Increase In Progesterone Concentration Research Articles

#381 : Can Serum Progesterone Concentration Direct a Fresh or Freeze-All Transfer Strategy in the First In Vitro Fertilisation Cycle?

Background and Aims: The role of progesterone in preparing the endometrium for implantation and sustaining early pregnancy is well established in ART, however the role of serum progesterone measurement within cycles in determining the outcome of embryo transfer (ET) is not defined. This study aimed to examine the interaction between serum progesterone concentration on the day of HCG trigger and choice of freeze-all and fresh transfer strategies on live birth. Method: We retrospectively studied 26661 women (Chengdu Xinan Hospital) commencing their first IVF cycle using autologous gametes between January 2015 and September 2019. We excluded cycles where oocyte retrieval was cancelled or no embryos were available for transfer, cycles where fresh or frozen transfer was determined by patient preference, and when serum progesterone on day of HCG was [Formula: see text] 2.0 or [Formula: see text] 20 oocytes were collected. The primary outcome of interest was live birth after 28 weeks gestation following first ET and expressed as an odds ratio (OR). Results: The predicted odds of live birth were greater in the frozen ET group at all progesterone concentrations. The effect was more pronounced with progressive increase in progesterone concentration (Figure 1) and maintained in both unadjusted and adjusted models. For women >35 years (n=4687), a positive interaction between progesterone and treatment effect was present although the treatment effect curve was flattened (p for interaction = 0.01). Conclusion: In an unselected population undergoing IVF/ICSI, there is an increased chance of pregnancy with a freeze all ET strategy at different progesterone concentrations on HCG trigger day. The effect appears to be dose related with increasing magnitude of effect with rising progesterone concentration. This interaction was also observed in subsets of women with single ET and women > 35 years old, however the benefit of a freeze-all policy appears low in these women.

Impact of progesterone concentration on human chorionic gonadotropin trigger day on clinical outcomes with one top-quality cleavage-stage embryo or blastocyst transfer in fresh in vitro fertilization cycles.

To investigate the impact of the progesterone concentration on the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger day on clinical outcomes with an antagonist protocol. The retrospective cohort study included a total of 1,550 fresh autologous ART cycles with one top-quality embryo transfer. Multivariate regression analysis, curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis were performed. A significant association was found between the progesterone concentration and clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97; P = 0.0234), especially in blastocyst transfer (adjusted OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.39-0.78; P = 0.0008). The association between the progesterone concentration and the ongoing pregnancy rate was insignificant. The clinical pregnancy rate showed a linear relationship with an increased progesterone concentration in cleavage-stage embryo transfer. In blastocyst transfer, as the progesterone concentration increased, the clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates showed a parabolic reverse-U curve; the curve initially increased before declining at high progesterone concentrations. The clinical pregnancy rate increased with a progesterone concentration up to 0.80 ng/mL rather than tended to be stable. The clinical pregnancy rate significantly decreased when the progesterone concentration was ≥0.80 ng/mL. The progesterone concentration on the hCG trigger day exhibits a curvilinear relationship with pregnancy outcomes in blastocyst transfer cycles, and the optimal threshold of the progesterone concentration is 0.80 ng/mL.

Evaluation of treatment with deslorelin acetate to induce ovulation and secondary CL formation during the first two weeks of diestrus in mares

Induction of secondary ovulations during the first two weeks post-ovulation could increase progesterone concentrations in pregnant mares predisposed to pregnancy loss due to low progesterone concentrations, such as those carrying mule pregnancies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of deslorelin to induce follicular growth, ovulation and secondary CL formation in mares. Ten adult, healthy mares were used on several occasions for a total of 30 cycles. In the experimental group (n=24 cycles) the mares were treated with 600 μg of deslorelin acetate every 12 h for up to five days, starting when a follicle ≥19 mm was first detected by ultrasonography during diestrus. When the follicle reached 35 mm a bolus injection of 1.8 mg deslorelin was administered to induce ovulation. In the control group (n=6 cycles) the mares were treated with injectable water every 12 h for 5 days starting when a follicle ≥ 19 mm was first detected during diestrus. Daily ultrasonographic observations were continued until day 25 post-ovulation to determine the occurrence of ovulation and secondary CL formation during diestrus. In 19/24 (79%) of cycles treated with deslorelin a follicle grew to ≥ 35 mm, while in the control group it only did so in 1/6 (17%) cycles (p˂0.05). In the treatment group, 4/19 mares thatdeveloped large follicles ovulated and formed a secondary CL. These represented 21% of the mares that developed a large follicle and 17% of the total number of treated mares. No secondary diestrus ovulation occurred in the control cycles. A sustained increase in progesterone concentrations occurred in the cycles with secondary ovulations after treatment with deslorelin, suggesting continued progesterone production by both the primary and the secondary CL. In some of the mares that did not ovulate a sharp but transient increase in progesterone concentrations occurred after the administration of 1.8 mg deslorelin, possibly reflecting stimulation of the primary CL. It is concluded that deslorelin is effective to induce follicular growth up to a preovulatory size in diestrous mares. However, a low proportion of them ovulated and formed a secondary CL after the final injection of deslorelin, suggesting that another alternative, such as hCG administration should be tested to induce ovulation of the follicles stimulated by deslorelin during the first five days post-ovulation in mares. Acknowledgements: Project financed by PAPIIT project IN225923, DGAPA, UNAM, México.

