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Peng Q, Lv S, Wen Y, Wang L, Gui W. Kisspeptin expression during menstruation in PCOS patients undergoing ovulation induction and the correlation with early pregnancy. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024:10.1007/s10815-024-03144-3. [PMID: 38809329 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03144-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the pattern of kisspeptin expression throughout the menstrual cycle in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients under the ovulation induction and identify any possible associations with early pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective cohort of 80 PCOS women who expressed the desire for fertility was enrolled in this study. All of them received the ovulation induction by using letrozole. Levels of kisspeptin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) were measured at three different time points during menstruation. The early pregnancy rate was recorded for the study participants after three ovulation cycles. RESULTS Kisspeptin levels varied regularly during the menstrual cycle, reaching a peak on the day of hCG injection and decreasing after ovulation. There was no significant correlation between kisspeptin and LH levels. Basal kisspeptin levels decreased after letrozole treatment without a significant difference while LH and E2 levels decreased significantly. PCOS participants who became pregnant early had higher basal kisspeptin levels compared to non-pregnant PCOS patients, which had a significant difference (P = 0.006). And the average basal kisspeptin level in pregnant patients was 2293.0 ± 398.7 pg/ml, with a 95% confidence interval of 1511.5-3074.5 pg/ml. CONCLUSION Kisspeptin levels in PCOS women undergoing ovulation induction showed a regular variation, which was similar with the healthy women reported in previous studies. The use of LE may result in PCOS endocrine improvement and fertility achievement. In a certain range, kisspeptin might be a potential predictor for early pregnancy in PCOS patients as people with slightly higher basal kisspeptin levels seemed more likely to be pregnant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Peng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, 629000, Sichuan, China
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, 629000, Sichuan, China
| | - Siting Lv
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital of Yubei District of Chongqing City, Chongqing, 401120, China
| | - Yidi Wen
- Department of Ultrasonography, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing University Central Hospital, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Lianlian Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 of Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Wenwu Gui
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 of Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, China.
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Chen J, Yang L, Chen Y, Yuan W, Chen Y, Liang H, Miao M, He G, Wang Z. Associations between maternal urinary kisspeptin in late pregnancy and decreased fetal growth: a pregnancy-birth cohort study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1257248. [PMID: 38318290 PMCID: PMC10839029 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1257248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Kisspeptin has been indicated to be a biomarker of fetal growth. Although some evidence suggested that maternal kisspeptin concentrations in early pregnancy were associated with increased fetal growth, studies are still limited and the effect of kisspeptin in late pregnancy remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the associations between maternal kisspeptin in late pregnancy and fetal growth. Methods Based on the Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort study, 724 mother-neonate pairs were included in this study. We measured maternal kisspeptin concentrations in the urine samples collected in late pregnancy and neonatal anthropometric indices at birth. The associations between maternal kisspeptin and neonatal anthropometry were investigated using multiple linear regression models. Results Higher maternal urinary kisspeptin concentrations were associated with lower neonatal birth weight, head circumference, upper arm circumference, abdominal skinfold thickness, triceps skinfold thickness, and back skinfold thickness. The inverse associations were more pronounced for the highest kisspeptin levels versus the lowest. These patterns were consistent in analyses stratified by neonatal sex, with notably stable associations between maternal kisspeptin concentrations and skinfold thickness. Conclusion The present study suggested that maternal kisspeptin concentrations in late pregnancy might be inversely associated with fetal growth. The physiological mechanisms of maternal kisspeptin might differ from those in early pregnancy. Further studies are required to assess associations between maternal kisspeptin and energy homeostasis and explore the physiological roles of kisspeptin in late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxian Chen
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Yang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yafei Chen
