Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 12:e13127. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Fertility Associates of Memphis, 80Humphreys Center #307, Memphis, TN, 38120, USA.

Problem: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune intestinal inflammatory disease triggered by gluten in the diet. Untreated CD has been associated with pregnancy loss and infertility. The purpose of this study was to screen unselected women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) for markers of CD to determine if a correlation exists between RPL and CD serum markers. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 11:e13125. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0152, Japan.

Problem: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinical syndrome defined by the loss of ovarian activity before 40 years of age. An autoimmune mechanism is suggested to be involved in the development of POI. Therefore, we examined the relationship between peripheral blood regulatory T (Treg) cells and autoantibodies in POI. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 29:e13115. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Problem: Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is associated with increased chances of neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the exact mechanism through which MIA contributes to altered neurodevelopment is unknown. Due to the important role that amino acids play in neurodevelopment, altered amino acid transport could play a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 23:e13111. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Problem: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection has been shown to increase sexual transmission of HIV-1. However, the mechanism of NG-induced enhanced HIV-1 transmission is unknown.

Methods: (a) The cervical tissues were exposed to NG, and cytokine induction was monitored by measuring cytokine proteins in culture supernatants and cytokine mRNAs in tissues. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 23:e13112. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Problem: Vitamin D has a pivotal role in regulating immune responses in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), but the underlying mechanism has not been completely clarified. This study aimed to determine the correlation between vitamin D and Treg/Th17 and the effects of vitamin D supplementation on Treg/Th17 balance in RPL patients.

Methods Of Study: The level of vitamin D was determined in women with normal pregnancy and RPL by electrochemiluminescence. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 23:e13110. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China.

Problem: Decidual stromal cells (DSCs) are important origins of cytokines to modulate maternal-fetal immunotolerance and provide a feasible environment for embryo implantation and development. Interleukin (IL)-24 is a multifunctional cancer killing cytokine and a pleiotropic immunoregulator with complex potency according to tissue or cell types. Its role in establishment and maintenance of normal pregnancy is largely unknown. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 28:e13108. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Objective: Meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) is a well-established risk factor for immediate adverse neonatal outcomes and was recently suggested to be associated with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. We aimed to determine whether MSAF exposure during labor carries a longer lasting impact on pediatric infectious morbidity.

Study Design: A population-based cohort analysis was performed including all singleton deliveries occurring between 1991 and 2014 at a single tertiary medical center. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 27:e13106. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China.

Problem: During normal pregnancy, delicate crosstalk is established between fetus-derived trophoblasts and maternal immune cells to ensure maternal-fetal tolerance and successful placentation. Dysfunction in these interactions has been highly linked to certain pregnancy complications.

Method Of Study: Naïve CD4 T cells were cultivated with or without 1st trimester derived trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo cells in the absence or presence of T helper 17 (Th17) or regulatory (Treg)cell-inducing differentiation conditions. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 27:e13107. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.

Problem: To test whether lipoxin A4 (LXA4) interferes with embryo implantation via suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Method Of Study: We developed a mouse model of LXA4 blocking embryo implantation and detected the indicators of EMT to confirm that LXA4 inhibits EMT might be a mechanism of interfering with the embryo implantation. We detected integrin-linked kinase (ILK), N-formylpeptide receptor 2 (FPR2), vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), Akt, GSK3β, NF-ĸB, twist, vimentin, fibronectin, and β-catenin mRNA expression using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR; localized protein expression using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting assay; MMPs activity assay by gelatin zymography; and the status of implantation in pregnant animals assessed by pontamine blue reaction test. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 27:e13105. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Human Genetics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Problem: Preeclampsia has a multifactorial origin with genetic, immunological, and environmental factors described as main contributors to its onset. This study aimed to investigate glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and glutathione-S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) gene polymorphisms, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), and the potential relationship between GST polymorphisms and cytokine expression levels in preeclampsia and uncomplicated pregnancy.

Method Of Study: This prospective case-control study included 50 women with preeclampsia and 50 healthy pregnant women. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 25:e13104. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

Department of Medical Biology and Central Electron Microscope Laboratory, Medical School, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary.

Problem: The progesterone-regulated genes, PIBF and Gal-1, are key players in the feto-maternal immunological interaction. This study aims to investigate the expression of PIBF and Gal-1 in WT and progesterone receptor KO models as well as subsequent effects of PIBF on decidualization of stromal cells.

Method Of The Study: PRAKO, PRBKO and PRKO BALB/c mice were used for assessing the role of PR isoforms in PIBF induction. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 19:e13103. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Problem: Chlamydia infections in women can ascend to the upper genital tract, and repeated infections are common, placing women at risk for sequelae. The protective role of anti-chlamydia antibodies to surface exposed antigens in ascending and incident infection is unclear.

Method Of Study: A whole-bacterial ELISA was used to quantify chlamydia-specific IgG and IgA in serum and cervical secretions of 151 high-risk women followed longitudinally. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 15:e13102. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.

Problem: The immunophenotype of B cells at the maternal-fetal interface (decidua) in labor at term and preterm labor is poorly understood.

Method Of Study: Decidual tissues were obtained from women with preterm or term labor and from non-labor gestational age-matched controls. Immunophenotyping of decidual B cells was performed using multicolor flow cytometry. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 4;81(4):e13100. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

Problem: Among mechanisms triggering onset of parturition, it has been recently postulated that Toll-Like Receptor (TLR)9 engagement by cell-free DNA (cfDNA) triggers inflammation, myometrial contractions, and labor in absence of infection. The current study evaluated whether direct (myometrial) or indirect (decidual) TLR9 engagement enhances human myometrial contractility.

Method Of Study: Toll-like receptor 9 expression and cellular localization were surveyed by immunohistochemistry of placenta, fetal membranes, and myometrium in term (gestational age [GA]: >37 weeks) labor (TL, n = 7) or term non-labor (TNL, n = 7) tissues. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 7;81(4):e13101. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Department of Pathophysiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.

Problem: The function of CD49a on human decidual natural killer (dNK) cells is unknown.

Method Of Study: The expression of CD49a on dNK cells from human patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions or age-matched healthy controls was analyzed by flow cytometry. DNK cells were treated with CD49a neutralizing antibody and analyzed for function (cytokines production and cytotoxic activity). Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 4;81(4):e13099. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Problem: Maternal immune system tolerance to the semiallogeneic fetus is critical for a successful pregnancy. Studies have shown that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in maintaining feto-maternal tolerance. However, the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 4;81(4):e13098. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.

Problem: Acute atherosis is a uteroplacental arterial lesion that is associated with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, the latter being the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, the immunobiology of acute atherosis is poorly understood.

Method Of Study: Placental basal plate samples were collected from women who delivered with (n = 11) and without (n = 31) decidua basalis lesions of acute atherosis. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 13;81(3):e13094. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 18;81(4):e13097. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Center of Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.

Many approaches have been used to achieve successful pregnancies in patients with infertility, though existing treatments remain unsatisfactory in patients with infertility caused by abnormal maternal-fetal immunity. However, our understanding of the immunological aspects of infertility has steadily progressed, aided by recent research into organ transplantation and cancer. The results of these recent analyses have led to the development and evaluation of several candidate immunological treatments, but the use of immunological treatments remains a novel approach. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 18;81(4):e13095. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Problem: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the association between endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease (AID) in a large population database and to describe healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in affected women.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed using the computerized databases of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), a 2.1-million-member healthcare plan in Israel. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 25:e13096. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.

Problem: The Staphylococcus aureus has been found to be associated with clinical endometritis of cow. The result of oral antibiotic remains poor. Therefore, this study investigates the role of nisin in endometritis. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 18;81(4):e13093. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.

Tubal ectopic pregnancy (TEP) refers to implantation of conceptus in the fallopian tube. It makes up over 98% of ectopic pregnancy (EP), which is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the first trimester of pregnancy. Immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface play important roles in the process of embryo implantation, stroma decidualization, and early placental development. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Apr 23;81(4):e13092. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

Problem: The lectin pathway of the complement system may be involved in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. We aimed to investigate changes in serum concentrations of a broad range of lectin pathway proteins during normal pregnancy and their association with pre-eclampsia, placental infarctions and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Method Of Study: We included 51 women with normotensive pregnancies and 54 women with pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 6;81(3):e13091. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Problem: Tubal factor infertility (TFI) is a severe complication of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections. In fertility workup, chlamydia antibody test (CAT) is used to predict TFI. The predictive value for TFI of most commonly used CAT is moderate. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 30;81(3):e13090. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Centre for Rheumatology and Bloomsbury Rheumatology Unit, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.

Problem: B cells are vital for the normal evolution of pregnancy due to their humoral and possible regulatory activities. Our group and others have documented that circulating B-cell subsets undergo changes from normal late pregnancy to the postpartum period. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 28;81(2):e13089. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have been intensively studied as a promising cell source for regenerative medicine. The rapid advancements in the field have not only proven the feasibility of ESC-based cell therapy, but also led to a better understanding of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) as a unique cell population at an early stage of embryogenesis. Recent studies have revealed that both human and mouse ESCs have attenuated innate immune responses to infectious agents and inflammatory cytokines. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 4:e13088. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.