Successful mule embryo transfer to a recipient mule during late diestrus

Mating between a donkey (Equus asinus) and a mare (Equus caballus) results in a mule foal, which is an infertile hybrid due to the different number of chromosomes in the parent species. However, mules have been successfully used as recipients of donkey embryos, horse embryos and, recently, mule embryos. In non-cyclic recipient mules, progesterone supplementation is needed to sustain pregnancy, but some mules can develop pre-ovulatory follicles which ovulate and form active CLs that produce enough progesterone to sustain pregnancy. In spite of this, it is possible that the induction of additional CL formation to increase progesterone concentrations prior to embryo transfer could increase the chances of successful pregnancy. In this study an 8-day old mule embryo produced by the insemination of a mare with fresh donkey semen was transferred to a cyclic mule that had been induced to form a secondary CL by the injection of 1.8mg of deslorelin acetate on day 8 post-ovulation, when a spontaneously developed follicle reached 38 mm of diameter. Progesterone concentrations at that time confirmed that the primary CL was active. Secondary ovulation occurred 2 days later and a secondary CLformed during the following days, resulting in a significant increase in blood progesterone concentrations. The 8-day old embryo was transferred nine days after the secondary ovulation (19 days after the primary ovulation), when both the primary and secondary CL were fully active as indicated by sustained progesterone concentrations and by their diameters of 37 and 35.5 mm, respectively. Pregnancy diagnosis was made 4 days after transfer of the embryo, that is, 23 days after the primary ovulation and 13 days after the secondary ovulation. At that time, the 12-day old embryo was within a 15mm embryonic vesicle. On days 55 and 58 of pregnancy two new supplementary CL formed spontaneously, reaching diameters of 36 and 29mm. This report of a successful mule-in-mule pregnancy using as a recipient a mule with both a primary and an artificially induced secondary CL suggests the possibility of improving the chances of successful pregnancy in recipient mules by increasing endogenous progesterone production through induction of secondary ovulations prior to embryo transfer. Acknowledgements. This study was supported by grant PAPIIT IN 223920, DGAPA-UNAM.

55 Investigating the Potential Benefits of an Immunostimulant (Mycobacterium Cell Wall Fraction) Treatment on Increased Pregnancy Success of Embryo Transfer Recipients

