Exposure to cigarette smoke via respiratory system may induce abnormal alterations of reproductive organs in female diabetic rats

3-MCPD exposure enhances ovarian fibrosis and reduces oocyte quality in mice

3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) is a food contaminant believed to be harmful to human health. Previous studies showed that 3-MCPD exerts toxic effects in multiple tissues, but whether 3-MCPD affects female reproductive function remained unknown. Here, using mouse gastric lavage models, we report that 3-MCPD exposure for four weeks affected body growth, decreased the ovary/body weight ratio, and increased atretic follicle numbers. Expression levels of follicular development-related factors decreased. Further studies found that ovaries from 3-MCPD exposed mice had activated the Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway and promoted ovarian fibrosis. Increased TNF-α, IL-1 and NF-κB expression also indicated the occurrence of ovarian inflammation. Exposure to 3-MCPD stimulated the caspase pathway and enhanced granulosa cell apoptosis. Consistent with disrupted ovarian homeostasis, 3-MCPD exposure interfered with mitochondrial function, generated more reactive oxygen species, increased ferrous ion and lipid peroxidation levels, and resulted in decreased oocyte development potential. Collectively, these findings indicated that 3-MCPD exposure induced ovarian inflammation and fibrosis, and caused disorders of mitochondrial function and ferrous ion homeostasis in oocytes, which consequently disturbed follicle maturation and reduced oocyte quality.

Influence of ambient air pollution on successful pregnancy with frozen embryo transfer: A machine learning prediction model

Numerous air pollutants have been reported to influence the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, whether air pollution affects implantation in frozen embryo transfer (FET) process is under debate. We aimed to find the association between ambient air pollution and implantation potential of FET and test the value of adding air pollution data to a random forest model (RFM) predicting intrauterine pregnancy. Using a retrospective study of a 4-year single-center design，we analyzed 3698 cycles of women living in Shanghai who underwent FET between 2015 and 2018. To estimate patients' individual exposure to air pollution, we computed averages of daily concentrations of six air pollutants including PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, CO, NO₂, and O₃ measured at 9 monitoring stations in Shanghai for the exposure period (one month before FET). Moreover, A predictive model of 15 variables was established using RFM. Air pollutants levels of patients with or without intrauterine pregnancy were compared. Our results indicated that for exposure periods before FET, NO₂ were negatively associated with intrauterine pregnancy (OR: 0.906, CI: 0.816-0.989). AUROC increased from 0.712 to 0.771 as air pollutants features were added. Overall, our findings demonstrate that exposure to NO₂ before transfer has an adverse effect on clinical pregnancy. The performance to predict intrauterine pregnancy will improve with the use of air pollution data in RFM.

Toxic effects of smokeless tobacco on female reproductive health: A review

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Smokeless tobacco use can lead to impairments of ovarian function, morphology, oocyte quality and hormonal regulation.

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Use of smokeless tobacco during pregnancy has adverse health effects on both the mother and fetus.

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Exposure to smokeless tobacco in utero has long term health consequences on offspring.

The habitual consumption of tobacco in its various form is widespread and a serious public health issue globally. In particular, the use of smokeless tobacco has increased substantially due to its easy availability and misconception that it is relatively harmless compared to smoking. Tobacco use has been well established from numerous studies as a causative agent of devastating illnesses such as cancer, insulin resistance, hypertension, acute respiratory disease, osteoporosis, etc. Limited but growing evidence have also suggested its role in adversely affecting reproductive capabilities and outcomes in women of reproductive age and during pregnancy. This paper provides an updated review on available literature regarding the negative effects of smokeless tobacco use on female reproductive health, during pregnancy and its adverse consequences on the offspring. Existing data suggests the association between chronic smokeless tobacco use and impairment of ovarian morphology and function, oocyte quality, hormonal perturbations, fetal development and long-term health effects on the fetus. Improved understanding of these issues can contribute to better awareness of the dangers of smokeless tobacco products.

Rupture of ovarian endometriotic cyst complicated with endometriosis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis (EMs), an estrogen-dependent disease, refers to the appearance of mucosa-covered endometrial tissues (glandular and interstitial) growing in the uterine cavity outside the uterine myometrium. It is commonly seen in women aged 25 to 45, with an incidence of approximately 10%-15%.

