Improvement of abnormal cervical cytology possibly due to a graft-versus-tumor effect: A case report and literature review.

The cervical cytology of our patient transformed from squamous cell carcinoma to negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy, possibly due to the graft-versus-tumor effect following allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Differential expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in the rat ovary.

We investigated the expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and its receptors in the rat ovary to define the role of HB-EGF in the ovarian function. The expression pattern of HB-EGF mRNA and protein were studied by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immuno-histochemistry using an antibody that was specifically stained for the precursor form of HB-EGF in naturally cycling rats and immature pseudo-pregnant rat models. The immuno-histochemical study showed that in naturally cycling rats, HB-EGF was expressed in most granulosa cells of early follicles and all the developing follicles but not in preovulatory follicles. This was supported by the semi-quantitative RT-PCR results in that the lowest level of HB-EGF mRNA during the estrous cycle was found in the evening of proestrous when the HB-EGF negative preovulatory follicles were most prominent. The results suggest that HB-EGF might be a mitogen for granulosa cells and down regulation of its expression may be necessary for the final maturation of follicles. In corpora lutea, luteal cells of older generation stained stronger than those of younger generation. Moreover, luteal cells of late luteal phase stained stronger than those of the mid and early luteal phases in the immature pseudo-pregnant rat models, indicating that the precursor form may be associated with death of luteal cells. Finally, of the two cognate receptors for HB-EGF, erbB1 was expressed in the rat ovary, but erbB4 was specifically not expressed in this organ. The spatial and temporal pattern of HB-EGF expression suggest that HB-EGF may an important local regulator of ovarian function and structure.

The clinical usefulness of salivary progesterone measurement for the evaluation of the corpus luteum function.

The present study was designed to construct reliable daily salivary progesterone profiles throughout the luteal phase to accurately evaluate the corpus luteum function. Furthermore, we investigated the clinical relevance of a simple midluteal salivary progesterone estimation for the diagnosis of luteal phase insufficiency by determining the diagnostic efficiency and cutoff values. A total of 121 women were divided into 3 groups; normal luteal function, luteal phase insufficiency and unclassified group, based on basal body temperature recordings and serum progesterone levels at 3 sampling points during the midluteal phase. Salivary progesterone values across the luteal phase of the normal luteal function group were significantly increased from day 1 to day 4, remained constant from day 5 to day 9 (mean +/- SD, 318 +/- 170 pmol/l on day 5, 287 +/- 169 pmol/l on day 9; urinary LH surge = day 0) and decreased thereafter. Salivary progesterone concentrations in the luteal phase insufficiency group showed significantly lower values compared with those in the normal group between days 3 and 10. The cutoff values of 189 pmol/l in the midluteal phase yielded a sensitivity of 78.0% and a specificity of 76.5%. Our results suggest that daily salivary progesterone profiles during the luteal phase and a simple estimation of midluteal salivary progesterone appeared to be useful for the diagnosis of luteal phase defects.