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Chen
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Liang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Maohua Miao
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
| | - Gengsheng He
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziliang Wang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, China
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Wu HM, Chen LH, Chiu WJ, Tsai CL. Kisspeptin Regulates Cell Invasion and Migration in Endometrial Cancer. J Endocr Soc 2024; 8:bvae001. [PMID: 38264268 PMCID: PMC10805434 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Kisspeptin (a product of the KISS1 gene and its receptor) plays an important role in obstetrics, gynecology, and cancer cell metastasis and behavior. In hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and placentation, Kisspeptin/Kisspeptin receptor affects hormone release and represses trophoblast invasion into maternal deciduae. Endometrial cancer is one of the common gynecological cancers and is usually accompanied by metastasis, the risk factor that causes death. Recently, research has demonstrated that Kisspeptin/Kisspeptin receptor expression in aggressive-stage endometrial cancer tissues. However, the detailed mechanism of Kisspeptin/Kisspeptin receptor in regulating the motility of endometrial cancers is not well understood. In this study, we use endometrial cancer cell lines RL95-2, Ishikawa, HEC-1-A, and HEC-1-B as models to explore the molecular mechanism of Kisspeptin on cell motility. First, we discovered that Kisspeptin/Kisspeptin receptor was expressed in endometrial cancer cells, and Kisspeptin significantly regulated the migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells. Furthermore, we explored the epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker expression and the underlying signals were regulated on Kisspeptin treatment. In conclusion, we suggest that Kisspeptin regulates endometrial cancer cell motility via FAK and Src expression and the ERK1/2, N-Cadherin, E-Cadherin, beta-Catenin, Twist, and matrix metalloproteinase signaling pathways. We expect these molecules could be candidates for the development of new approaches and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsien-Ming Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan R.O.C
| | - Liang-Hsuan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan R.O.C
| | - Wei-Jung Chiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan R.O.C
| | - Chia-Lung Tsai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan R.O.C
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Wang Z, Miao M, Xu J, Chen Y, Liang H, Yang L, Liu X, Wen S, Tu X, Yuan W. Gestational exposure to bisphenol analogues and kisspeptin levels in pregnant women and their children: A pregnancy-birth cohort study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157720. [PMID: 35914601 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Gestational exposure to bisphenol analogues (BPs),especially bisphenol A (BPA), has been associated with adverse pregnancy-related outcomes and altered reproductive development of offspring, but the underlying mechanisms are not well documented. Kisspeptin, a key regulator of reproductive health, could be the potential target for endocrine disrupting compounds like BPs. Among 528 mother-child pairs, we investigated the associations of gestational BPs exposure with kisspeptin levels in two critical life stages, pregnancy and pre-puberty. Maternal BPs and kisspeptin concentrations were measured in urine samples collected in the third trimester. Children's urine samples were collected at 6-year visit and analyzed for kisspeptin levels. Associations were observed between BPA and its alternatives and lower kisspeptin in pregnant women but higher kisspeptin in their children. In contrast, TCBPA was suggestively associated with higher kisspeptin in pregnant women but lower kisspeptin in children. Our study provides the first epidemiologic evidence that gestational exposure to selected BPs may be associated with altered kisspeptin system in both pregnant women and their children, sheds some light on the potential mechanisms underlying the various reproductive health outcomes following gestational BPA exposure, and suggests potential reproductive toxicities of other BPs in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziliang Wang
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Maohua Miao
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Jianhua Xu
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Yafei Chen
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Hong Liang
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Lan Yang
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, National Reference Laboratory of Dioxin, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 35 North Zhuo Dao Quan Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Sheng Wen
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Toxicology, National Reference Laboratory of Dioxin, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 35 North Zhuo Dao Quan Road, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Xiaowen Tu
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China.
| | - Wei Yuan
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, China.
