A self-gelling hydrogel based on thiolated hyaluronic acid for three-dimensional culture of ovine preantral follicles.

Three-dimensional (3D) ovarian follicle culture offers a promising option for fertility preservation in patients who cannot receive ovarian tissue transplantation. Our research evaluated the potential of a hydrogel composed of thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) for ovine preantral follicle development compared to routinely used alginate hydrogel (ALG). Synthesized via a carbodiimide reaction, HA-SH facilitated a self-crosslinking hydrogel through disulfide bond formation. Ovine preantral follicles (200-300 µm) retrieved through mechanical and enzymatic methods were encapsulated individually in either ALG or HA-SH hydrogels. Although both hydrogels adequately supported follicle survival, 3D integrity, and antrum formation over a 17-day in vitro culture, follicle growth was significantly higher within the HA-SH hydrogel. Gene expression analysis underscored that some folliculogenesis-related genes (ZP3, BMP7, and GJA1) and a steroidogenic gene (CYP19A1) demonstrated higher expression levels in HA-SH encapsulated follicles versus ALG. Collectively, our findings advocate for HA-SH hydrogel as a potent biomaterial for in vitro follicle cultures, attributing its efficacy to facile gelation, bio-responsiveness, and superior support for follicle growth.

Correction to: Lack of relationship between PTEN 32-bp and TP53 16-bp Ins/Del polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s13337-017-0391-7.].

Lack of relationship between PTEN 32-bp and TP53 16-bp Ins/Del polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

TP53 and phosphate and tension homolog (PTEN) are two tumor suppressor genes that regulate cell proliferation, migration, and death. P53 and PTEN deficiency has been associated with hepatic fibrosis, a prominent pathological feature associated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The present study is aimed to assess the association of PTEN 32-bp Ins/Del (rs34421660) and TP53 16-bp Ins/Del polymorphisms with CHB infection susceptibility. A total of 411 subjects were recruited in this case-control study of 213 patients with CHB infection and 198 healthy individuals as controls. PTEN and TP53 deletions were detected by polymerase chain reaction method. We found no significant association between PTEN 32-bp Ins/Del polymorphism and the risk for CHB using either of codominant (Ins/Del vs. Ins/Ins: P = 0.427; Del/Del vs. Ins/Ins: P = 0.235), dominant (Ins/Del + Del/Del vs. Ins/Ins P = 0.343) or recessive genetic model (Del/Del vs. Ins/Ins + Ins/Del: P = 0.516). At allelic level although the PTEN Del variant allele was more common in CHB patients compared to controls (55 vs. 51), but the difference did not reach the statistical significant range (OR 0.87, P = 0.327). Similarly, no association was observed between TP53 16-bp Ins/Del and the risk for CHB infection at both genotype and allele levels (P > 0.05). In summary, our study demonstrated that the PTEN 32-bp and TP53 16-bp Ins/Del polymorphisms did not affect the risk of CHB infection in the Iranian population.