Comparative evaluation of NOTCH signaling molecules in the endometrium of women with various gynecological diseases during the window of implantation

Objective(s): NOTCH signaling pathway is well known for its role in cell fate, cell survival, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. Some of the NOTCH signaling genes are critical for endometrial function and implantation in animals and appear to play a similar role in humans. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the potential roles of some main components of the NOTCH family in human endometrium during implantation period in common gynecological diseases. Materials and Methods: Endometrial NOTCH receptors NOTCH1, 3, 4 and ligand JAG1, 2 and survivin mRNA expression were investigated using the Q-PCR technique and the amount of the JAG1, 2 proteins was also determined by Western blot. Samples were obtained from 12 patients with endometriosis, 12 patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF), 12 patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and 10 healthy fertile women as a control group. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Group comparisons were performed by one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis. Results: All patient groups failed to show the expected mid-luteal increase in NOTCH1, JAG 1, 2, and survivin expression as documented in the control group. Moreover, a significant rise in NOTCH3 expression levels was found only in PCOS women. There was a direct correlation between gene expression and protein level for JAG 1, 2. Conclusion: Aberrant NOTCH signaling molecules expression suggests that altered development of the endometrium at the molecular level may be associated with the impaired decidualization and implantation failure in gynecological disorders such as endometriosis, PCOS, and RIF. © 2019, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Evaluating endometrial thickness and vascular ultrasound pattern and pregnancy outcomes in intrauterine insemination cycle

The current study aims to investigate whether endometrial thickness and pattern, and blood flow in color Doppler of sonography on the day of administration is a predictor of intrauterine insemination (IUI) success. The study was designed as a cross-sectional prospective clinical study with one-hundred women undergoing an IUI cycle. Interventions of the study include endometrial thickness and pattern and color Doppler flow on the day of administration and cycle parameters were compared between pregnant and non-pregnant patients. Main outcome measures are endometrial thickness and patterns and blood flow in color Doppler. The results showed that the overall pregnancy rate was 38, which mean that endometrial blood flow on the day of administration was significantly greater in cycles, pregnancy achieved, but endometrial thickness and pattern of sonography were found to have no predictive value on endometrial receptivity. In multi-variant analysis, the following variable affected the pregnancy rate: the women�s age, duration of infertility, type, number of IUI cycle, the number of ampules to stimulate dominant follicle, sperm count. In our study, this variability was found to have no predictive value on the outcome of IUI but endometrial flow in color Doppler was positively associated pregnancy outcome. © 2016 Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Health Care. All rights reserved