Efferocytosis, which is known as the phagocytic clearance of dying cells by professional as well as non-professional phagocytes, including a great number of intracellular/extracellular factors and signals, is interrelated with the immune system, contributing to local and systemic homeostasis, especially in tissues with high constitutive rates of apoptosis. Accumulating studies have indicated that immune dysregulation is associated with the pathogenesis of the female reproductive system, which causes Pre-eclampsia(PE), Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion (RSA), ruptured ectopic pregnancy, and so on. And some studies have revealed the pleiotropic and essential role of efferocytosis in these obstetrical disorders. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 5;81(3):e13086. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Problem: To investigate whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with exacerbation of inflammatory responses in preeclamptic (PE) patients, the dynamic changes of Th17 and Treg cells, monocytes, cytokines, and transcription pattern of inflammasome-related genes were analyzed in 35 women with PE suffering from MetS in comparison to 38 PE women without MetS and healthy pregnant women.

Method Of Study: Expression of inflammasome-related genes, cytokines, and also TLR4 was measured using real-time PCR. Serum and medium supernatant cytokines levels of PBMCs and serum levels of HMGB1 and Caspase-1 were also evaluated by ELISA. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 30;81(3):e13085. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Background And Objective: The modulatory role of prolactin in autoimmune regulation is well established. Hyperprolactinemia is often associated with autoimmune disease like systemic lupus erythematosus and autoimmune thyroid diseases. The objective was to compare levels of direct and indirect autoimmune factors in different categories of hyperprolactinemia cases and predict the direction of association between hyperprolactinemia and autoimmune factors, if any. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 14;81(3):e13087. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

4th Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Problem: To study the balance of circulating heat shock protein (HSP)60 and HSP70 in pre-term delivery.

Method Of Study: A two-stage approach was used. At first stage, we run retrospective analysis of prospective collected clinical data, and at a second stage, we studied an animal model of pre-term delivery (PTD). Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 28;81(2):e13084. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental, Feto-Maternal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Problem: Steroid hormones such as progesterone and glucocorticoids rise during pregnancy and are accountable for the adaptation of the maternal immune system to pregnancy. How steroid hormones induce fetal tolerance is not fully understood. We hypothesized that steroid hormones selectively regulate the T-cell response by promoting T-cell death. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 28;81(2):e13082. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Problem: Chronic endometritis, inflammation of the uterizzvvne lining caused by common gram-negative bacterial strains or mycoplasma, has been associated with unexplained implantation failure and infertility. However, limited models of bacteria-induced implantation loss exist to study the molecular changes that occur in vivo. The goal of this study was to provide a new resource to study the process of bacteria-induced inflammation and implantation loss utilizing common experimental models: C57Bl/6 mice and primary human endometrial stromal cells. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 29;81(3):e13083. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproduction and Genetics, Fertility Center, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

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. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 23;81(2):e13077. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois.

Intrauterine infusion of human chorionic gonadotropin (IUI-hCG) has been proposed to improve the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), since it plays a critical role in synchronizing endometrial and fetal development. As the early mediator from embryo, hCG promotes the decidualization, angiogenesis, maternal immune tolerance, and trophoblast invasion, favoring successful implantation of embryo. Although multiple clinical trials have been conducted to verify the efficacy of IUI-hCG on IVF-ET outcome in recent years, the findings remained controversial. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 28;81(2):e13081. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.

Problem: Decline in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and Th2 cytokines levels lead to early miscarriage (EM) but how the hormonal milieu of the body regulates MDSCs and Th1/Th2 cytokine balance is still a matter of investigation.

Method Of Study: Peripheral blood and decidua samples were collected from 20 EM patients, and 20 healthy pregnant women opted for elective abortion. MDSCs and G-MDSCs levels were analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and Th1/Th2 cytokines levels were determined in serum via flow cytometry. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 14;81(2):e13078. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.

Problem: Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation in endometriotic cells has shown a distinct facet of epigenetic backgrounds; however, specific DNA methylation sites responsible for aberrant gene expression in endometriosis were unknown. Are there specific endometriosis-associated DNA methylations that can be used as molecular markers in endometriosis lesions?

Method Of Study: This study used endometriotic tissues from the chocolate cyst lining of the ovaries of patients with endometriosis, and endometrial tissues from disease-free patients. For analysis, stromal cells were collected from endometrial and endometriotic tissues. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 11;81(2):e13080. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York.

Problem: Placental infection induces increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-term labor. Endotoxin tolerance is a phenomenon in which exposure to a dose of endotoxin makes tissue less responsive to subsequent exposures. The objective of our study was to determine whether repeated exposure to endotoxin will induce a tolerant phenotype in normal human second-trimester placental tissue. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 30;81(3):e13075. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.

