Comparative analysis of abdominal fluid cytokine levels in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)

Pro-inflammatory cytokines and CXC chemokines as game-changer in age-associated prostate cancer and ovarian cancer: Insights from preclinical and clinical studies' outcomes

Prostate cancer (PC) and Ovarian cancer (OC) are two of the most common types of cancer that affect the reproductive systems of older men and women. These cancers are associated with a poor quality of life among the aged population. Therefore, finding new and innovative ways to detect, treat, and prevent these cancers in older patients is essential. Finding biomarkers for these malignancies will increase the chance of early detection and effective treatment, subsequently improving the survival rate. Studies have shown that the prevalence and health of some illnesses are linked to an impaired immune system. However, the age-associated changes in the immune system during malignancies such as PC and OC are poorly understood. Recent research has suggested that the excessive production of inflammatory immune mediators, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor (TGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), CXC motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), CXC motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), and CXC motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13), etc., significantly impact the development of PC and OC in elderly patients. Our review focuses on the latest functional studies of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukins) and CXC chemokines, which serve as biomarkers in elderly patients with PC and OC. Thus, we aim to shed light on how these biomarkers affect the development of PC and OC in elderly patients. We also examine the current status and future perspective of cytokines (interleukins) and CXC chemokines-based therapeutic targets in OC and PC treatment for elderly patients.

Vitamin D3 reduces the symptoms of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in mice and inhibits the release of granulosa cell angiogenic factor through pentraxin 3

It has been reported that the effective inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can prevent the progression of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the effect of vitamin D3 (VD3) on OHSS in mouse models and granulosa cells. The effects of VD3 administration (16 and 24 IU) on ovarian permeability were determined using Evans blue. In addition, ovarian pathology, corpus luteum count, inflammatory responses, and hormone and VEGFA levels were assessed using pathological sections and ELISA. Molecular docking predicted that pentraxin 3 (PTX3) could be a potential target of VD3, and therefore, the effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and VD3 as well as PTX3 overexpression on the production and secretion of VEGFA in granulosa cells were also investigated using western blotting and immunofluorescence. Twenty-four IU VD3 significantly reversed the increase in ovarian weight and permeability in mice with OHSS. Additionally, VD3 diminished congestion and the number of corpus luteum in the ovaries and reduced the secretion levels of inflammatory factors and those of estrogen and progesterone. Notably, VD3 downregulated VEGFA and CD31 in ovarian tissues, while the expression levels of PTX3 varied among different groups. Furthermore, VD3 restored the hCG-induced enhanced VEGFA and PTX3 expression levels in granulosa cells, whereas PTX3 overexpression abrogated the VD3-mediated inhibition of VEGFA production and secretion. The present study demonstrated that VD3 could inhibit the release of VEGFA through PTX3, thus supporting the beneficial effects of VD3 administration on ameliorating OHSS symptoms.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and pregnancy luteoma mimicking malignant ascites: a rare case report

BACKGROUND

During pregnancy, both ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and pregnancy luteoma could manifest as massive ascites, enlarged ovaries, or elevated serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), and atypical cells may be found in the ascitic fluid of OHSS patients. Whether this should be treated aggressively as peritoneal carcinomatosis is controversial.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 35-year-old G2P1A1 woman with secondary infertility had a successful pregnancy after one cycle of assisted reproductive technology. The patient complained of lower abdominal distension, oliguria, and poor appetite 19 days after embryo transplantation. She was diagnosed with late-onset OHSS. Although the size of the ovaries decreased bilaterally to the normal range at 12 weeks of gestation after prompt medical care, the ascites increased again after an initial decreasing trend. Elevated serum levels of CA125 (191.1 IU/mL), and suspected adenocarcinoma cells were observed in the ascitic fluid. Although further magnetic resonance imaging examination or diagnostic laparoscopy was recommended, the patient was provided with supportive treatment and closely monitored upon her request. Surprisingly, her ascites diminished, and serum level of CA125 started to decline at 19 weeks of gestation. During cesarean section, pathological examination of the solid mass in the right ovary revealed pregnancy luteoma, which was presumably the other cause of the intractable ascites.

CONCLUSIONS

Caution should be exercised in cases of suspicious malignant ascites during pregnancy. This may due to OHSS or pregnancy luteoma, in which abnormalities usually regress spontaneously.

Effects of intracerebroventricular and intravenous administration of Kisspeptin-54 and Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in rats with ovarian hyperstimulation

PURPOSE

We aim to determine the effect of local and systemic administration of kisspeptin-54 on ovarian hyperstimulation.

METHODS

Immature female rats were used. In order to generate the ovarian hyperstimulation model, 50 IU PMSG was administered for 4 consecutive days and a single dose of 25 IU hCG was administered to all groups except for the sham group. To synchronize the sham group, a single dose of 10 IU PMSG followed by 10 IU hCG (48 h later) was applied. Kisspeptin-54 and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists were administered 48 h after hCG injection. While intracerebroventricular injection is performed with stereotaxic surgery, Intravenous administration was from the tail vein. Ovarian weights were measured. FSH, LH, estrogen and progesterone hormones were detected in serum by ELISA. VEGFa, IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1 immunohistochemical staining was performed on the ovaries and hypothalamus and their optical densities were determined with Image J. Kiss1R mRNA expression was determined by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

Ovarian weights increased significantly in the OHSS group and the systemic GnRH agonist group. The optical densities of VEGFa, IL-1β, TNF- α and MCP-1 immunoreactivity showed us that both local and systemic applied kisspeptin-54 attenuates the level of investigated inflammation parameters in the ovaries. Moreover, local administration of kisspeptin-54 has been shown to enhance the level of Kiss1R mRNA in both the ovaries and the hypothalamus.

