To study the expression of Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) in endometrium of pregnant mice during the peri-implantation period and the role of DKK-1 during the embryo implantation in mice. Immunohistochemical technique was employed to determine the location of DKK-1 protein in endometrium, and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was utilized to determine the levels of DKK-1 mRNA. Our results showed that the expressions of DKK1 mRNA and protein were higher in experimental groups than in control group (P<0.01) and it increased significantly on day 3 and reached its peak on day 4, and then decreased gradually on day 5-7. The levels of DKK-1 mRNA and protein on day 4 was significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.01). It is concluded that DKK-1 probably plays an important role in signal transudation of embryo implantation and its high expression indicates the opening of implantation window.
Embryo Implantation/*genetics ; Endometrium/*metabolism ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/*biosynthesis ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger/genetics ; Transcription, Genetic

Objective To investigate the relative risk factors for early abortion among singleton pregnancies after assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 1636 singleton pregnancies, including 196 early abortion cases and 1195pregnancies with live birth after exclusion of those lost cases during follow-up, or complicated with uterine deformity, or oocyte receptor, or late abortion, or incomplete medical record, following in vitro fertilization(IVF)/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment and the risk factors of early abortion were investigated. The early abortion rate was also compared between fresh IVF/ICSI group and frozen embryo transfer (FET) group (n=386). Results Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that elder women (OR= 1. 143,95%CI: 1. 096-1. 196) and patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (OR = 4. 309,95 % CI : 2. 564-7.243) were risk factors of spontaneous early abortion,and high mean score of transferred embryos (MSTE) (OR = 0. 808, 95% CI: 0. 717-0. 912) and endometrial triple-lined pattern on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (OR=0. 431, 95% CI: 0. 243-0.764)were protective factors. Significant difference were found in the maternal age [(32.22±4. 10) yrs vs (30.28±3. 66) yrs],the duration of infertility [(5. 90±4.26) yrs vs (5.20 ± 3. 32) yrs], basal serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level [(6. 35 ±2.30) mIU/ml vs (5.95±2.12) mIU/ml], number of transferred embryos (2. 31±0. 51) vs (2. 18±0.49), serum estradiol level on the day of hCG administration [(2467. 1 ± 1588. 8) pg/ml vs (2934. 5 ±1785.2) pg/ml] and MSTE (7.03 ±1.35 vs 7.74 ± 1.25) between the abortion group and livebirth group (all P＜0. 05). The spontaneous abortion rate was higher in the FET group than in the fresh embryo transfer group [17. 36%(67/386) vs 13.02% (213/1636), χ2 =4. 296, P=0. 023].Conclusions Women at elder age, or with long duration of infertility, high basal FSH level,polycystic ovarian syndrome, low MSTE, non-triple-lined pattern of endometrium on the day of hCG administration are at risk of spontaneous early abortion in pregnancies after ART. The rate of spontaneous abortion is higher in FET group than in fresh IVF/ICSI group.

To study the expression of Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) in endometrium of pregnant mice during the peri-implantation period and the role of DKK-1 during the embryo implantation in mice. Immunohistochemical technique was employed to determine the location of DKK-1 protein in endometrium, and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was utilized to determine the levels of DKK-1 mRNA. Our results showed that the expressions of DKK1 mRNA and protein were higher in experimental groups than in control group (P<0.01) and it increased significantly on day 3 and reached its peak on day 4, and then decreased gradually on day 5-7. The levels of DKK-1 mRNA and protein on day 4 was significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.01). It is concluded that DKK-1 probably plays an important role in signal transudation of embryo implantation and its high expression indicates the opening of implantation window.
Animals ; Embryo Implantation ; genetics ; Endometrium ; metabolism ; Female ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of domestic human recombinant FSH (rhFSH) in women with anovulation of WHO groupⅡ. Methods A randomized, blind, parallel-controlled, non-inferiority and multicenter study was performed. A total of 534 admitted to 13 hospitals from May 2008 to August 2009. There were 531 women with ovulatory disorder was included in the statistical analysis, were randomly divided into test group (domestic rhFSH, n=352) and control group (imported rhFSH, n=179). Percentage of cycle with mature follicle, ovulation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, multiple pregnancy rate, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and adverse events were observed. Results No statistical significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between the two groups in terms of the efficiency on mature follicle [91.8%(323/352) versus 88.8%(159/179)], ovulation rate [91.3%(295/323) verus 90.6%(144/159)], clinical pregnancy rate [19.2%(62/323) verus 18.2%(29/159)], the number of the follicles<14 mm, the level of serum LH and progesterone, the thickness of endometrium on the day of hCG administration. The number of follicle≥18 mm and 14 mm≤follicle<18 mm and the level of serum estradiol on the day of hCG in the test group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The number of days of rhFSH administration in the test group was significantly less than that in the control group [(9.8±2.2) versus (11.4± 0.6) days, P<0.05], the dosage of rhFSH was significantly lower than that in the control group [(879 ± 419) versus (1 043 ± 663) U, P<0.05]. The multiple pregnancy rate in the test group was significantly higher than that in the control group [21% (13/62) versu 10% (3/29), P<0.05]. The incidence of OHSS and adverse events were similar between the two groups (P>0.05), and no other adverse events were observed in test group during treatment. Conclusion Ovarian stimulation with domestic rhFSH is effective, safe and economical in women with anovulation of WHO groupⅡ.

Summary: In order to compare GnRH agonist with antagonist protocol for the same patient during controlled ovarian stimulation cycles, the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcome was retrospectively studied in 81 patients undergoing 105 agonist protocols and 88 antagonist protocols. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in duration of ovarian stimulation, number of ampoules, oocytes retrieved, serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels,thickness of endometrium, the zygote-and blastocyst-developmcnt rate between GnRH agonist and antagonist protocols (P>0.05). High quality embryo rate was higher in antagonist protocols, but there was no significant difference between two protocols. Implantation rate and clinical pregnant rate were significantly higher in antagonist protocol (15.82% and 30.26%, respectively) than in agonist protocol (5.26% and 10.64% respectively (P<0.05). It was concluded GnRH antagonist protocol probably improved the outcome of pregnancy of older patients with a history of multiple failure of IVF-ET in a GnRH protocol.

The increased levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in granulosa cells (GCs) may affect the pregnancy results in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this study, we compared the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) results of 22 patients with PCOS and 25 patients with tubal factor infertility and detected the ROS levels in the GCs of these two groups. Results showed that the PCOS group had significantly larger follicles on the administration day for human chorionic gonadotropin than the tubal factor group (P < 0.05); however, the number of retrieved oocytes was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). PCOS group had slightly lower fertilization, cleavage, grade I/II embryo, clinical pregnancy, and implantation rates and higher miscarriage rate than the tubal factor group (P > 0.05). We further found a significantly higher ROS level of GCs in the PCOS group than in the tubal factor group (P < 0.05). The increased ROS levels in GCs caused GC apoptosis, whereas NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) specific inhibitors (diphenyleneiodonium and apocynin) significantly reduced the ROS production in the PCOS group. In conclusion, the increased ROS expression levels in PCOS GCs greatly induced cell apoptosis, which further affected the oocyte quality and reduced the positive IVF-ET pregnancy results of women with PCOS. NADPH oxidase pathway may be involved in the mechanism of ROS production in GCs of women with PCOS.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; epidemiology ; Acetophenones ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Granulosa Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; NADPH Oxidases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Onium Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oxidative Stress ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism