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Fortuna M, Varella ACC, Siqueira L, Soares SM, Freddo N, Nardi J, Barletto ÍP, Bertuol MZ, Barcellos LJG. Transgenerational effects of the levonorgestrel-based birth control pill in zebrafish offspring. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024:104540. [PMID: 39173986 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The consumption of hormone-derived medicines, such as levonorgestrel (LNG), is increasing worldwide, and its discharge into the environment reaches non-target organisms. In our previous study, we exposed the parental generation of zebrafish to environmentally relevant concentrations of LNG during the developmental phase. Subsequently, they had grown in a tank with clean water until adulthood. Now, we allowed this parental generation to reproduce to obtain F1 progeny unexposed to LGN, in order to analyze the transgenerational effects of parental LNG exposure on the survival and hatching of unexposed F1 embryos and the stress and behavior of F1 larvae. Here, we found decreased survival rates with higher LNG concentrations, providing a transgenerational effect. This highlights the environmental impact of exposure to LNG, causing damage at the individual and population level and affecting the next generation at the beginning of development, impacting qualities in the survival of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Fortuna
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Lisiane Siqueira
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Suelen Mendonça Soares
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Natália Freddo
- Graduate Programa in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Nardi
- Graduate Programa in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ísis Piasson Barletto
- Undergraduate Course of Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Milena Zanoello Bertuol
- Undergraduate Course of Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Leonardo José Gil Barcellos
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Graduate Programa in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Undergraduate Course of Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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3
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Dead or Alive? A Review of Perinatal Factors That Determine Canine Neonatal Viability. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111402. [PMID: 35681866 PMCID: PMC9179255 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The article summarizes the current knowledge on factors related to pregnancy, parturition, and newborns that affect the health status of a puppy and determine its chances for survival and development. The detailed information is provided in terms of breed predispositions, objectives of pregnancy monitoring, potential sources of complications, and veterinary advances in care and treatment of perinatal conditions. Successful pregnancy outcomes still pose challenges in veterinary neonatology; thus, publications presenting the current state of knowledge in this field are in demand. Abstract The perinatal period has a critical impact on viability of the newborns. The variety of factors that can potentially affect the health of a litter during pregnancy, birth, and the first weeks of life requires proper attention from both the breeder and the veterinarian. The health status of puppies can be influenced by various maternal factors, including breed characteristics, anatomy, quality of nutrition, delivery assistance, neonatal care, and environmental or infectious agents encountered during pregnancy. Regular examinations and pregnancy monitoring are key tools for early detection of signals that can indicate disorders even before clinical signs occur. Early detection significantly increases the chances of puppies’ survival and proper development. The purpose of the review was to summarize and discuss the complex interactions between all elements that, throughout pregnancy and the first days of life, have a tangible impact on the subsequent fate of the offspring. Many of these components continue to pose challenges in veterinary neonatology; thus, publications presenting the current state of knowledge in this field are in demand.
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5
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Vladic Stjernholm Y, Vladic T, Marchini G. Progesterone Gel and Placebo Prolonged Pregnancy More Effectively Than Intravenous Tocolysis Alone in Women with Preterm Labor. Gels 2022; 8:272. [PMID: 35621570 PMCID: PMC9141710 DOI: 10.3390/gels8050272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of progesterone gel compared to placebo in prolonging pregnancy among women with preterm labor. Methods: A randomized controlled trial in Sweden in 2009−18. Women with early preterm labor were randomized to daily doses of progesterone gel 90 mg (n = 28) or placebo (n = 30) after standard intravenous tocolytics. Women with intravenous tocolytics alone (n = 29) served as controls. Results: The median latency to delivery was 68 (range 28−88) days with progesterone and 72 (range 9−90) days with placebo (p = 0.84), compared to 1 (range 1−2) day in the control group (progesterone and placebo vs. control p < 0.001). The rate of preterm birth before 34 weeks was 32% after progesterone and 37 % after placebo (p = 0.32) compared to 100 % in the control group (p < 0.001, respectively). The composite neonatal morbidity (p = 0.65) and neonatal intensive care unit admission (p = 0.12) were comparable between the progesterone and placebo groups and lower in these groups compared with neonates in the control group (p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Progesterone gel and placebo were equally effective in prolonging pregnancy among women with early preterm labor, and both treatments were more effective than standard intravenous tocolysis alone. We hypothesize that the acidic placebo gel reinforced the biochemical barrier at the uterine cervix, which counteracts ascending pathogen invasion and subsequent inflammation, and thereby prevented preterm labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylva Vladic Stjernholm
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, Akademiska Stråket 14, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Tomislav Vladic
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, Akademiska Stråket 14, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Giovanna Marchini