Abstract Modulating the vaginal and uterine microbiome through the use of immunostimulants has the potential to improve fertility in cattle. The object of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of an immunostimulant, mycobacterium cell wall fraction (MCWF), to increase pregnancy success of embryo transfer (ET) recipients. The three main objectives of this study were: determining if injecting ET recipient cows with MCWF increased proportion of cows with a corpus luteum (CL) on ET day, identifying differences in CL volume and progesterone concentration at the time of ET, and determining if ET recipients that received MCWF have greater pregnancy rate. A total of 926 beef cows at eight different locations were enrolled in this study. Primiparous and multiparous cattle were enrolled in a 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR estrous synchronization protocol. During this protocol, cows received an injection of GnRH (100-μg) at CIDR (controlled internal drug release) insertion [d -9], a prostaglandin F2α injection (25 mg), and CIDR removal [d-2] followed by another injection of GnRH (100 μg; d 0) within 60-66 hours after CIDR removal. At each location at (d 0), cows were sorted based on BCS and days post-partum and randomly assigned to one of two treatments: 1) MCWF- a single intramuscular injection (5 mL) of MCWF at (d 0; Amplimune, NovaVive Inc.; n = 452) or 2) Control- a single intramuscular injection (5 mL) of saline (n = 474). Seven days after (d 7), cows were examined by ultrasonography to determine if a CL was present. Recipient cows that had a CL received ET with a frozen or fresh in vivo or in vitro produced embryo in the ipsilateral uterine horn to the CL, with embryo type and grade balanced between treatments. Blood samples were collected in one location (n = 98) for analysis of plasma concentration of progesterone on (d 7) ET day. Pregnancy diagnosis was then performed by ultrasonography between 30 and 90 days of gestation. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX and MIXED procedures of SAS. Cow BCS and days postpartum were similar (P > 0.10) between treatments (5.5 ± 0.6 and 103 ± 14 days, respectively). Recipient cow utilization rate was similar between treatments (P = 0.49; 81.2 ± 0.42%). At the time of ET MCWF had larger CL than Control cows (5,768.6 ± 133.7 and 5,408.0 ± 128.5 mm3, respectively, P = 0.03). and increased progesterone concentration (2.68 ± 0.17 and 2.18 ± 0.14 ng/mL, respectively, P = 0.01). However, pregnancy rate to ET was similar (P = 0.922) between treatments (60.9 and 61.3 ± 0.05% for Control and MCWF, respectively). In conclusion, treatment of ET recipient cows with MCWF increased CL volume and concentration of progesterone at the time of ET but failed to generate greater pregnancy rates.

Effects of dietary theabrownins on production performance, egg quality, and ovarian function of laying hens with different ages

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of theabrownins (TB) on production performance, egg quality, and ovarian function of laying hens at different ages. A total of 240 Lohmann laying hens were assigned in a 2×2 factorial design, which encompassed 2 layers ages (47-wk-old and 67-wk-old) and 2 dietary levels of TB (0 and 100 mg/kg) for 12 wk. Results showed that older layers had lower laying rate, egg mass, and higher feed-to-egg ratio (F/E), egg weight and unqualified egg rate than the younger layers (P(AGE) < 0.01) during all the experimental period. The effect of TB was found to increase egg laying rate and feed efficiency during 5 to 8 wk, 9 to 12 wk and the overall phases and decreased unqualified egg rate during 1 to 4 wk and the overall phases (P(TB) ≤ 0.05). The eggshell quality (strength, thickness), albumen quality (albumen height and Haugh unit) of eggs from older layers were decreased during overall phases (P(AGE) ≤ 0.05). TB increased eggshell strength during all phases and enhanced eggshell thickness at the end of wk 4 and 8 and increased albumen height and Haugh unit at the end of wk 8 and 12 of older layers (P(Interaction) ≤ 0.05). In addition, TB also increased egg quality of older layers after 14 d storage. A decrease in the serum concentration of progesterone, melatonin, follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol was observed in the older compared to the younger ones (P(AGE) < 0.05), while the increase in serum concentration of progesterone, melatonin, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) were more emphasized when older hens received TB supplemented diet (P(Interaction) < 0.05). The older layer demonstrated lower the concentration of glutathione (GSH) (P(AGE) < 0.05). And the activity of glutathione-s-transferase (GST) was significantly decreased in layers under 67-wk-old (P(AGE) <0.05). The increase in concentration of GSH and the decrease in concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) were more pronounced when TB were supplemented in 67-wk-old layers (P(Interaction) ≤ 0.05). Layers at 67-wk-old had lower mRNA expression of Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) (P(AGE) < 0.01) in ovary. Dietary TB supplementation upregulated mRNA gene expression of HO-1, Nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), Quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) (P(TB) < 0.01). Dietary TB upregulated mRNA expression of ovarian reproductive hormone receptor (estrogen receptor 1 [ESR1] and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein 1 [StAR1]]; P(TB) < 0.01). The results suggest feeding TB (100 mg/kg) could improve the egg production rate, egg quality, and antioxidant capacity of the ovary. Moreover, the effect of TB was more pronounced in older layers (64-wk-old vs. 47-wk-old).