Problem: During pregnancy, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) can infect fetal membranes to cause chorioamnionitis, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Macrophages are the primary resident phagocyte in extraplacental membranes. Protein kinase D (PKD) was recently implicated in mediating pro-inflammatory macrophage responses to GBS outside of the reproductive system. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Mar 30;81(3):e13076. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Problem: Embryo implantation depends on the interactions between the developing embryo and the maternal endometrium. Signals originating from the decidua play a critical role in the process of implantation and trophoblast invasion; however, the molecular mechanisms mediating this interaction are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to develop in vitro models that would mimic the processes of attachment, migration, and early invasion of the trophoblast. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 8;81(2):e13079. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Family Planning Research Institute, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Problem: This study aims to determine the expression and localization of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the testes of mice at different developmental stages.

Method Of Study: By means of RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence, the expression and localization of PD-1 and PD-L1 were detected in the testicular tissues of mice at different postnatal times: P7, P14, P21, P28, P35, and adulthood. Meanwhile, the level of soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) was evaluated by ELISA in the testicular interstitial fluid (IF) of the adult mice, culture supernatants of TM4 cell lines (Sertoli cells lines), and primary Sertoli cells at P14. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 19;81(1):e13074. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.

Problem: The role of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) actin filament associated protein 1 antisense RNA1 (AFAP1-AS1) in the etiology of endometriosis is unknown.

Method Of Study: Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers was quantified using qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of ectopic endometrial epithelial cells and Ishikawa cells were evaluated by MTT, EdU, wound healing, and transwell assays. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 26;81(1):e13064. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.

Problem: Cytokines have a significant role in the process of embryo implantation, trophoblast growth, and differentiation by modulating the immune and endocrine system. The aim of this study was to investigate the profile of a large set of cytokines in the cervico-vaginal washing of women undergoing IVF, to explore the association of these proteins with a good receptive endometrium.

Method Of Study: A cohort of 155 women scheduled for IVF cycle was recruited. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 10;81(1):e13073. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Problem: Rupture of fetal membranes is a crucial event at parturition, which is preceded by extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Our recent studies have demonstrated that the human fetal membranes are capable of de novo synthesis of serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), an acute phase protein, and the abundance of SAA1 in the amnion was increased at parturition. However, the exact role of SAA1 in human parturition remains to be established. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 13;81(1):e13072. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Nagoya City University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.

Problem: Several studies have reported the increased risk of preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, and low birth weight in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). There have been a limited number of large population-based studies examining adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcome after RPL. Multiple-imputed analyses (MIA) adjusting for biases due to missing data is also lacking. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 26;81(1):e13071. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.

Problem: The influence of fetal sex on immune responses in multifetal pregnancies remains incompletely elucidated. The a2 isoform of vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase (a2V) is expressed on the cell membrane of maternal lymphoid cells and contributes to down-regulation of pro-inflammatory immune responses during gestation. The association between fetal sex and a2V expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from mothers with twin gestations was assessed. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 29;81(1):e13070. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.

Problem: Aberrant expression of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) in various malignancies has been shown to participate in tumour development by suppressing immune regulation within the tumour microenvironment. The detection of HLA-G has reportedly been correlated with certain clinicopathological parameters in several neoplasms. Both the soluble and membranous forms of HLA-G are biologically active, and therefore, we aimed to evaluate the HLA-G level by Western blot technique. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 4;81(1):e13068. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Problem: IFN-alpha receptor deficiency (IFNAR ) enhances immunity to Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) in the non-pregnant state by inhibiting pathogen-induced immune cell death. However, the roles of IFNAR signaling in modulating immunity to infection during pregnancy are not well understood.

Method Of Study: C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and IFNAR mice were infected systemically with LM or ST. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Feb 9;81(2):e13069. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Graduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.

Problem: Recently, we demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo that an immunological crosstalk between Day-7 embryo and immune cells exists locally in the uterus in cows. The peripheral immune response to early embryos at Day-7 of pregnancy in cows remains largely unknown. Thus, we aimed to investigate the response of peripheral blood immune cells in the presence of multiple Day-7 embryos in the uterus in donor cows of embryo transfer program. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2018 Dec 30;80(6):e13065. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, Area Salute Donna, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A.Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italia.

In recent years, extended scientific works shed light on the important role played by the endometrium in early pregnancy. This review examines our current knowledge about the delicate balance between microbial and cellular immune agents at endometrial level: All of them might affect endometrial receptivity. In contrast to the classical thinking of human endometrium as a sterile tissue, several recent studies have drawn attention to a resident population of microorganisms, which reaches only a 30% of concordance with those of the cervical-vaginal flora. Read More

Am J Reprod Immunol 2019 Jan 16;81(1):e13067. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Problem: Endometriosis (EM) is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease associated with an abnormal immunotolerant microenvironment. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that play a major role in immunosuppression in cancer, inflammation and other diseases. This paper aims to elucidate whether or not MDSCs are involved in regulating this microenvironment in EM and how this regulation occurs. Read More