CASE SUMMARY

A 35-year-old unmarried female who denied a history of sex with an intact hymen had multiple dysmenorrhea and pain in the left lower abdomen that recurred during menstruation. Ultrasound examination revealed a dark cystic area measuring 4.9 cm × 4.6 cm on the left side with poor light transmittance, which suggested a left endometriotic cyst. The patient was treated with pain medications (four capsules t.i.d., p.o.). After one month, computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a low-density focus measuring approximately 38 mm in diameter, a blurred mesentery fat plane in the pelvic cavity, and pelvic effusion. Ultrasound showed a complex echo density measuring 5.2 cm × 3.0 cm × 4.2 cm in the left ovarian area and a fluid sonolucent area with a depth of 2.0 cm in the pelvic cavity. Left ovarian cystectomy, electrocautery for endometriotic lesions, myomectomy, and pelvic adhesion lysis were performed under laparoscopy. The postoperative diagnosis was left ovarian chocolate cyst rupture and EMs (stage III, ovarian type, peritoneal type).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic surgery can safely control the symptoms of EMs and effectively eradicate the disease.

Cigarette Smoke Extract Activates Hypoxia-Inducible Factors in a Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Manner in Stroma Cells from Human Endometrium

Cigarette smoking (CS) is a major contributing factor in the development of a large number of fatal and debilitating disorders, including degenerative diseases and cancers. Smoking and passive smoking also affect the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effects of smoking on the human endometrium remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism underlying CS-induced hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α activation using primary human endometrial stromal cells and an immortalized cell line (KC02-44D). We found that the CS extract (CSE) increased reactive oxygen species levels and stimulated HIF-1α protein stabilization in endometrial stromal cells, and that CS-induced HIF-1α-dependent gene expression under non-hypoxic conditions in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, we revealed the upregulated expression of a hypoxia-induced gene set following the CSE treatment, even under normoxic conditions. These results indicated that HIF-1α might play an important role in CS-exposure-induced cellular stress, inflammation, and endometrial remodeling.

Trichostatin A alleviated ovarian tissue damage caused by cigarette smoke exposure

Cigarette smoke (CS) has a negative impact on women's health and fertility. Studies have shown that histone deacetylases 1 and 2 (HDAC1/2) were involved in oocyte development. However, the roles of HDAC1/2 in ovarian toxicity caused by CS exposure and the therapeutic potential of trichostatin A (TSA, a HDAC inhibitor) for ovarian tissue damage have not been investigated. In this study, Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to CS from six cigarettes mixed with indoor air for 120 min (one cigarette for 20 min) using a whole-body mainstream smoke exposure system twice daily for 30 days. TSA (0.6 mg/kg body weight) was injected intraperitoneally into mice in the Control + TSA group and CS + TSA group every two days for 30 days. We found that exposure to CS resulted in ovarian tissue damage and HDAC1/2 over-expression. TSA alleviated the structural changes of ovarian tissue induced by smoking and prevented the activation of HDAC1/2. Exposure to CS caused autophagy inhibition and pyroptosis activation. TSA treatment restored the expression of autophagy-associated proteins and decreased the levels of pyroptosis-related proteins induced by CS exposure. The TSA effect may be mediated by inhibition of HDAC1/2 involved in autophagy and pyroptosis process.

Hypothalamic Neuropeptides Expression and Hypothalamic Inflammation in Adult Rats that Were Exposed to Tobacco Smoke during Breastfeeding: Sex-Related Differences

The hypothalamus controls food intake and energy expenditure. In rats, maternal exposure to nicotine during breastfeeding alters the hypothalamic circuitry of the adult offspring, resulting in leptin resistance, neuropeptides changes and gliosis. Tobacco smoke exposure during lactation causes greater adiposity, hyperphagia and hyperleptinemia in the adult progeny. To understand the central mechanisms underlying the obese phenotype of adult rats that were directly and indirectly exposed to cigarette smoke during lactation, we investigated leptin signaling, orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptides expression, as well as astrocyte and microglia markers in hypothalamus. From postnatal day (PND) 3 to 21, Wistar lactating rat dams and their pups were divided into two groups: SE, smoke-exposed in a cigarette-smoking machine (four times/day); Crtl, exposed to filtered air. Offspring of both sexes were euthanized at PND180. The leptin pathway was not altered in SE animals from both sexes. SE males showed increased NPY (arcuate nucleus, ARC), CRH (paraventricular nucleus, PVN), as well as higher GFAP fiber density (ARC and PVN) and IL6 protein content. TRH (PVN) immunohistochemistry was reduced. SE females had lower CART-positive cells (ARC) and lower α-MSH immunostaining intensity (PVN and lateral hypothalamus), with no change of GFAP or IL-6. The protein contents of CX3CR1 (marker of activated microglia) and α7nAChR (anti-inflammatory marker) were not altered in both SE males and females. Neonatal cigarette smoke is deleterious to the hypothalamic circuitry, inducing changes in energy homeostasis favoring hyperphagia and decreased energy expenditure at adulthood in both sexes; however sex-dependent mechanisms were observed.