Molecular human reproduction

The endocannabinoid system consists of an array of endogenously produced bioactive lipids that activate cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) receptors. Alterations of this system have been described in almost every category of disease. These cha…

The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between gene E-cadherin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of developing endometriosis in Indian women and to evaluate the role of E-cadherin expression in t…

Endometriosis is a common, chronic gynaecological disease affecting up to 10% of women in their reproductive years. Its aetiology still remains unclear, but evidence indicates genetic factors play a role. We previously identified a region o…

Endometriosis, the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, is a common disease affecting women during their reproductive years. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular mechanism of transcriptional regu…

MicroRNAs have recently been identified as regulators that modulate target gene expression and are suggested to be involved in the development and progression of endometriosis. This study was undertaken to analyze the expression level of mi…

Endometriosis displays some features that resemble malignant processes, including invasive growth, resistance to apoptosis and distant implantation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether gene alterations that are frequent i…

The activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been implicated in the development and progression of endometriosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential application of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a potent NF-κB inh…

Urocortin 2 (Ucn 2) and urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) are neuropeptides expressed by human endometrium. This study evaluated (i) the expression of Ucn 2 and Ucn 3 mRNA in endometriotic lesions and in endometrium of women with endometriosis; (ii) the …

Rare cells with adult stem cell activity were recently discovered in human endometrium. Endometrial stem/progenitor cell candidates include epithelial, mesenchymal and endothelial cells, and all may contribute to the rapid endometrial regen…

Aneuploidy has been well-documented in blastocyst embryos, but prior studies have been limited in scale and/or lack mechanistic data. We previously reported preclinical validation of microarray 24-chromosome preimplantation genetic screenin…

The human endometrium is a cyclically regenerating organ under the influence of ovarian steroid hormones. Disturbances in this highly coordinated regulation of endometrial proliferation and differentiation may result in infertility and dise…

Previous microarray analyses identified 22 microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in paired ectopic and eutopic endometrium of women with and without endometriosis. To investigate further the role of these miRNAs in women with endometr…

The past decade has seen growing interest in ovarian stimulation protocols with GnRH antagonists in an effort to reduce the incidence of potential complications, such as cyst formation and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and thus improve…

Allelic variants of the detoxification genes that have impaired biotransformation functions may increase susceptibility to reproductive toxicity leading to endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage (RM) or poor pregnancy outcome. In the present …

Uterine receptivity to implantation varies among species, and involves changes in expression of genes that are coordinate with attachment of trophectoderm to uterine lumenal and superficial glandular epithelia, modification of phenotype of …

Endometriosis is a painful chronic female disease defined by the presence of endometrial tissue implants in ectopic (Ec) locations. The pathogenesis is much debated, and type-I interferons (IFNs) could be involved. The expression of genes o…

Experimentally induced endometriosis in baboons serves as an elegant model to discriminate between endometrial genes which are primarily associated with normal endometrial function and those that are changed by the presence of endometriotic…

Dienogest is a specific progesterone receptor agonist with potent oral endometrial activity and is used in the treatment of endometriosis. In this study, we examined the direct effects of dienogest on the proliferation of human endometrial …

Estrogen and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) differentially impact endometrial cell function, however, the biological basis of these differences is not established. Deregulated cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix, cell …

Endometriosis was first described by Carl von Rokitansky in 1860, but to date, over 150 years later, endometriosis remains an enigmatic disease. Its pathophysiology, diagnosis and medical treatment continue to challenge basic and medical sc…

In normal endometrium, stromal factors regulate the growth of epithelial cells. However, epithelial cells in endometriotic lesions display increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis. This work tested the hypothesis that in endometriosi…

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disorder with an enigmatic etiopathogenesis. Although it has been proposed that endometriosis is a hormonal disease, an autoimmune disease, a genetic disease, and a disease caused by exposure to environ…

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) levels are increased in the peritoneal fluid of endometriosis patients, and endometrial cells express TGF-beta signaling components; however, little is known regarding the role of TGF-beta in en…

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disorder characterized by pain and infertility. In addition to estrogen dependence, progesterone resistance is an emerging feature of this disorder. Specifically, a delayed transition from the prolifera…

The aim of this study was to investigate whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma activation has an effect on the attachment of endometrial cells to peritoneal mesothelial cells in a well-established in vitro model of…