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and physical exercise have the potential to reduce pain intensity in women with primary dysmenorrhea: Systematic Review

This review aims to highlight the potential of n-3 PUFAs and physical exercise in reducing pain intensity in women with primary dysmenorrhea. This type of research is a systematic review using comprehensive strategies such as searching for articles in research journal databases. The databases used are Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. The populations analyzed in this paper are: the potential of n-3 PUFAs and physical exercise to reduce primary dysmenorrhea. The inclusion criteria in this study were journals that discussed n-3 PUFAs, exercise, primary dysmenorrhea, and menstrual pain. The exclusion criteria in this study were disreputable international journals. For standard operationalization, This study follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). This review explains that N-3 PUFAs given at the right dose, around 1000 mg/day have the potential to reduce pain intensity by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and eicosanoids. In addition, N-3 PUFAs have the potential to prevent and reduce pain intensity by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. Progesterone is very important in women with primary dysmenorrhea in order to control prostaglandin secretion. This review explains that regular exercise with low to moderate intensity (30-75% of maximum ability) performed 3 times in 1 week can increase progesterone concentrations. Physical exercises that can be done to reduce pain intensity due to primary dysmenorrhea include stretching exercises, jogging, and yoga exercises. Keywords: N-3 PUFAs, Physical Exercise; Dismenore Primer; Menstrual Pain

Carbon Dots Conjugated Antibody as an Effective FRET-Based Biosensor for Progesterone Hormone Screening.

In this work, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method using citric acid and ethylene diamine, and covalently functionalized with antibodies for the sensing of progesterone hormone. The structural and morphological analysis reveals that the synthesized CDs are of average size (diameter 8-10 nm) and the surface functionalities are confirmed by XPS, XRD and FT-IR. Further graphene oxide (GO) is used as a quencher due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism, whereas the presence of the analyte progesterone turns on the fluorescence because of displacement of GO from the surface of CDs effectively inhibiting FRET efficiency due to the increased distance between donor and acceptor moieties. The linear curve is obtained with different progesterone concentrations with 13.8 nM detection limits (R2 = 0.974). The proposed optical method demonstrated high selectivity performance in the presence of structurally resembling interfering compounds. The PL intensity increased linearly with the increased progesterone concentration range (10-900 nM) under the optimal experimental parameters. The developed level-free immunosensor has emerged as a potential platform for simplified progesterone analysis due to the high selectivity performance and good recovery in different samples of spiked water.

ODP417 Kisspeptin directly stimulates estrogen and progesterone secretion from human granulosa cells.

Abstract Kisspeptin is a peptide hormone that has a central role to stimulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion from the hypothalamus. Furthermore, it was shown to have peripheral roles on enhancing CYP19 (aromatase) expression and aromatase secretion from human granulosa cells (1). The objectives of this study were to determine direct effects of kisspeptin treatment on estrogen and progesterone secretion from human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN). KGN cells (n=3) were treated with 10 nM follicle stimulating hormone (FSH); 100, 1,000, and 10,000 nM kisspeptin; and FSH together with different doses of kisspeptin for 24 hours. Estrogen and progesterone concentrations in supernatant were measured by enzyme immunoassay kits. The results showed that FSH treatment alone (P&amp;lt;0. 05) and FSH together with 100 (P&amp;lt;0. 01), 1,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 001), and 10,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 001) nM kisspeptin increased estrogen concentrations in supernatants when compared to control. Kisspeptin treatment alone did not increase estrogen concentrations in supernatant when compared to control. Interestingly, kisspeptin treatment at 1,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 01) and 10,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 01) nM together with FSH enhanced estrogen concentrations in supernatant when compared to FSH treatment alone. Furthermore, FSH treatment alone (P&amp;lt;0. 05) and FSH together with kisspeptin at doses of 1,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 001) and 10,000 (P&amp;lt;0. 05) nM increased progesterone concentrations in supernatant when compared to control. All doses of kisspeptin did not increase progesterone concentrations in supernatant when compared to control. Only 1,000 nM kisspeptin together with FSH enhanced progesterone secretion in supernatant when compared to FSH alone (P&amp;lt;0. 01). Taken together, FSH stimulated estrogen and progesterone secretion from human granulosa cells and kisspeptin enhanced these effects in addition to the effects of FSH alone. Further studies are required to determine whether kisspeptin treatment can restore the functions of unresponsive or partially responsive granulosa cells of aging humans to secrete estrogen and progesterone as well as kisspeptin is useful in augmenting infertility treatment. Reference: (1) Qin L, Sitticharoon C, Petyim S, Keadkraichaiwat I, Sririwichitchai R, Maikeaw P, et al. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2021;246(8): 996-1010. Presentation: No date and time listed

