14 results match your criteria: "Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. K. Bratanov"[Affiliation]"
J Reprod Immunol
December 2022
Department of Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. K. Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 73 Tsarigradsko Shose, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address:
Maternal immunity regulates tolerance to the semi-allogeneic fetus during pregnancy via modulation of immune regulatory factors. The serum factor CD83 is known to undergo changes during gestation in mice. Here we characterize serum levels of CD83 in women for the first time, revealing a consistent decline as pregnancy progresses and recovery to non-pregnant levels in miscarriage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProblem: Long-lived mycobacterial L-forms (mL-forms) could be detected in the blood of BCG-vaccinated people. We have previously found mL-forms in term placentas and blood of neonates, delivered by healthy BCG-vaccinated mothers as first formal demonstration that BCG vaccination in the childhood of the woman could affect her placentobiome during pregnancy. Of note, the isolated mL-forms reverted to the cell-walled state of the parental BCG bacilli in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Immunol
December 2022
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. K. Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, 73 Tzarigradsko shosse blv, Bulgaria. Electronic address:
Human γδ T cells are enriched at the maternal-fetal interface (MFI, decidua basalis) showing a highly differentiated phenotype. However, their functional potential is not well-known and it is not clear whether this decidua-enrichment is associated with specific γδ T cell receptors (TCR) as is observed in mice. Here we addressed these open questions by investigating decidual γδ T cells during early and late gestation, in comparison with paired blood samples, with flow cytometry (cytotoxic mediators, cytokines) and TCR high-throughput sequencing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
June 2022
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. K. Bratanov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
In healthy couples over half of the conceptions result in failed pregnancy and around 30% of them occur during implantation defining it as a rate-limiting step for the success of native and in vitro fertilization. The understanding of the factors regulating each step of implantation and immune recognition is critical for the pregnancy outcome. Creation of 3D-cell culture models, such as spheroids and organoids, is in the focus of placental tissue engineering in attempt to resemble the in vivo complexity of the maternal-fetal interface and to overcome the need of laboratory animals and human embryos.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
December 2017
Institute of Microbiology "Acad. St. Angelov", Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Department of infectious microbiology, Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria.
The ability of bacteria to exist as a population of self-replicating forms with defective or entirely missing cell wall (L-forms) is an adaptive mechanism for their survival and reproduction under unfavorable conditions. Bacterial mother-to-fetus transfer is a universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom. However, data about vertical transfer of L bacterial forms are extremely scarce.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
May 2013
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction Acad. K. Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Objective: One of the most profound events in stressed cells is the synthesis of a highly conserved family of proteins, the 'heat shock proteins' (Hsp). The Hsp70 family is the most diverse, and includes constitutive as well as stress-inducible proteins with overlapping or unique functions in different cell compartments. Elucidation of Hsp70 expression during different stages of spermatogenesis and maturation of germ cells is of particular interest due to their high sensitivity to heat treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Obstet Gynaecol Res
June 2011
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Acad. K. Bratanov, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Aim: To investigate human granulosa luteinized cells as a local source of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its relationship to cell viability, development of preovulatory follicles and fertilization rate of oocytes.
Material And Methods: Indirect immunofluorescent technique, proANP kit, 4'6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-DNA staining and Caspase-3 activity assay were used to examine localization patterns, concentrations in follicular fluids (FFl) and antiapoptotic role of ANP, respectively.
Results: ANP is expressed on granulosa cells with membrane, submembrane and specific granular cytoplasmic localization.
Reprod Biomed Online
March 2010
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction Acad K Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 73 Tzarigradsko shosse, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
This review discusses the presence and characteristics of multipotent stromal cells in human endometrium and decidua. A number of research groups have reported the isolation and characterization of multipotent stromal cells from the basal layer of the endometrium, and in a single case just from the menstrual blood, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndocr Regul
June 2008
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Acad. K. Bratanov, Bulgaria.
Objective: To study the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and progesterone (P) production by human granulose luteinized cells (GLC) in vitro and to elucidate their role on the survival of cultured cells.
Methods: Human GLCs were cultured in HAM's F10/10% FCS as monolayers for 24 h. Subsequently GLCs were treated for 24 h with 0.
Am J Reprod Immunol
April 2008
Department of Immunobiology of Reproduction, Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction acad.K.Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Problem: We evaluated implantation-associated quantitative changes in endometrial and peripheral natural killer (NK)-cell populations of pigs.
Method Of Study: Natural killer cell populations were investigated in 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 days pregnant and non-pregnant (NP) sows by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and morphometry.
Results: The number of endometrial CD16(+) NK cells significantly declined at attachment phase of implantation and remained relatively low over the course of implantation.
Endocr Regul
March 2007
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Acad. K. Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Objective: Our aim was to examine the expression patterns of ANP, the rate of apoptosis bcl-2 and p53 expression and caspase-3 activity and progesterone (P) production in porcine granulosa cells (pGCs) stimulated in vitro for luteinization and after treatment with leptin.
Methods: Freshly isolated prepubertal pGCs were cultured as monolayers for 24 h, subsequently FSH was supplemented for 24 h, and finally LH was added to a part of the cells for 24 h to induce luteinization. The effect of leptin on in vitro luteinized pGCs was tested by the addition of 10 ng/ml human recombinant leptin (hrL) 24 h after LH administration.
Am J Reprod Immunol
April 2007
Department of Immunobiology of Reproduction, Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Acad.K.Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Problem: We assessed implantation-associated quantitative changes in peripheral blood and endometrial T lymphocytes throughout epitheliochorial placenta formation.
Method Of Study: T-cell subsets were investigated in 10-, 15-, 20-, 30-, and 40-day pregnant and non-pregnant sows by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.
Results: Endometrial total T, T cytotoxic (Tc), and T helper (Th) cells were in peak numbers at the attachment phase of implantation and Tc cells persisted in high proportions up to placental establishment.
Folia Biol (Praha)
January 2006
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction acad. K. Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The implantation in pig is superficial and non-invasive, involving phases of apposition, adhesion and attachment of conceptuses to endometrial surface epithelium. The role of integrins and ECM proteins is suggested. In the study, the expression of beta5beta1 integrin and FN on conceptus trophectoderm and endometrium during implantation and early pregnancy was investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Reprod Immunol
February 2005
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, acad. K. Bratanov, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Problem: The study was conducted to investigate the presence and the possible role of anti-granulosa luteinized cells (GLCs) antibodies in infertile patients, attending in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, as well as to attempt the identification of putative target antigens.
Method Of Study: A total of 101 sera from infertile women (patient group) and 33 sera from fertile women (control group) were investigated. The patients were divided in subgroups according to: ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COHS)--poor responders and good responders; fertilization rate--low fertilization rate and high fertilization rate.