- Neonatal Unit, Astrid Lindgren’s Children’s Hospital, Eugeniavägen 23, 171 64 Solna, Sweden;
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Li Z, Wei H, Li S, Wu P, Mao X. The Role of Progesterone Receptors in Breast Cancer. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:305-314. [PMID: 35115765 PMCID: PMC8801368 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s336643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The progesterone receptor (PR) modulates estrogen receptors α (ERα) action in breast cancer; it is an upregulated target gene of ER, and its expression is dependent on estrogen. PR is also a valuable prognostic biomarker in breast cancer, especially in hormone-positive breast cancer. High expression of PR is more frequently observed in tumors with a better baseline prognosis (ie, luminal A) than tumors with a poor baseline prognosis (ie, luminal B). In the following review, we present the role of PR in breast cancer, including the genomic characteristics and pathways in breast cancer, PR and endocrine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongrui Wei
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyan Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei Wu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyun Mao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
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Zierden HC, Ortiz JI, DeLong K, Yu J, Li G, Dimitrion P, Bensouda S, Laney V, Bailey A, Anders NM, Scardina M, Mahendroo M, Mesiano S, Burd I, Wagner G, Hanes J, Ensign LM. Enhanced drug delivery to the reproductive tract using nanomedicine reveals therapeutic options for prevention of preterm birth. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/576/eabc6245. [PMID: 33441428 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abc6245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation contributes to nearly 4 million global premature births annually. Here, we used a mouse model of intrauterine inflammation to test clinically used formulations, as well as engineered nanoformulations, for the prevention of preterm birth (PTB). We observed that neither systemic 17a-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (Makena) nor vaginal progesterone gel (Crinone) was sufficient to prevent inflammation-induced PTB, consistent with recent clinical trial failures. However, we found that vaginal delivery of mucoinert nanosuspensions of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, in some cases with the addition of progesterone, prevented PTB and resulted in delivery of live pups exhibiting neurotypical development. In human myometrial cells in vitro, the P4/HDAC inhibitor combination both inhibited cell contractility and promoted the anti-inflammatory action of P4 by increasing progesterone receptor B stability. Here, we demonstrate the use of vaginally delivered drugs to prevent intrauterine inflammation-induced PTB resulting in the birth of live offspring in a preclinical animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C Zierden
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jairo I Ortiz
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Kevin DeLong
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Jingqi Yu
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Gaoshan Li
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Peter Dimitrion
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Sabrine Bensouda
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Victoria Laney
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Anna Bailey
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Nicole M Anders
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Morgan Scardina
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Mala Mahendroo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sam Mesiano
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Irina Burd
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Gunter Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Justin Hanes
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Laura M Ensign
- Center for Nanomedicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. .,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.,Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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8
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Abstract
The characteristics of fetal membrane cells and their phenotypic adaptations to support pregnancy or promote parturition are defined by global patterns of gene expression controlled by chromatin structure. Heritable epigenetic chromatin modifications that include DNA methylation and covalent histone modifications establish chromatin regions permissive or exclusive of regulatory interactions defining the cell-specific scope and potential of gene activity. Non-coding RNAs acting at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels complement the system by robustly stabilizing gene expression patterns and contributing to ordered phenotype transitions. Here we review currently available information about epigenetic gene regulation in the amnion and the chorion laeve. In addition, we provide an overview of epigenetic phenomena in the decidua, which is the maternal tissue fused to the chorion membrane forming the anatomical and functional unit called choriodecidua. The relationship of gene expression with DNA (CpG) methylation, histone acetylation and methylation, micro RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and chromatin accessibility is discussed in the context of normal pregnancy, parturition and pregnancy complications. Data generated using clinical samples and cell culture models strongly suggests that epigenetic events are associated with the phenotypic transitions of fetal membrane cells during the establishment, maintenance and termination of pregnancy potentially driving and consolidating the changes as pregnancy progresses. Disease conditions and environmental factors may produce epigenetic footprints that indicate exposures and mediate adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although knowledge is expanding rapidly, fetal membrane epigenetics is still in an early stage of development necessitating further research to realize its remarkable basic and translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Zakar
- Department of Maternity & Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathan W. Paul
- School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
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