Maternal and postweaning probiotic administration alleviated footshock-induced anxiety in both sexes of adolescent Balb/c mice

ABSTRACT Aim: Effects of maternal probiotics administered during pregnancy as well as consumption by offspring in the post-weaning period on anxiety behavior were examined. Methods: In addition to anxiety levels measured by EPM and OFT, the expression level of the hippocampal genes, and serum sex hormones in male and female mice that received foot shock stress were assayed in the pubertal period. Results: The results of this study showed that consumption of probiotics in the foot shock-stressed offspring in both sexes could significantly increase the length of stay in the EPM open arm compared to the control group, however, the offspring of the probiotic-treated dam did not. Consumption of probiotics by the pro-off group caused remarkable high expression of the 5HT2AC receptor gene. In the pro-off group, consumption of probiotics led to a significant decrease in 5HT1 receptor expression. Expression of GABRA2 was increased in probiotics-treated groups, thus the pro-off and the pro-dam group had a significant difference from the control group. Feeding offspring with probiotics by significantly increased progesterone concentrations compared to the control group, and maternal consumption of probiotics during pregnancy and lactation had no reducing effect on progesterone concentrations. This is due to electric shock stress. The consumption of probiotics by mice during infancy was shown to compensate for the decrease in progesterone concentration in them. Maternal use of probiotics during pregnancy and lactation did not affect this concentration. Conclusions: It is concluded that probiotics can protect against foot shock stress-induced anxiety, progesterone disturbance, and dysregulation of expression of some anxiety-related genes.

Relationship of serum adiponectin and IGF-I concentrations with progesterone and their effect on pregnancy rates in cows

The aims of this study were to determine serum adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in early and late luteal phases following artificial insemination, to evaluate their relationship with progesterone concentrations, and to detect their effects on the pregnancy rate. We used 45 Holstein cows aged 3–4 years who had given birth at least once and who did not have any problem in the genital system as observed on rectal palpation/ultrasonography examination. Presynch–ovsynch synchronization protocol was applied on cows. Blood samples were collected to determine the concentrations of progesterone, adiponectin, and IGF-I on days 5 and 18 following artificial insemination. Pregnancy examination using real-time ultrasonography was performed on day 30 following artificial insemination. Fifteen (33.33%) of the 45 cows were determined as pregnant. The pregnancy rates were increased with increasing progesterone concentration on day 5 following artificial insemination, and the pregnancy rates were the highest (53.84%) among the cows with progesterone concentration of &gt;2.00 ng/mL. Adiponectin and IGF-I concentrations were determined as 26.69±11.84 vs 24.14±9.19 and 17.52±4.19 vs 17.42±2.92, on days 5 and 18 after artificial insemination, respectively (P&gt;0.05). Negative correlation was observed between adiponectin and progesterone concentrations (P&lt;0.05), whereas positive correlation was observed between IGF-I and progesterone on day 5 following artificial insemination (P&lt;0.05). Progesterone and IGF-I concentrations in pregnant cows were higher than in nonpregnant cows on days 5 and 18 following artificial insemination (P&lt;0.05). In conclusion, the progesterone and IGF-I concentrations in early and late luteal phase following artificial insemination had a positive effect on the pregnancy rate. However, although early adiponectin concentration affected progesterone concentrations, it did not affect the pregnancy rate.

Digital phenotyping in transmission constrained, military operational environments

