Using Deep Learning in a Monocentric Study to Characterize Maternal Immune Environment for Predicting Pregnancy Outcomes in the Recurrent Reproductive Failure Patients.

Recurrent reproductive failure (RRF), such as recurrent pregnancy loss and repeated implantation failure, is characterized by complex etiologies and particularly associated with diverse maternal factors. It is currently believed that RRF is closely associated with the maternal environment, which is, in turn, affected by complex immune factors. Without the use of automated tools, it is often difficult to assess the interaction and synergistic effects of the various immune factors on the pregnancy outcome.

NKG2D as a Cell Surface Marker on γδ-T Cells for Predicting Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients With Unexplained Repeated Implantation Failure.

Maternal immune tolerance to semi-allogeneic fetus is essential for a successful implantation and pregnancy. Growing evidence indicated that low cytotoxic activity of γδ-T cells, which is mediated by activation and inhibitory receptors, is important for establishment of maternal immune tolerant microenvironment. However, the correlation between receptors on peripheral blood γδ-T cells, such as NKG2D, CD158a, and CD158b, and pregnancy outcome in patients with unexplained repeated implantation failure (uRIF) remains unclear.

Granzyme B-expressing γδ-T and NK cells as a predictor of clinical pregnancy failure in patients with unexplained repeated implantation failure.

The limited cytotoxicity of immune cells facilitates a successful establishment of pregnancy. However, the association between cytotoxic granules and unexplained repeated implantation failure (uRIF) remains unkown. Twenty-one fertile controls and 54 patients with uRIF were included in this study.

The low cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood NK cells may relate to unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

Problem: Unexplained recurrent miscarriage (uRM) is defined as two or more spontaneous abortions prior to 20 weeks of gestation with unknown etiology. Peripheral blood natural killer (pNK) cells contact with the villus and exert important role in normal pregnancy. However, it is still controversial about the association between pNK cytotoxicity and uRM, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown so far.

The number and cytotoxicity and the expression of cytotoxicity-related molecules in peripheral natural killer (NK) cells do not predict the repeated implantation failure (RIF) for the fertilization patients.

Natural killer (NK) cells are thought to play a key role in the successful establishment of a pregnancy by facilitating immunological adaptation of the semi-allogeneic developing embryo. The aim of this study was to explore the cell number, immunophenotypic characteristics, and activities of peripheral blood NK cells in women with repeated implantation failure (RIF). Peripheral blood was obtained from 27 women with RIF and 11 healthy, fertile controls during the middle luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Chronic hepatitis B infection alters peripheral immune response in women with reproductive failure.

Problem: Does hepatitis B infection affect peripheral blood immune response in women with reproductive failure?

Method Of Study: Two hundred and twenty-seven women, including 10 HBsAg HBeAg , 27 HBsAg HBeAg hepatitis sero-positive women, and 190 women without HBV infection, formed the study population. Their peripheral immune responses containing lymphocyte subsets, cytokine production, expression of cell surface markers and intracellular toxicity molecules, and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively compared.

Results: Comparing with HBsAg HBeAg carriers and HBsAg group, HBsAg HBeAg group had lower rates of CD3 CD4 helper T cells (31.

RGD/TAT-functionalized chitosan-graft-PEI-PEG gene nanovector for sustained delivery of NT-3 for potential application in neural regeneration.

Unlabelled: In this study, we prepared a multifunctional gene delivery nanovector containing a chitosan (CS) backbone and polyethylenimine (PEI) arms with arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)/twin-arginine translocation (TAT) conjugated via polyethylene glycol (PEG). Branched PEI, with a molecular weight of 2000 Da, was used to achieve a balance between biocompatibility and transfection efficiency, whereas RGD/TAT peptides were conjugated for enhanced targeting ability and cellular uptake. Synthesis of the copolymers was confirmed by characterizing the chemical structure with H nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

Self-assembly behaviors of molecular designer functional RADA16-I peptides: influence of motifs, pH, and assembly time.

In the current study, we present three designer self-assembling peptides (SAPs) by appending RADA 16-I with epitopes IKVAV, RGD, and YIGSR, which have different net charges and amphiphilic properties at neutral pH. The self-assembly of the designer SAPs is intensively investigated as a function of pH, canion type, and assembly time. The morphologies of the designer SAPs were studied by atomic force microscope.

Fabrication of carbon nanotube nanocomposites via layer-by-layer assembly and evaluation in biomedical application.

Aim: To investigate the influence of ion pairing of carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) and polycations on the layer-by-layer assembly of nanocomposites and their biocompatibility for biomedical applications.

Materials & Methods: Strong polycation poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride), and weak polycations chitosan and polyethyleneimine were selected to assembly with MWCNT-COOH. The MWCNT-COOH/polycation nanocomposites were analyzed by their physicochemical, electrical properties and biocompatibility.

Cytotoxic and adhesion-associated response of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts to COOH-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

As novel, promising, man-made nanomaterials with extraordinary properties, carbon nanotubes have been attracting massive attention in regenerative medicine. However, published reports on their potential cytotoxic effects are not concordant and are even conflicting. In the current study, the cytotoxic effects of carboxyl-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH-MWCNTs), as well as their influences on the cell adhesion of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, were thoroughly investigated.

Functional Self-Assembling Peptide Nanofiber Hydrogels Designed for Nerve Degeneration.

Self-assembling peptide (SAP) RADA16-I (Ac-(RADA)4-CONH2) has been suffering from a main drawback associated with low pH, which damages cells and host tissues upon direct exposure. In this study, we presented a strategy to prepare nanofiber hydrogels from two designer SAPs at neutral pH. RADA16-I was appended with functional motifs containing cell adhesion peptide RGD and neurite outgrowth peptide IKVAV.

Nano-Engineered Environment for Nerve Regeneration: Scaffolds, Functional Molecules and Stem Cells.

One of the most complex systems in the human body is the nervous system, which is divided into the central and peripheral nervous systems. The regeneration of the CNS is a complex and challenging biological phenomenon hindered by the low regenerative capacity of neurons and the prohibition factors in response to nerve injuries. To date, no effective approach can achieve complete recovery and fully restore the functions of the nervous system once it has been damaged.