laparoscopic-oocyte-retrieval-cryopreservation-during-vaginoplasty

Laparoscopic Oocyte Retrieval and Cryopreservation during Vaginoplasty for Treatment of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome

In Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKHS) patients who are scheduled for laparoscopic vaginoplasty and have a desire for biological motherhood, ...

IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute

Uterine fibroids are the most common gynecologic benign tumors. Studies supporting a strong pregnancy-related growth of leiomyomas generally claimed a crucial role of sex steroid hormones. However, sex steroids are unlikely the unique actors involved as estrogen and progesterone achieve a pick serum concentration in the last trimester while leiomyomas show a typical increase during the first trimester. Given the rapid exponential raise in serum human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) at the beginning of gestation, we conducted a review to assess the potential role of hCG in the striking growth of leiomyomas during initial pregnancy. Fibroid growth during initial pregnancy seems to correlate to the similar increase of serum hCG levels until 12 weeks of gestation. The presence of functional Luteinizing Hormone/human Chorionic Gonadotropin (LH/hCG) receptors was demonstrated on leiomyomas. In vitro treatment of leiomyoma cells with hCG determines an up to 500% increase in cell number after three days. Expression of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 was significantly increased in leiomyoma cells by hCG treatment. Moreover, upon binding to the receptor, hCG stimulates prolactin secretion in leiomyoma cells, promoting cell proliferation via the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. Fibroid enlargement during initial pregnancy may be regulated by serum hCG.

Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin as a Possible Mediator of Leiomyoma Growth during Pregnancy: Molecular Mechanisms.

Growing evidence supports a role of vitamin D (VD) in reproductive health. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is expressed in the ovary, endometrium, and myometrium. The biological actions of VD in fertility and reproductive tissues have been investigated but mainly using animal models. Conversely, the molecular data addressing the mechanisms underlying VD action in the physiologic endometrium and in endometrial pathologies are still scant. Levels of VDR expression according to the menstrual cycle are yet to be definitively clarified, possibly being lower in the proliferative compared to the secretory phase and in mid-secretory compared to early secretory phase. Endometrial tissue also expresses the enzymes involved in the metabolism of VD. The potential anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of VD for the treatment of endometriosis have been investigated in recent years. Treatment of ectopic endometrial cells with 1,25(OH)₂D₃ could significantly reduce cytokine-mediated inflammatory responses. An alteration of VD metabolism in terms of increased 24-hydroxylase mRNA and protein expression has been demonstrated in endometrial cancer, albeit not consistently. The effect of the active form of the vitamin as an anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and differentiation-inducing agent has been demonstrated in various endometrial cancer cell lines.

Vitamin D and Endometrium: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Area of Research.

To characterize in depth and investigate the role of exosomes present in seminal plasma in affecting parameters underlying sperm activity.

Seminal plasma of men with severe asthenozoospermia contain exosomes that affect spermatozoa motility and capacitation.

Are there differences in the proteomic profile of exosomes isolated from seminal plasma of normozoospermic (NSP) and severe asthenozoospermic (SA) men, potentially contributing to sperm features?

Proteomic analysis reveals the negative modulator of sperm function glycodelin as over-represented in semen exosomes isolated from asthenozoospermic patients.

Corrigendum. Proteomic analysis reveals the negative modulator of sperm function glycodelin as over-represented in semen exosomes isolated from asthenozoospermic patients.

The prolonged culture of embryos to the blastocyst stage represents an increasing procedure in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) laboratories. Generally, only blastocysts developing on Day 5 and Day 6 are considered suitable embryos for transfer, cryopreservation or biopsy while embryos developed at a slower rate after Day 6 are routinely discarded. However, also blastocysts developing on Day 7 can be viable and result in a healthy live birth. Unfortunately, data regarding the clinical outcomes of Day 7 blastocysts compared to blastocysts developing on Day 5 or Day 6 are controversial. In this systematic review and aggregate data meta-analysis, we aim to evaluate the real reproductive potential of delayed blastocysts on Day 7 in frozen cycles.

Busting the myth of extended blastocyst culture until Day 7: Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the reproductive competence of blastocysts developed on day 7 compared with blastocysts developed on day 5/6. A systematic search was carried out to select relevant studies published before January 2020. Ten retrospective observational cohort studies were included. The primary outcome was the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR). Secondary outcomes were live birth rate (LBR), euploid rate, and survival rates after thawing. Frozen-thawed day 7 blastocyst transfer was associated with a significant reduction in CPR compared to day 5/6 (OR 0.36 95% CI 0.21 to 0.62, p = 0.0002, I = 71% and OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.58, p < 0.0001, I = 17% respectively). A significantly lower proportion of LBR was found comparing blastocysts transfers in day 7 to those in day 5/6 (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.16-0.27, p < 0.0001, I = 0% and OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.26-0.45, p < 0.0001, I = 0% respectively). These findings were confirmed in a subgroup of Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A)-screened blastocysts. Blastocysts biopsied in day 7 was associated with a significant decrease of euploid rate compared with day 5/6 (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.39-0.57, p < 0.0001, I = 69% and OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.61-0.75, p < 0.0001, I = 19% respectively). The survival rate after thawing was not statistically different. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. This study shows an association between delayed blastulation and a poorer prognosis in terms of euploid rate and pregnancy outcomes following frozen-thawed transfers. On the other hand, the results do not support the discharge of slow-blastulation embryos.