Introduction: Stress fracture injuries affect defence forces worldwide. The sudden onset of high-impact exercise, insufficient recovery, and suboptimal conditions (e.g., energy and sleep restriction) elicit injuries in 5 to 10% of military recruits. Women are three times more likely to develop stress fractures than men1, and this risk of injury is projected to increase further in women employed in ground close combat roles2. Oestrogens have two distinct roles in women’s bone biology. 1. Oestrogens influence the size and shape of bone during puberty, promoting endosteal contraction, and resulting in a smaller cross-sectional area than men. A smaller bone size contributes to the increased risk of stress injuries under loading in women. 2. Oestrogens prevent excessive bone resorption by suppressing RANKL expression. Low oestrogen caused by suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis—indicated by a loss of menstrual periods—is highly prevalent during arduous exercise3 and demineralises bone. Cessation of menstrual periods, amenorrhoea, is a risk factor for stress fracture injury4. Ovulation is a key event in the menstrual cycle, preceded by a peak in oestrogen concentration, and followed by increased progesterone concentration. Anovulatory cycles are characterised by low, non-cyclical oestrogen and progesterone. Ovulation is a sign of menstrual health and informs women of their reproductive hormonal status. Non-invasive, innovative methods of detecting ovulation are disrupted approaches to mitigating injury risk in women. Methods: This presentation will provide an overview of the epidemiology of stress fracture injuries in military personnel, reporting the prevalence and patterns of injuries observed during basic military training. The role of the sex steroid hormones on bone health will be described, and the utility of wearables to detect ovulation appraised. Primary evidence will be obtained from open-source, peer-reviewed literature, and wearable data will be drawn from both published studies and preliminary data from the British Army’s EMPOWER study. Conclusions: A high proportion of women experience menstrual disturbances during arduous training and suffer a high incidence of stress fractures. The validity of wearable technology for women to detect ovulation during arduous military training, characterised by high physical demands, stress, and restricted energy and sleep, is under investigation. Acknowledgements: This work was funded by the British Army. References 1O’Leary TJ, Wardle SL, Rawcliff AJ, et al. Understanding the musculoskeletal injury risk of women in combat: the effect of infantry training and sex on musculoskeletal injury incidence during British Army basic training. BMJ Mil Health. 2020; 0:1-5. https://doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2019-001347 2Ministry of Defence. Women in Ground Close Combat Roles - Interim Health Report 2016. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536381/20160706_ADR006101_Report_Women_in_Combat_WEB-FINAL.PDF Accessed 31 Aug 2021. 3Gifford RM, O’Leary TJ, Wardle SL, et al. Reproductive and metabolic adaptation to multistressor training in women. Am J Physiol Endoc-M 2021; 321(2):E281-E291. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00019.2021 4Ackerman KE, Sokoloff NC, Maffazioli GDN, et al. Fractures in relation to menstrual status and bone parameters in young athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2015; 47(8):1577-1586. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000574

77 Factors Impacting Abundance of PAGs After Embryo Transfer in Beef Cattle

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine factors impacting abundance of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) after embryo transfer. Cows were synchronized using the 7-d CO-Synch+CIDR® protocol and grouped by estrus expression 48h after prostaglandin (d0) [Estrual (PC): n = 198; Non-estrual: n = 406]. Non-estrual cows were administered GnRH and randomly assigned to Estradiol treatment (E2: n=202; 0.1mg estradiol 17-β) or no treatment (NC: n = 204). In vivo produced embryos were transferred on d7, with grade, stage, and flush balanced across treatments. Circulating concentrations of estradiol and progesterone were determined on d0 and d7, respectively. Abundance of PAGs was determined on d24 and d26. Cows that were pregnant on d30 were grouped by age (H: 2, C: &amp;gt;2 years) and subjected to analysis. Correlations were analyzed using PROC CORR in SAS, while PAGs were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX with treatment, age, year, sire, and embryo grade and stage as fixed effects. Abundance of PAGs on d24 was influenced by treatment (P = 0.01; PC=0.75±0.09, E2=0.59±0.09, NC=0.56±0.08), age (P &amp;lt; 0.01; H=0.75±0.09, C=0.52±0.08), year (P &amp;lt; 0.0001; 2019=0.42±0.08, 2020=0.84±0.09), and sire (P = 0.02; A=0.49±0.12, B=0.62±0.09, C=0.47±0.11, D=0.77±0.08, E=0.83±0.21), but not embryo grade (P = 0.89) or stage (P = 0.40). There was a negative correlation between d0 estradiol and d24 PAGs (P &amp;lt; 0.0001, r=-0.34), and a positive correlation between d7 progesterone and d24 PAGs (P &amp;lt; 0.0001, r=0.36). On d26, PAGs tended to differ by treatment (P = 0.09; PC=2.43±0.20, E2=2.33±0.21, NC=2.03±0.20). Age (P = 0.02; H=2.48±0.22, C=2.05±0.16), and sire (P = 0.0007; B=2.01±0.20, D=2.52±0.17) influenced PAGs, but embryo grade (P = 0.33) and stage (P = 0.32) did not on d26. Sire was associated with PAGs, and presumably embryo attachment, but not pregnancy rate. Increased progesterone concentrations on d7 were correlated with earlier attachment as measured by PAGs. Estrus expression prior to d0 may enhance earlier attachment of the fetal/maternal interface, and supplemental estradiol on d0 may improve attachment by d26 when ovulation is induced. Funded by NIFA 2019-67015-29411.