CONCLUSION(S)

Local and systemic administration of Kisspeptin-54 as a post-treatment reduces inflammation parameters in the ovaries. These findings promote the potential use of kisspeptin-54 on OHSS.

Lipid Analysis of Follicular Fluids by UHPLC-ESI-HRMS Discovers Potential Biomarkers for Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a serious iatrogenic complication during ovarian stimulation. Even though the incidence of OHSS was relatively low in clinical practice, the consequence can be potentially devastating and life-threatening. Abnormal lipid metabolism may relate to the pathological development of OHSS, but there is still a research gap in the lipidomic research. So here in our study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HRMS) based lipidomic analysis was performed using follicular fluid samples obtained from 17 patients undergoing OHSS. The lipid profiles of OHSS patients were characterized by increased cholesterol ester (ChE) and decreased lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), sphingomyelin (SM), dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine (dMePE) and lysodimethylphosphatidylethanolamine (LdMePE). Totally 10 lipids including LPC(18:0), SM(d18:1/16:0), PC(18:0/18:1), PC(20:2/20:5), PC(16:0/18:1), TG(16:0/18:1/18:1), TG(16:0/18:2/18:2), TG(16:0/16:1/18:1), ChE(20:4) and TG(8:0/8:0/10:0) were selected as differential lipids. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the alteration of various lipids in OHSS patients, which suggested the key role of lipids during the development of OHSS and shed light on the further pathophysiological research of OHSS.

The implication of IL-6 in the invasiveness and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer cells. Systematic review of its potential role as a biomarker in ovarian cancer patients

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is strongly implicated in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. The most recognized actions of IL-6 in ovarian cancer (OC) cells are the induction of cell proliferation and inhibition of cell apoptosis. Equally important is its ability to enhance the migratory and invasive potential of OC cells. Moreover, the increased expression and secretion of this cytokine positively correlates with OC cell chemoresistance. Elevated concentrations of IL-6 are observed in the serum and ascites of ovarian cancer patients. Thus, its level is discussed in the literature as a potential biomarker that can help to discriminate malignant and nonmalignant ovarian tumors and allow for the prediction of the chemotherapy response. The importance of IL-6 in ovarian cancer is proved by the fact that this cytokine is a potential target to anti-cancer therapy. This review is divided into two parts. The first summarizes the general biological activity of IL-6, and overviews its impact on OC cells, as well as discusses the current proposition of IL-6 inclusion in combination of anti-OC therapy. The second part is a systematic review of IL-6 as a possible biomarker in ovarian cancer patients.

Characteristics of Selected Adipokines in Ascites and Blood of Ovarian Cancer Patients

Simple Summary

Ovarian cancer is at the forefront of all cancers worldwide. A specific microenvironment for the secretion of various proteins, including adipokines, is formed around the neoplastic tissue. Five of these proteins, namely adiponectin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), were found to have a particular effect on metastasis. The review collects data available in the literature on the function and occurrence of these cytokines in ovarian cancer. The collected information will allow for the observation of these proteins in the area of diagnostics and the planning of further scientific research, and will enable the use of the cytokine level determination as biomarkers of neoplastic disease, its progression and prognosis.

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide. The course of the disease is often latent and asymptomatic in the early stages, but as it develops, metastasis occurs, accompanied by accumulation of ascites in the peritoneal cavity. The ascites fluid constitutes a specific microenvironment influencing the processes of carcinogenesis. In ascites, signaling is mediated by various cytokines that control tumor cell proliferation, progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Adipokines, secreted into ascites and also appearing in blood, may be markers of ongoing processes related to the development of neoplastic disease. Moreover, a significant influence of adipocyte lipids on the growth of tumors, for which they are one of energy sources, is observed. Adiponectin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), discussed in the present review, were found to mediate the effects of omentum metastasis through homing, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Further research on those adipokines seem to be a natural consequence, allowing for a better understanding of the mechanisms of neoplastic disease and determination of the treatment procedure.

Assessing the Usefulness of Severity Markers in Women with Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

The present study aims to assess the usefulness of severity markers in women with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). An observational study was designed including 76 women with varying degrees of severity of OHSS. Clinical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and ultrasound measurement of the ovarian size and ascites index were carried out in all patients. Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) was measured using an intravesical Foley Manometer catheter. Ascites index and ovarian volume increased progressively being highest in the most severe stage of OHSS. The median IAP in mild OHSS was found to be lower than that in the moderate and severe OHSS (4.0 mm, 12 mm, and 16.0 mm, respectively). Critical cases of OHSS presented the highest IAP (25.0 mm). IAP did not reach the level of intra-abdominal hypertension in mild OHSS, whereas moderate and severe OHSS was associated with intra-abdominal hypertension grade I and grade II-III, respectively. Values of IAP in critical OHSS were found similar to those observed in abdominal compartment syndrome patients. The IAP showed a strong positive correlation with ovarian volume and ascites index. The reduction of IAP after paracentesis was greater among critical OHSS patients. The ovarian volume and the level of intra-abdominal hypertension are related to the severity of OHSS and are of particular importance in the initialization of the syndrome. Ascites index is simple and convenient and can serve as an indirect marker of the abdominal reserve volume. In conjunction with clinical and laboratory data, ascites index and IAP values might be indicators for paracentesis.