenatal Hyperhomocysteinemia Induces Glial Activation and Alters Neuroinflammatory Marker Expression in Infant Rat Hippocampus.

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia is one of the common complications of pregnancy that causes offspring cognitive deficits during postnatal development. In this study, we investigated the effect of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia (PHHC) on inflammatory, glial activation, and neuronal cell death markers in the hippocampus of infant rats. Female Wistar rats received L-methionine (0.

Maternal Hyperhomocysteinemia Induces Neuroinflammation and Neuronal Death in the Rat Offspring Cortex.

Maternal hyperhomocysteinemia is one of the common complications of pregnancy that causes offspring cognitive deficits during postnatal development. In the present work, we evaluated the effect of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia on structural and ultrastructural organization, neuronal and glial cell number, apoptosis (caspase-3 content and activity), inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) phosphorylation in the offspring brain cortex in early ontogenesis. Wistar female rats received methionine (0.

Neurotrophins of the Fetal Brain and Placenta in Prenatal Hyperhomocysteinemia.

Prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia (PHHC) in pregnant rats was induced by chronic L-methionine loading, resulting in a significant increase in the L-homocysteine content both in the mothers' blood and blood and brain of fetuses. Significant decrease in the weight of the placenta, fetus, and fetal brain was detected by the morphometric studies on day 20 of pregnancy. PHHC also activated maternal immune system due to the increase in the content of proinflammatory interleukin-1β in the rat blood and fetal part of the placenta.

Trophoblast cell influence on peripheral blood natural killer cell proliferation and phenotype in non-pregnant women and women in early pregnancy.

Natural killer (NK) cells are the main population of leukocytes in decidua during the first trimester of pregnancy. NK cells can have contact with trophoblast cells during pregnancy, which raises the possibility of mutual influence. This research aimed to evaluate the proliferation and phenotype of peripheral blood NK cells in the presence of trophoblast cells of the JEG-3 cell line.

Role of Caspases in the Cytotoxicity of NK-92 Cells in Various Models of Coculturing with Trophoblasts.

Studies of interactions between natural killer (NK) cells and trophoblasts and identification of conditions for the NK cells to perform their cytotoxic function are of fundamental and practical importance for understanding their role in the development of pathological processes and complications during pregnancy. In this study, we examined changes in the content of caspases and studied activation of these enzymes in Jeg-3 trophoblasts in various models of their coculturing with NK-92 cells and demonstrated the necessity of direct contact between these cell populations for the activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 in the trophoblasts. Contact coculturing of the two cell lines resulted in the appearance of the cytotoxic protein granzyme B in Jeg-3 cells that was accompanied by a decrease in the content of this enzyme in NK-92 cells.

Mass-Spectrometric Analysis of Proteome of Microvesicles Produced by NK-92 Natural Killer Cells.

Membrane extracellular microvesicles serve as carriers of a wide range of molecules, the most important among these are proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Cytotoxic proteins of natural killer cells play a key role in the realization of their cytolytic functions. An important stage in understanding of the distant communication of cells and mechanisms of its regulation is analysis of the proteome composition of microvesicles.

Prenatal Hyperhomocysteinemia Impairs Hypothalamic Regulation of Reproductive Cycles in Rat Progeny.

Effects of prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia on hypothalamic regulation of estrous cycles were studied in female rats. In mature rats exposed to prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia, changes in the catecholamine content in hypothalamic areas responsible for the formation of the preovulatory surge of gonadotropin-releasing hormone were revealed: the level of norepinephrine in the medial preoptic area decreased and concentration of dopamine in the median eminence with arcuate nuclei increased. Administration of melatonin attenuated the observed changes, which can be related to neuroprotective effects of this hormone determined by its antioxidant properties.

Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Premature Ageing of the Female Reproductive Function.

Industrial xenobitics, as well as endogenous damaging factors, such as L-homocysteine, are a well-known source of reactive oxygen species that disrupt biological processes. Among many others, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone synthesis and secretion mediated by a variety of neurotransmitters, which are under control of the hypothalamus and pineal gland, may be put in peril by reactive oxygen species. Their formation can be one of the reasons for the reproductive function shutdown in ageing as the generic response to the damaging factors independent of their nature.

[Age-related changes in biogenic amine content and oxidative stress profile in the rat hypothalamus in hyperhomocysteinemia].

The article presents a detailed analysis of correlations between the content of a variety of biogenic amines in the hypothalamic structures responsible for the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone synthesis and secretion (the medial preoptic area and median eminence) and such independent factors as total L-homocysteine plasma level elevation induced by L-methionine loading and aging. Both a nature and a pattern of changes in oxidative stress profile were evaluated. It was shown that ageing, when compared to hyperhomocysteinemia, is a determining factor influencing biogenic amine content in the studied hypothalamic structures.

[The influence of hyperhomocysteinemia on monoaminoergic systems of hypothalamus and hippocampus of female rats at aging].

The data presented have shown the different effect of hyperhomocysteinemia (induced by 0,12-0,15 mg of methionine loading per os during 30 days) on monoamines content in hypothalamus and hippocampus of young (6-7 month) and old (20-22 month) female rats. It has been established that the level of catecholamines (noradrenaline, dopamine), 5 oxitryptamine and 5 oxyindolacetic acid in hypothalamic areas responsible for synthesis and secretion of gonadoliberin (medial preoptic area and medial eminence with arcuate nuclei) is considerable less in old animals compared with young ones. These data are in agreement with the low content of gonadoliberin found by us in medial eminence with arcuate nuclei.

[Protective effect of melatonin and epithalon on hypothalamic regulation of reproduction in female rats in its premature aging model and on estrous cycles in senescent animals in various lighting regimes].

Potential neuroprotective effects of the pineal gland hormone melatonin and peptide preparation epitalon on estrous cycles and the central regulation of reproduction in female rats exposed to unfavourable environmental factors have been studied. Estrous cycles of young, mature and aging rats exposed to light pollution were described. The diurnal dynamics and daily mean content of biogenic amines in the hypothalamic areas responsible for gonadotropin-releasing hormone synthesis and secretion in animals of different age groups were investigated.

Melatonin and pineal gland peptides are able to correct the impairment of reproductive cycles in rats.

Catecholamines play an important role in the hypothalamic regulation of the synthesis and secretion of gonadotropin- releasing hormone, or gonadoliberin. We have shown that melatonin and the pineal gland peptides (epithalamine and epitalon) exert a correcting influence on the diurnal dynamics of norepinephrine (NE) in the medial preoptic area (MPA) and of dopamine (DA) in the median eminence with arcuate nuclei (ME-Arc) disturbed by single administration of the neurotoxic xenobiotic 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in female rats. It has been found that experiments with DMH administration can be used as an animal model of female reproductive system premature aging.