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de Freitas RS, França TFA, Pompeia S. Sex-specific association between urinary kisspeptin and pubertal development. Endocr Connect 2022; 11:e220165. [PMID: 36006848 PMCID: PMC9578070 DOI: 10.1530/ec-22-0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptins play a crucial role during pubertal development, but little is known about how their peripheral concentrations relate to sexual maturation. This is partly due to the lack of non-invasive, quick, and reliable peripheral kisspeptin measures, which limit widespread testing. Here, we investigated the relationship between kisspeptin concentrations measured from midstream urine samples with 2-h retention periods and developmental markers (age, self-reported pubertal status, and saliva concentrations of testosterone and DHEA sulphate ) in 209 typically developing 9- to 15-year-old males and females. As a result of the study, we found marked sex differences. Kisspeptin concentrations were similar between sexes until around 12 years of age, but, thereafter, kisspeptin concentrations in females did not change significantly, whereas, in males, there was a clear positive correlation with developmental measures. Our results replicate previous findings regarding kisspeptin concentration changes across the pubertal transition obtained from blood samples, suggesting that measuring these peptides in urine has the potential for exploring kisspeptins' peripheral effects and their associations with pubertal status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thiago F A França
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabine Pompeia
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Hua X, Jiang H, Guo N, Du Y, Yuan X, Deng T, Teng X, Yao Y, Li Y. Effects of Prepubertal Exposure to Aroclor-1221 on Reproductive Development and Transcriptional Gene Expression in Female Rats. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:393-405. [PMID: 32816245 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00290-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as persistent organic pollutants, are environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). We aim to investigate the effects of prepubertal exposure to PCBs on the reproductive development and expression and regulation of related genes in rats. Female rats were treated with Aroclor-1221 (A-1221) (4 mg/kg/day, 0.4 mg/kg/day) or castor oil daily from postnatal day (PND) 28 for 2 weeks by gavage. Morphological, histological, hormonal, and biochemical parameters were studied. Lower weight and relative weight of hypothalamus, earlier puberty onset, a longer length of the estrous cycle, lower serum estradiol and progesterone levels, accelerated ovarian folliculogenesis, and higher apoptotic index in the ovary were found. The in vitro fertilization study showed a lower fertilization rate and cleavage rate. The genetic study revealed higher expression of Kiss-1 mRNA and lower expression of GnRH mRNA in the hypothalamus and higher expression of AMH mRNA and lower expression of C-myc mRNA in the ovary. These confirmed the reproductive damage of A-1221 in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Hua
- Reproductive Medical Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Huahua Jiang
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Na Guo
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yaoyao Du
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Yuan
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Taoran Deng
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xuemei Teng
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yangcheng Yao
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- Reproductive Medical Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Mustieles V, D'Cruz SC, Couderq S, Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Fini JB, Hofer T, Steffensen IL, Dirven H, Barouki R, Olea N, Fernández MF, David A. Bisphenol A and its analogues: A comprehensive review to identify and prioritize effect biomarkers for human biomonitoring. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 144:105811. [PMID: 32866736 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Human biomonitoring (HBM) studies have demonstrated widespread and daily exposure to bisphenol A (BPA). Moreover, BPA structural analogues (e.g. BPS, BPF, BPAF), used as BPA replacements, are being increasingly detected in human biological matrices. BPA and some of its analogues are classified as endocrine disruptors suspected of contributing to adverse health outcomes such as altered reproduction and neurodevelopment, obesity, and metabolic disorders among other developmental and chronic impairments. One of the aims of the H2020 European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) is the implementation of effect biomarkers at large scales in future HBM studies in a systematic and standardized way, in order to complement exposure data with mechanistically-based biomarkers of early adverse effects. This review aimed to identify and prioritize existing biomarkers of effect for BPA, as well as to provide relevant mechanistic and adverse outcome pathway (AOP) information in order to cover knowledge gaps and better interpret effect biomarker data. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed to identify all the epidemiologic studies published in the last 10 years addressing the potential relationship between bisphenols exposure and alterations in biological parameters. A total of 5716 references were screened, out of which, 119 full-text articles were analyzed and tabulated in detail. This work provides first an overview of all epigenetics, gene transcription, oxidative stress, reproductive, glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones, metabolic and allergy/immune biomarkers previously studied. Then, promising effect biomarkers related to altered neurodevelopmental and reproductive outcomes including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), kisspeptin (KiSS), and gene expression of nuclear receptors are prioritized, providing mechanistic insights based on in vitro, animal studies and AOP information. Finally, the potential of omics technologies for biomarker discovery and its implications for risk assessment are discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort to comprehensively identify bisphenol-related biomarkers of effect for HBM purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Mustieles
- University of Granada, Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Shereen Cynthia D'Cruz
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Stephan Couderq
- Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département "Adaptation du Vivant", UMR 7221 MNHN/CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris 75006, France
| | | | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Département "Adaptation du Vivant", UMR 7221 MNHN/CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris 75006, France
| | - Tim Hofer
- Section of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger-Lise Steffensen