Clinical Outcomes Deriving from Transfer of Blastocysts Developed in Day 7: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Frozen-Thawed IVF Cycles.

Improving in vitro fertilization success is an unmet need. Observational studies have suggested that women with deficient or insufficient vitamin D have lower chances of in vitro fertilization success, but whether supplementation improves clinical pregnancy rate remains unclear.

Single oral dose of vitamin D supplementation prior to in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in normal weight women: the SUNDRO randomized controlled trial.

Embryo fragmentation represents a phenomenon generally characterized by the presence of membrane-bound extracellular cytoplasm into the perivitelline space. Recent evidence supports the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of embryo fragments. In this narrative review, we described the different embryo fragment-like cellular structures in their morphology, molecular content, and supposed function and have reported the proposed theories on their origin over the years. We identified articles related to characterization of embryo fragmentation with a specific literature search string. The occurrence of embryo fragmentation has been related to various mechanisms, of which the most studied are apoptotic cell death, membrane compartmentalization of altered DNA, cytoskeletal disorders, and vesicle formation. These phenomena are thought to result in the extrusion of entire blastomeres, release of apoptotic bodies and other vesicles, and micronuclei formation. Different patterns of fragmentation may have different etiologies and effects on embryo competence. Removal of fragments from the embryo before embryo transfer with the aim to improve implantation potential should be reconsidered on the basis of the present observations.

Cellular and Molecular Nature of Fragmentation of Human Embryos.

With the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine up-take, doubts regarding the impact of immunization on future fertility have begun to emerge. We have examined vaccine safety on male reproductive health. We set up a multicentre (three infertility centers), retrospective study in order to assess semen parameters and fertilization rate of one hundred-six men in a pairwise comparison between the first and second assisted reproduction technology (ART) attempt, performed respectively before and after COVID-19 vaccination. Median time (range) between the first vaccine dose and the second ART cycle was 75 days (39-112). Semen parameters did not change before and after the exposure. Fertilization rate was also similar before and after vaccination. Twenty-five patients (24%) were oligozoospermic before the vaccination while 26 (25%) after the exposure ( = 0.87). Severe asthenozoospermia were present in 11 patients before as well as after the exposure. No difference was observed even after considering different types of vaccines (mRNA or viral vector). COVID-19 vaccination did not affect sperm quality and fertilization capacity of men undergoing ART treatments and should be considered safe for men's reproductive health.

COVID-19 Vaccination Does Not Affect Reproductive Health Parameters in Men.

Is oral Vitamin D supplementation able to modify the intrauterine milieu in terms of cytokine/chemokine pattern?

Article	Year
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin as a Possible Mediator of Leiomyoma Growth during Pregnancy: Molecular Mechanisms. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 28930160	2017
Vitamin D and Endometrium: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Area of Research. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 30096760	2018
Seminal plasma of men with severe asthenozoospermia contain exosomes that affect spermatozoa motility and capacitation. Fertility and sterility\| PubMed ID: 31029245	2019
Proteomic analysis reveals the negative modulator of sperm function glycodelin as over-represented in semen exosomes isolated from asthenozoospermic patients. Human reproduction (Oxford, England)\| PubMed ID: 31355853	2019
Corrigendum. Proteomic analysis reveals the negative modulator of sperm function glycodelin as over-represented in semen exosomes isolated from asthenozoospermic patients. Human reproduction (Oxford, England)\| PubMed ID: 31633152	2019
Busting the myth of extended blastocyst culture until Day 7: Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine\| PubMed ID: 32000395	2020
Clinical Outcomes Deriving from Transfer of Blastocysts Developed in Day 7: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Frozen-Thawed IVF Cycles. Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)\| PubMed ID: 33449349	2022
Single oral dose of vitamin D supplementation prior to in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in normal weight women: the SUNDRO randomized controlled trial. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology\| PubMed ID: 33894153	2021
Cellular and Molecular Nature of Fragmentation of Human Embryos. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 35163271	2022
COVID-19 Vaccination Does Not Affect Reproductive Health Parameters in Men. Frontiers in public health\| PubMed ID: 35186854	2022
Uterine fluid cytokine/chemokine levels of women undergoing ART with and without oral Vitamin D supplementation. Human reproduction open\| PubMed ID: 35475146	2022

Greta Chiara Cermisoni

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