Ghrelin antagonist D-Lys3-GHRP-6 counteract ghrelin effects in bovine cumulus-oocytes complexes matured in vitro.

Ghrelin is a gut hormone related to energy balance and reproductive functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ghrelin antagonist D-Lys3-GHRP-6 (GA) as a potential agent that prevents ghrelin effects during bovine oocyte maturation on progesterone production, cumulus cell (CC) viability, CC DNA damage and embryo development and hatching rates. Ghrelin's potential to induce oxidative stress in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) was also evaluated. COCs were cultured for 24hr in medium without supplementation (C) or supplemented with 60pM ghrelin (Ghrelin60), Ghrelin60+20pM GA (GA20), Ghrelin60+60pM GA (GA60) or Ghrelin60+100pM GA (GA100) for experiment I. For experiment II, C and Ghrelin60 treatments were used. Differences between C and Ghrelin60 and the linear or quadratic association between GAs on Ghrelin60 were evaluated. Results demonstrated that Ghrelin60 increased progesterone concentration, reduced CC viability, induced CC DNA damage and decreased blastocyst and hatching rate compared with C (p<.05). GA20, GA60 and GA100 had a linear effect on CC genetic damage index (p≤.05) and a quadratic effect on CC viability (p<.01). GA20 counteracted the low hatching rate produced by Ghrelin60. However, GAs did not counteract progesterone concentration and blastocyst rate (p≥.21). GRH60 did not differ from C in the oxidative status (p≥.19). Our study highlights that GA could prevent the negative effects of ghrelin during bovine IVM.

New Classification and Management of Abetalipoproteinemia and Related Disorders

New Classification and Management of Abetalipoproteinemia and Related Disorders

Androgens Modulate Rat Granulosa Cell Steroidogenesis.

Paracrine interactions between ovarian theca-interstitial cells (TICs) and granulosa cells (GCs) play an important role in the regulation of follicular steroidogenesis. Androgens serve as substrates for aromatization as well as affect GC function. This study evaluated the effects of co-culture of GC with TICs and the role of testosterone (T) and 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and estradiol (E2) in modulation of GC expression of genes involved in the production of progesterone: 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5-4 isomerase (Hsd3b) and cholesterol side-chain cleavage (Cyp11). GCs obtained from immature Sprague-Dawley rats and were cultured in chemically defined media without or with TICs, DHT, or T. Hsd3b and Cyp11 transcripts were analyzed by qt-PCR. Co-culture of GCs with TICs stimulated Hsd3b and CYP11 expression in GCs. DHT and T induced a concentration-dependent upregulation of Hsd3b and CYP11 expression, as well as increased progesterone concentrations in spent media. E2 also increased expression of Hsd3b, and Cyp11. Effects of androgens were abrogated in the presence of an anti-androgen bicalutamide and the antiestrogen ICI 182780 (ICI). In conclusion, present findings demonstrate that androgens upregulate production of progesterone in GCs; these effects are likely due to a combination of direct action on androgen receptors and effects mediated by estrogen receptors.

Relationship between sex hormones levels and 18F-FDG uptake by the ovaries in premenopausal woman.

BackgroundThe study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sex hormones on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake by normal ovaries.Patients and methodsA total of 197 premenopausal women were included in this study. Based on 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images obtained from these subjects, the association of ovarian 18F-FDG uptake with levels of sex hormones, including estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone was investigated. We also analysed the relationship between the menstrual cycle and ovarian 18F-FDG uptake.ResultsThe highest ovarian 18F-FDG uptake occurred at 2 weeks after the onset of menstruation (median maximum standardized uptake value [SUVmax] = 3.40, median mean SUV [SUVmean] = 2.20), and the lowest ovarian 18F-FDG uptake was observed during the first week of the menstrual cycle (median SUVmax = 1.60, median SUVmean = 1.20). Ovarian 18F-FDG uptake was weakly positively correlated with progesterone levels (rho = 0.28, p < 0.001 for SUVmax, rho = 0.30, p < 0.001 for SUVmean), and this pattern was consistently observed in subjects in the follicular-phase group (rho = 0.29, p = 0.003 for both SUVmax and SUVmean) but not in subjects in the luteal-phase group.ConclusionsBased on PET images, ovarian glucose metabolism in premenopausal women tended to increase slightly with increasing progesterone concentration.

