Detailed investigation of downstream TLR signaling in the follicular cells of women with endometriosis

Background: Inflammatory responses within the peritoneal cavity may result in endometrial dysfunction in women with endometriosis. The true causes of this disease remain poorly understood. It is hypothesized that downstream toll-like receptors (TLRs) inflammatory cytokines in response to pathogens may be associated with endometriosis. So, this study was aimed at evaluating the expression of TLRs signaling and endometriosis-associated inflammatory responses. Methods: Totally, 20 infertile endometriosis patients and 20 normal women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation were enrolled. The cellular pellet and supernatant were obtained by centrifugation of follicular fluid (FF). Evaluation of TLRs and their signaling pathway gene expression was performed on cellular pellets using quantitative-PCR. The supernatant was used for determination of cytokine protein expression by ELISA. The results are expressed as mean±SEM and a p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Quantitative-PCR analysis suggested that TLR1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, MYD88, NF-ĸB, IL-10 and TGF-β genes expression significantly increased in patients compared to the control group (p<0.05). TLR3, 9, INF-β genes expression was significantly lower in endometriosis than control group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of TLR2, TLR4, TIRAP, TRIF, TRAM, and IRF3 between two groups. Also, significant increase in the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and MIF protein in FF of endometriosis group was detected in comparison with normal women (p<0.05). Conclusion: The expression of TLR downstream signaling in the follicular cells can initiate inflammatory responses and changes in the FF cytokine profile which in turn may induce endometriosis and infertility disorder. © 2020 Avicenna Research Institute. All rights reserved

Prevalence of microalbuminuria and its risk factors in type 2 diabetic patients

A cross-sectional study was performed from November 2005 to July 2007 to determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria and its risk factors among type 2 diabetic patients.. Two hundred and eighty-eight type 2 diabetic patients (141 males and 147 females) referred to Yazd diabetes research center were randomly recruited for the study. Microalbuminuria was detected by measuring the albumin to creatinine ratio in the early morning urine. Microalbuminuria was diagnosed if this ratio was between 30 and 300 mg/g on two occasions during three months. Prevalence of microalbuminuria was 14.2%. Chi-square analysis revealed that microalbuminuria was correlated with the diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.003) and the duration of diabetes (P = 0.000). No statistically significant correlation was found between microalbuminuria and age, sex, body mass index, levels of fasting blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum triglyceride, and serum cholesterol, or systolic blood pressure. For 240 patients for whom the duration of diabetes was known from the answers in their questionnaires, logistic regression was used for analysis. Results showed that two variables including the duration of diabetes and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) play a role in this model and the following Logic association was obtained: g^ (x) = -9.233 ± 0.079 DBP ± 0.114 duration according to this model, both DBP and duration of diabetes were directly correlated with microalbuminuria. Determination of the urine albumin to creatinine ratio is an easy method for screening of microalbuminuria that is suggested for all diabetic patients, especially diabetic patients with hypertension and long-term diabetes

The effects of superovulation with gonadotropins on autoantibody levels in patients undergoing assisted reproductive cycles

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) with gonadotropins on the serum levels of autoantibodies in the women who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles and to compare basal levels of these autoantibodies between groups according to history of COH. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed from October 2014 to March 2016 in the Royan Institute. The volunteered infertile women with regard to the inclusion criteria, who underwent IVF/ICSI cycles, were recruited. The COH was performed according to standard long GnRH agonist protocol. The mean levels of the autoantibodies including anti-nuclear, anti-smooth muscle, anti-ovarian, anti-mitochondrial, anti β2-glycoprotein I, anti-parietal cell and anti-follicle-stimulating hormone antibodies were measured at three time points: on the 3�5 days of the menstrual cycle, 1 week after starting of COH and the ovum pick-up (OPU) day. Results: Of all participants (n = 189), 73 women had history of COH (group B) and 116 women did not have such history (group A). The analysis indicated that the autoantibodies changes during COH were similar in both groups. COH has no significant impact on the level of autoantibodies during the stimulation cycle. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the serum levels of anti-smooth muscle antibody on OPU day was the positive predictive factors for live birth following ART cycles in the studied population. Conclusion: No significant effect of COH on the studied autoantibodies by the time of OPU was found but further studies are required to interpret these results. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

The effects of superovulation with gonadotropins on autoantibody levels in patients undergoing assisted reproductive cycles

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) with gonadotropins on the serum levels of autoantibodies in the women who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles and to compare basal levels of these autoantibodies between groups according to history of COH. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed from October 2014 to March 2016 in the Royan Institute. The volunteered infertile women with regard to the inclusion criteria, who underwent IVF/ICSI cycles, were recruited. The COH was performed according to standard long GnRH agonist protocol. The mean levels of the autoantibodies including anti-nuclear, anti-smooth muscle, anti-ovarian, anti-mitochondrial, anti β2-glycoprotein I, anti-parietal cell and anti-follicle-stimulating hormone antibodies were measured at three time points: on the 3�5 days of the menstrual cycle, 1 week after starting of COH and the ovum pick-up (OPU) day. Results: Of all participants (n = 189), 73 women had history of COH (group B) and 116 women did not have such history (group A). The analysis indicated that the autoantibodies changes during COH were similar in both groups. COH has no significant impact on the level of autoantibodies during the stimulation cycle. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the serum levels of anti-smooth muscle antibody on OPU day was the positive predictive factors for live birth following ART cycles in the studied population. Conclusion: No significant effect of COH on the studied autoantibodies by the time of OPU was found but further studies are required to interpret these results. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature