Genes invoked in the ovarian transition to menopause

Menopause and the associated declines in ovarian function are major health issues for women. Despite the widespread health impact of this process, the molecular mechanisms underlying the aging-specific decline in ovarian function are almost completely unknown. To provide the first gene–protein analysis of the ovarian transition to menopause, we have established and contrasted RNA gene expression profiles and protein localization and content patterns in healthy young and perimenopausal mouse ovaries. We report a clear distinction in specific mRNA and protein levels that are noted prior to molecular evidence of steroidogenic failure. In this model, ovarian reproductive aging displays similarities with chronic inflammation and increased sensitivity to environmental cues. Overall, our results indicate the presence of mouse climacteric genes that are likely to be major players in aging-dependent changes in ovarian function

Risk of death in pregnancy achieved through oocyte donation in patients with Turner syndrome: A national survey

Objective: To determine the risk of death in pregnant women with Turner syndrome who were treated with oocyte donation, and to ascertain the prevalence of preconception cardiac screening in these patients. Design: Survey and literature review. Setting: Academic infertility center. Participant(s): All 258 donor-egg programs in the 1997 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates publication from the Society for Artificial Reproductive Technology were surveyed by fax or telephone. Main Outcome Measure(s): Death in pregnancy conceived through oocyte donation and proportion of patients prescreened with echocardiography. Result(s): One hundred thirty-four (52%) programs reported 146 Turner patients treated, resulting in 101 pregnancies. One patient died from aortic rupture while awaiting treatment; 72 (49.3%) patients were pre-screened with echocardiography. No deaths in pregnancy were reported. A literature review identified four case reports of Turner patients who died during pregnancy in the United States during the same time period. Conclusion(s): The maternal risk of death from rupture or dissection of the aorta in pregnancy may be 2% or higher. Patients with Turner syndrome have not been adequately screened with echocardiography before treatment. Specialists who treat patients with Turner syndrome need to be aware of their cardiac risk and its potential exacerbation from the increased cardiac demands of pregnancy. © 2003 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Embryo donation: Survey of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) patients and randomized trial of complimentary counseling.

DesignThis study surveyed patients with stored frozen embryos and developed and tested an intervention through a randomized trial to support subjects to consider embryo disposition options (EDOs), especially donation for family building.MethodsBased on a review of literature on EDOs, the authors developed and mailed a 2-page anonymous survey to 1,053 patients in Massachusetts (USA) to elicit their feelings about their stored embryos. Target patients had embryos cryopreserved for ≥1 year and had not indicated an EDO. Survey respondents were next randomized between usual care (control arm) or an offer of complimentary counseling and educational support regarding EDOs. These counseling sessions were conducted by a licensed mental health professional specializing in infertility treatment.ResultsDespite telephone reminders, only 21.3% of patients responded, likely reflecting most patients' reluctance to address EDOs. Respondents endorsed an average of 2 of the 5 EDOs, with the following percentages supporting each option: store for future attempts (82%), continue storage (79%), donate to research (29%), discard (14%), and donate for family building (13%). When asked their opinions towards embryo donation to another couple, 78% of patients agreed that donation is a way to help another couple, 48% would consider embryo donation to another family if they had a better understanding of the process, and 38% would be willing to consider donation if they were not going to use the embryos themselves, but 73% expressed discomfort with donation. In the randomized trial, 7.8% of intervention subjects (n = 8) obtained counseling sessions compared to 0.0% (none) of usual care subjects (p = 0.0069). Counseling participants valued not only discussing EDOs, but also assistance in expressing their feelings and differences with their partners.ConclusionImprovement in counseling rates over the control arm suggests that free professional counseling is a small, but likely effective, step towards deciding on an EDO. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01883934 (Frozen embryo donation study)

doi:10.1093/nar/gkl387 Genes invoked in the ovarian transition to menopause

Menopause and the associated declines in ovarian function are major health issues for women. Despite the widespread health impact of this process, the molecular mechanisms underlying the agingspecific decline in ovarian function are almost completely unknown. To provide the first gene– protein analysis of the ovarian transition to menopause, we have established and contrasted RNA gene expression profiles and protein localization and content patterns in healthy young and perimenopausal mouse ovaries. We report a clear distinction in specific mRNA and protein levels that are noted prior to molecular evidence of steroidogenic failure. In this model, ovarian reproductive aging displays similarities with chronic inflammation and increased sensitivity to environmental cues. Overall, our results indicate the presence of mouse climacteric genes that are likely to be major players in aging-dependent changes in ovarian function

