[SKEWED X-CHROMOSOME INACTIVATION IN HUMAN MISCARRIAGES].

Sex ratio in first trimester of pregnancy is skewed due to preferential elimination of female embryos. It could be resulted from aberrant X-chromosome inactivation. X-chromosome inactivation was analyzed in extraembryonic tissues of miscarriages and induced abortions with 46, XX karyotype. In chorion cytotrophoblast of both miscarriages and induced abortions observed either random or skewed X-chromosome inactivation. In extraembryonic mesoderm of the control group, random inactivation was observed, whereas 15% of miscarriages had skewed X-chromosome inactivation. The highest frequency of skewed inactivation of one of the parental homologues was observed in the groups of blighted ovum pregnancy and embryos from women with recurrent pregnancy loss. It was suggested that in these cases compartmentalization of cells in the blastocyst probably leads to predominance of cell with mutant active X-chromosome among the cells of inner cell mass carrying the aberrations that are incompatible with normal embryonic development.

[Severe adverse events from treatment with genetically engineered biological agents in patients with rheumatic diseases].

AIM: To assess the risk of severe adverse events (AEs) within 6 months after treatment with biological agents in patients with rheumatic diseases (RD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The 6-month open-label trial included 107 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other RDs who received genetically engineered biological agents (GEBAs), primarily rituximab (n = 66) and infliximab (n = 31). RESULTS: The majority of patients were noted to have improvements, including complete and partial remission in 62 (57.9%) and 42 (39.3%), respectively. There were mild or moderate AEs in 22 (20.6%) of the 107 patients, severe AEs in 6 (5.6%): grade IV neutropenia in 2 patients (after the use of rituximab), severe infusion reactions in 2 (after the administration of infliximab and rituximab), and systemic infections in 2 (fatal nocardial sepsis after rituximab treatment and unspecified sepsis after infliximab treatment). CONCLUSION: The rate of serious AEs, mainly infusion AEs and infections during treatment with infliximab, rituximab, and other GEBAs proved to be relatively low in patients with different RDs. At the same time, the use of biological agents could lower RD activity in the presence of severe visceral injuries refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.