174 research outputs found
Zika virus infection and pregnancy: what we do and do not know
No full textRecent data strongly suggest an association between the current outbreak of ZIKA virus (ZIKV) in many countries of Central and South America and a sharp increase in the detection of microcephaly and fetal malformations. The link with brain defect, which has been detected mainly in some areas of Brazil, is supported by the following evidence: (1) ZIKV transmission from infected pregnant women to their fetuses; (2) the potential of ZIKV to determine a specific congenital fetal syndrome characterized by abnormalities involving primarily the developing brain and eye. In particular, the risk of transmission and congenital disease appears to be restricted to mother's infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Among brain defects, microcephaly, brain calcifications, and ventriculomegaly are the most frequent abnormalities of the central nervous system detected so far. However, relevant information on effect of maternal infection with ZIKV on the fetus is still limited. In this review, we focus our attention on current knowledge about ZIKV infection in pregnancy, discussing relevant issues and open problems which merit further investigation
Estrogen replacement therapy and asthma
No full textA growing body of clinical and experimental evidence indicates that female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, have significant effects on normal airway function as well as on respiratory disorders, such as asthma. These effects are very complex and are exerted at several levels, directly on airway reactivity or indirectly through regulation of the immune and inflammatory responses in the lung. They can have relevant clinical implications not only according to the phases of the reproductive life in women, but also in relation to the therapeutical administration of estrogen, as in the case of menopausal hormone therapy. Clinical evidence suggests that administration of estrogen to menopausal women is associated with increased rates of newly diagnosed asthma. Conversely, functional studies show that estrogen can improve objective indexes of respiratory functionality
RBPJ mediates uterine repair in the mouse and is reduced in women with recurrent pregnancy loss
No full textUnexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (uRPL) is associated with repeated embryo loss and endometrial repair with elevated endometrial expression of inflammatory cytokines, including IFN-γ. Notch signaling through its transcription factor recombination signal binding protein Jκ (RBPJ) regulates mechanisms including the immune response and repair after tissue injury. Initially, null mutation of RBPJ in the mouse uterus ( Pgrcre/+Rbpjf/f; Rbpj c-KO) results in subfertility, but we have found that these mice become infertile after pregnancy as a result of dysfunctional postpartum uterine repair, including delayed endometrial epithelial and myometrial regeneration. RNA sequencing of postpartum uterine repair sites revealed global up-regulation of inflammatory pathways, including IFN signaling. Consistent with elevated IFN-γ, macrophages were recruited and polarized toward an M1-cytotoxic phenotype, which is associated with preventing repair and promoting further tissue injury. Through embryo transfer experiments, we show that dysfunctional postpartum repair directly impairs future embryo implantation in Rbpj c-KO mice. Last, we clinically correlated our findings from the Rbpj c-KO mouse in women diagnosed with uRPL. Reduced RBPJ in women with uRPL was associated with increased levels of IFN-γ. The data, taken together, indicate that RBPJ regulates inflammation during endometrial repair, which is essential for future pregnancy potential, and its dysregulation may serve as an unidentified contributor to uRPL in women.-Strug, M. R., Su, R.-W., Kim, T. H., Mauriello, A., Ticconi, C., Lessey, B. A., Young, S. L., Lim, J. M., Jeong, J.-W., Fazleabas, A. T. RBPJ mediates uterine repair in the mouse and is reduced in women with recurrent pregnancy loss
Effects of glucocorticoids and progesterone on prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4 release by human fetal membranes at term gestation
No full textThe present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of the glucocorticoid hormones betamethasone and hydrocortisone, and of progesterone on the relative production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) by explants of human fetal membranes at term gestation in the absence of labor. Tissues (n = 7) were incubated either in the presence or in the absence of the above mentioned hormones. PGE2 and LTB4 were measured in culture medium by radioimmunoassays. Glucocorticoids and progesterone did not affect PGE2 output by tissues; however, they greatly stimulated LTB4 production. Moreover, both betamethasone and hydrocortisone significantly increased the ratio of LTB4 to PGE2 formation by tissues. These results suggest that glucocorticoid hormones and progesterone might influence arachidonic acid metabolism in human fetal membranes by stimulating the production of lipoxygenase rather than cyclooxygenase substances before the onset of labor
Oxytocin and vasopressin [Oxitocina y vasopresina]
No full textOxitocin and vasopressin are substances of major relevance in the female endocrine and reproductive systems. They are involved in the control of several fundamental functions: luteolysis, myometrial contraction, labor and delivery of the fetus and placenta, post-partum uterine involution, milk ejection and infant lactation, blood pressure and kidney-dependent water balance regulation. Oxitocin and vasopressin were identified more than fifty years ago and are classically defined as neurohormones with, at least to some extent, overlapping actions. The recent developments of knowledge on oxytocin and vasopressin are changing our understanding of the roles played by these substances and even their actual nature. This is particularly true for oxytocin which at present must be considered no longer only a hormone; rather it is a much more complex substance with endocrine, paracrine and probably also autocrine properties. In this chapter, the contemporary roles and functions of oxytocin and vasopressin will be discussed with specific application to human pregnancy and parturition
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