- Section of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Hubert Dirven
- Section of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skøyen, NO-0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Robert Barouki
- University Paris Descartes, ComUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM, National Institute of Health & Medical Research) UMR S-1124, Paris, France
| | - Nicolás Olea
- University of Granada, Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- University of Granada, Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Arthur David
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
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Vitzthum VJ. Field methods and strategies for assessing female reproductive functioning. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23513. [PMID: 33022128 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed understanding of female reproductive functioning is important to many disciplines including anthropology, evolutionary theory, demography, psychology, and biomedicine. In this article, I describe strategies and methods that have been used successfully in community-based studies of human reproduction, many in remote locales, to produce high quality biomarker data. These techniques are applicable to a wide range of research questions and populations, and to persons from adolescence through senescence. I give particular attention to the inherent challenges imposed by the cyclical and somewhat unpredictable nature of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis including the necessity and difficulty of ascertaining the timing and occurrence of ovulation, the limits of different sampling regimes for capturing fluctuations in reproductive hormones, and the critical importance of recognizing and, when possible, reducing selection bias. I discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of collecting saliva, urine, and dried blood spots, and describe some of the subtleties involved in collecting contamination-free samples. Once samples are collected, they must be stored in a manner that minimizes degradation; I describe techniques to keep samples cold even without access to electricity or dry ice. I also discuss various issues that should be considered during initial discussions with a laboratory and when samples are assayed by the laboratory. I include examples of techniques that have worked well in actual field studies, and examples of flawed analytical approaches that should be avoided. With these and other tools, even under technology-sparse conditions, researchers can investigate variability in human physiology across the breadth of human habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia J Vitzthum
- Evolutionary Anthropology Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Martins Trevisan C, Naslavsky MS, Monfardini F, Wang J, Zatz M, Peluso C, Pellegrino R, Mafra F, Hakonarson H, Ferreira FM, Nakaya H, Christofolini DM, Montagna E, Crandall KA, Barbosa CP, Bianco B. Variants in the Kisspeptin-GnRH Pathway Modulate the Hormonal Profile and Reproductive Outcomes. DNA Cell Biol 2020; 39:1012-1022. [PMID: 32352843 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2019.5165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Kisspeptin has been identified as a key regulatory protein in the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which subsequently increases gonadotropin secretion during puberty to establish reproductive function and regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The effects of variants in the KISS1, KISS1R, and GNRHR genes and their possible association with assisted reproduction outcomes remain to be elucidated. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to investigate the associations of the genetic diversity at the candidate loci for KISS1, KISS1R, and GNRHR with the hormonal profiles and reproductive outcomes in 86 women who underwent in vitro fertilization treatments. Variants in the KISS1 and KISS1R genes were associated with luteinizing hormone (rs35431622:T>C), anti-Mullerian hormone (rs71745629delT), follicle-stimulating hormone (rs73507529:C>A), and estradiol (rs73507527:G>A, rs350130:A>G, and rs73507529:C>A) levels, as well as with reproductive outcomes such as the number of oocytes retrieved (s35431622:T>C), metaphasis II oocytes (rs35431622:T>C), and embryos (rs1132506:G>C). Additionally, variants in the GNRHR UTR3' (rs1038426:C>A, rs12508464:A>C, rs13150734:C>A, rs17635850:A>G, rs35683646:G>A, rs35610027:C>G, rs35845954:T>C, rs17635749:C>T, and rs7666201:C>T) were associated with low prolactin levels. A conjoint analysis of clinical, hormonal, and genetic variables using a generalized linear model identified two variants of the KISS1 gene (rs71745629delT and rs1132506:G>C) that were significantly associated with hormonal variations and reproductive outcomes. The findings suggest that variants in KISS1, KISS1R, and GNRHR genes can modulate hormone levels and reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Martins Trevisan
- Discipline of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Populational Genetics, Department of Collective Health, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michel Satya Naslavsky
- Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Frederico Monfardini
- Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Wang
- Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mayana Zatz
- Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carla Peluso
- Discipline of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Populational Genetics, Department of Collective Health, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Pellegrino
- Center for Applied Genomics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fernanda Mafra
- Center for Applied Genomics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Center for Applied Genomics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Frederico Moraes Ferreira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helder Nakaya
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Denise Maria Christofolini
- Discipline of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Populational Genetics, Department of Collective Health, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Erik Montagna
- Postgraduation Program in Health Sciences, Research and Innovation, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Keith A Crandall
- Computational Biology Institute, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Caio Parente Barbosa
- Discipline of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Populational Genetics, Department of Collective Health, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bianca Bianco
- Discipline of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Populational Genetics, Department of Collective Health, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, FMABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
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