Effects of GnRH or hCG on day 11 after artificial insemination in cows luteal activity

In order to optimize luteal function by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) or gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) on day 11 after artificial insemination (AI). 33 cows synchronized by the Ovsynch and divided into 3 groups according to the type of treatment: 1) hCG (1500 IU, n=11); 2) GnRH (100 µg, n=11); and 3) control (2 mL of saline, n=11). Blood samples were collected from all animals every 3 days from day 5 to day 23 to determine progesterone concentration. Ultrasonography was used to monitor the luteal surface structures at the time of blood sample collection. An accessory corpus luteum (CL) formed in 63.63% of cows treated with GnRH and with hCG, resulting in an increase in the total luteal tissue area compared with the controls. Thus, the volume of the principal CL was increased by hCG but tended to be similar to GnRH compared with the controls. Additionally, compared with the control group, hCG-treated and GnRH-treated cows had increased progesterone concentrations (p&lt;0.0001). Among the hCG-treated cows, their progesterone concentration increased compared with GnRH-treated cows.

Interactions of human chorionic gonadotropin with genotype and parity on fertility responses of lactating dairy cows

Fertility-promoting effects of treatment of lactating dairy cattle with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) after artificial insemination (AI) have been variable. Here, we tested whether fertility response to hCG in lactating Holstein cows interacts with genotype and parity. Primiparous (n = 538) and multiparous (n = 613) cows were treated with hCG (3,300 IU) or vehicle 5 d after AI. Pregnancy was diagnosed on d 32 and 60 after AI. A subset of cows (n = 593-701) was genotyped for 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) previously associated with fertility. Treatment with hCG increased progesterone concentration on d 12 after AI regardless of genotype or parity. Pregnancy per AI was improved by hCG in primiparous cows but not in multiparous cows. Moreover, hCG treatment interacted with a SNP in coenzyme Q9 (COQ9) to affect fertility. Fertility of cows treated with vehicle was greatest for the AA allele, whereas fertility was lowest for the same genotype among cows treated with hCG. Pregnancy per AI was also affected by genotype for heat shock protein A1-like (HSPA1L) and progesterone receptor (PGR), but no interactions were observed with treatment. Genotype for a SNP in prostate androgen-regulated mucin-like protein 1 (PARM1) was not associated with fertility. Overall, results show that variation in response to hCG treatment on fertility depends on parity and interacts with a SNP in COQ9.

PATHOGENIC ARGUMENTATION OF THERAPY IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH FUNCTIONAL CERVICAL INSUFFICIENCY

A functional cervical insufficiency plays an important role in the etiology of miscarriage and premature birth.The aim of research - was to estimate the hormonal balance indexes during the course of pregnancy in pregnant women with functional cervical insufficiency and correct the revealed violations in order to prevent obstetric complications.Materials and methods of research. 101 pregnant women with confirmed diagnosis of a cervical insufficiency in term of gestation 22-32 weeks of pregnancy (the main group) and 34 pregnant women and women in labor with physiological condition of the cervix (the control group) were examined. The content of estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and prolactin was examined in the blood serum. On the second stage of examination 63 pregnant women obtained general basic therapy (I main group) and 38 pregnant women (II main group) received a developed treatment complex which included progesterone support by the micronized progesterone 200-400 mg twice a day up to 34-35 weeks of pregnancy, magnesium support by the magnesium orotate dehydrate in the therapeutic dosage and arginine glutamate in the therapeutic dosage. The correction of cervical insufficiency was performed with the help of a cervical pessary (according to indications).The results of research and their discussion. The examination of hormonal balance revealed an accurate decease of progesterone concentration on the background of high concentration of estradiol and increased levels of stress-associated hormones. Propitious influence of the developed therapy is proved by increase of progesterone concentration in the blood serum, normalization in stress-associated hormones balance according to gestational age. All this provided the decrease of specific weight of threatened preterm labors, placental dysfunction, vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis and delay the labors up to 38-39 weeks of gestation in 97,4% of pregnant women (82,5% in the I main group).Conclusion. Prescription of micronized progesterone, magnesium orotate dehydrate, arginine glutamate to pregnant women with a cervical insufficiency is reasonable and effective one comparing with general and traditional therapy.