DNA array to confirm differential gene expression in young and old ovaries

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Genes invoked in the ovarian transition to menopause"</p><p>Nucleic Acids Research 2006;34(11):3279-3287.</p><p>Published online 28 Jun 2006</p><p>PMCID:PMC1904106.</p><p>© 2006 The Author(s)</p> Identical DNA array membranes containing probes for 440 aging-related mouse genes were probed with individual P-labeled cDNA libraries prepared from () young and () aged ovaries. Lower panels of () and () show an enlargement of the framed membrane portions in the upper panels. Matrix overlay maps the position of the nucleotides for each gene. Positions 62, Leptin; 79, CD36 antigen; 117, unknown EST are examples of decreased levels with aging. Positions 58, peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-a; 105, transcription factor NFκB are examples of increased levels with aging

Western blots of total protein lysates from young and old mouse ovaries

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Genes invoked in the ovarian transition to menopause"</p><p>Nucleic Acids Research 2006;34(11):3279-3287.</p><p>Published online 28 Jun 2006</p><p>PMCID:PMC1904106.</p><p>© 2006 The Author(s)</p> () Proteins with reduced content in old (o) ovaries compared with young ovaries (y); () proteins with higher level in young ovaries; and () no change in protein content. Proteins were visualized with protein-specific antibodies as indicated at the left of the panels. The size (kDa) of the protein marker is indicated at the right of the panels. All lanes received 100 μg of total ovarian lysate. The immunological reactions are visualized by HSP-coupled secondary antibodies

Association of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis with HLA-DQB1*0201

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-05-05T13:28:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Secor EW Association of hepatosplenic....pdf: 443600 bytes, checksum: 4b7ba0a77a08655d1a252b70e4bf21e2 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-05T13:28:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Secor EW Association of hepatosplenic....pdf: 443600 bytes, checksum: 4b7ba0a77a08655d1a252b70e4bf21e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1996Harvard School of Public Health. Department of Tropical Public Health. Boston, MassachusettsHarvard School of Public Health. Department of Tropical Public Health. Boston, MassachusettsFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Hospital Roberto Santos. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Hospital Roberto Santos. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilDepartment of Medical Zoology. Saitama Medical School. Saitama, JapanDepartment of Medical Zoology. Saitama Medical School. Saitama, JapanDepartment of Medical Zoology. Saitama Medical School. Saitama, JapanDepartment of Medical Zoology. Saitama Medical School. Saitama, JapanMajor histocompatibility class II alleles of 351 persons living in an area endemic for Schistosoma mansoni in northeastern Brazil were characterized at three loci (DRBl, DQAl, and DQBl). Contingency analyses were used to compare allele frequencies witfihigh egg excretion, proliferative response to schistosome soluble egg antigens (SEA), and occurrence of severe, biopsy-confirmed hepatosplenic disease. There were no associations of HLA-DR or DQ with egg excretion. Patients positive for DRBl*Ol, DQAl*0101, or DQBl*0501 were less likely to respond to SEA than was the overall study population. However, using stringent Bonferroni correction (multiplying P values by the number of alleles tested; P X 35), none of these associations with SEA responsiveness remained significant. Hepatosplenic disease was less likely in patients positive for DRBI*11 and was more likely in patients positive for DRBl*07 or DQBl*0201. However, only the DQBl*0201 association remained significant (odds ratio = 3.72; P < .005) following Bonferroni correction