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Abstract
Gonadotropins are glycoprotein sex hormones regulating development and reproduction and bind to specific G protein–coupled receptors expressed in the gonads. Their effects on multiple signaling cascades and intracellular events have recently been characterized using novel technological and scientific tools. The impact of allosteric modulators on gonadotropin signaling, the role of sugars linked to the hormone backbone, the detection of endosomal compartments supporting signaling modules, and the dissection of different effects mediated by these molecules are areas that have advanced significantly in the last decade. The classic view providing the exclusive activation of the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) and the steroidogenic pathway by these hormones has been expanded with the addition of novel signaling cascades as determined by high-resolution imaging techniques. These new findings provided new potential therapeutic applications. Despite these improvements, unanswered issues of gonadotropin physiology, such as the intrinsic pro-apoptotic potential to these hormones, the existence of receptors assembled as heteromers, and their expression in extragonadal tissues, remain to be studied. Elucidating these issues is a challenge for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Casarini
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Manuela Simoni
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, Via P. Giardini 1355, 41126 Modena, Italy
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Wang W, Liu H, Li J, Wei D, Zhang J, Wang J, Ma J, Shi Y, Chen ZJ. Effect of preconceptional DHEA treatment on in vitro fertilization outcome in poor ovarian respond women: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2019; 20:50. [PMID: 30646929 PMCID: PMC6334415 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-3146-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with poor ovarian respond (POR) always have very low clinical pregnancy rates. In previous data, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was suggested as a promising treatment and maybe has a good pregnancy outcome. But there is no sufficient evidence from randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of DHEA preconceptional treatment on live birth in POR. Methods This trial is a multicenter active-placebo double-blind clinical trial (1:1 treatment ratio of active versus placebo). The infertile POR patients undergoing IVF or ICSI will be enrolled and randomly assigned to two parallel groups. Participants in these two groups will be given 4–12 weeks’ treatment of DHEA or placebo, respectively. The primary outcome is live birth rate. Discussion The results of this study will provide evidence for the effect of preconceptional DHEA treatment on IVF outcome in POR. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IPR-15006909. Registered on November 9, 2015. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-3146-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China.,Center for Reproductive Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Yangtze University, No. 2 People Street, Jingzhou district, Jingzhou, 434020, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Jing Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Daimin Wei
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Jiangtao Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Jianfeng Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Jinlong Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yuhua Shi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China.
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology, Ministry of Education, and National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong Provincial Clinical medicine Research Center for reproductive health, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Shandong University, No. 157 Jing Liu Street, Shizhong district, Jinan, 250012, China.,Center for Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 845 Lingshan Road, Pudong new district, Shanghai, 310101, China
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