Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells on the endometrial receptivity and implantation sites of the mouse uterus / 대한생식의학회지

Objective@#This research investigated the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on the implantation rate and embryo attachment in mice. @*Methods@#In this experimental study, a DNA fragment of the HCG gene was cloned into an expression vector, which was transfected into PBMCs. The concentration of the produced HCG was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Embryo attachment was investigated on the co-cultured endometrial cells and PBMCs in vitro. As an in vivo experiment, intrauterine administration of PBMCs was done in plaque-positive female mice. Studied mice were distributed into five groups: control, embryo implantation dysfunction (EID), EID with produced HCG, EID with PBMCs, and EID with HCG-producing PBMCs. Uterine horns were excised to characterize the number of implantation sites and pregnancy rate on day 7.5 post-coitum. During an implantation window, the mRNA expression of genes was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. @*Results@#DNA fragments were cloned between the BamHI and EcoRI sites in the vector. About 465 pg/mL of HCG was produced in the transfected PBMCs. The attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites were substantially higher in the HCG-producing PBMCs group than in the other groups. Significantly elevated expression of the target genes was observed in the EID with HCG-producing PBMCs group. @*Conclusion@#Alterations in gene expression following the intrauterine injection of HCG-producing PBMCs, could be considered a possible cause of increased embryo attachment rate, pregnancy rate, and the number of implantation sites.

Early postpartum metabolic syndrome in women with or without gestational diabetes: Results from Life after Gestational Diabetes Ahvaz cohort study.

AIMS: This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome and its potential risk factors, 6-12 weeks postpartum in women with GDM compared to women with normal glucose tolerance. METHODS: LAGAs is an ongoing population-based prospective cohort study that started in March 2015 in Ahvaz, Iran. During 11 months of study progression, 176 women with GDM pregnancy and 86 healthy women underwent a fasting glucose test, 75-g OGTT and fasting lipid tests at 6-12 weeks postpartum. GDM was defined based on IADPSG criteria. Postpartum glucose intolerance was defined according to ADA criteria and metabolic syndrome using 2 sets of criteria. RESULTS: The overall rate of metabolic syndrome at 6-12 weeks postpartum was 16% by NCEP-ATP III criteria (18.2% in women with GDM and 11.6% in controls) and 19.1% by IDF criteria (21% in women with gestational diabetes and 15.1% in controls). Pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity, (OR 1.89, 95% CI: 1.05-3.38, P = .03), pregnancy systolic blood pressure (OR 1.03, 95% CI: 1.008-1.52, P = .006) and requiring insulin or metformin (OR 3.08, 95% CI: 1.25-7.60, P = 0.01), were associated risk factors for the presence of MetS in GDM-exposed women. In women with normal glucose during pregnancy, pre-pregnancy BMI ≥25 kg/m2 was a risk factor of metabolic syndrome (OR 2.82, 95% CI: 1.11-7.15, P = .02). CONCLUSION: The rate of metabolic syndrome in women with or without GDM at 6-12 weeks postpartum is high particularly in women with high BMI. An early postpartum prevention and screening program for cardiovascular risk factors is important for women with GDM.