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Li Q, Zheng T, Chen J, Li B, Zhang Q, Yang S, Shao J, Guan W, Zhang S. Exploring melatonin's multifaceted role in female reproductive health: From follicular development to lactation and its therapeutic potential in obstetric syndromes. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00168-1. [PMID: 38692429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melatonin is mainly secreted by the pineal gland during darkness and regulates biological rhythms through its receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. In addition, it also plays a role in the reproductive system by affecting the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and by acting as a free radical scavenger thus contributing to the maintenance of the optimal physiological state of the gonads. Besides, melatonin can freely cross the placenta to influence fetal development. However, there is still a lack of overall understanding of the role of melatonin in the reproductive cycle of female mammals. AIM OF REVIEW Here we focus the role of melatonin in female reproduction from follicular development to delivery as well as the relationship between melatonin and lactation. We further summarize the potential role of melatonin in the treatment of preeclampsia, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and ovarian aging. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW Understanding the physiological role of melatonin in female reproductive processes will contribute to the advancement of human fertility and reproductive medicine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihui Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Tenghui Zheng
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiaming Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Baofeng Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qianzi Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Siwang Yang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiayuan Shao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wutai Guan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shihai Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Moškon M, Kovač U, Raspor Dall'Olio L, Geršak K, Kavšek G, Bojc Šmid E, Trojner Bregar A, Rozman D. Circadian characteristics of term and preterm labors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4033. [PMID: 38369585 PMCID: PMC10874972 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54490-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The labor is a physiological event considered to have its own circadian (diurnal) rhythm, but some of the data remain conflicting, especially for preterm births. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the circadian trends of labor onset times in the Slovenian birth cohort from 1990 to 2018 with over 550,000 cases of singleton births. The number of term and preterm labor onsets was calculated for each hour in a day and circadian trends were evaluated for each of the study groups by modeling with a generalized Poisson distribution linked with the cosinor regression model using logarithmic link function. The induced labors were taken as the control group since the timing of labor depends mostly on the working schedule of personnel and not on the intrinsic rhythmic characteristics. For induced labors, the main peak in the number of labor cases was observed in the late morning hours (around 10 AM) for all gestational ages. The prominence of this peak becomes smaller in spontaneous premature labors with gradually disrupting rhythmicity in very preterm and extremely preterm cases. Labors starting with spontaneous contractions peak between 6 and 7 AM and lose the rhythmicity at 35 weeks of gestation while labors starting with a spontaneous rupture of membranes peak at 1 AM and lose the rhythmicity at 31 weeks of gestation, suggesting differences in underlying mechanisms. According to our knowledge, this is the first study that shows differences of circadian trends between different types of spontaneous labors, i.e., labors initiated with contraction and labors initiated with a spontaneous rupture of membranes. Moreover, the obtained results represent evidence of gradual disruption of rhythmicity from mild to extreme prematurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miha Moškon
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urša Kovač
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lucija Raspor Dall'Olio
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ksenija Geršak
- Research Unit, Division of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gorazd Kavšek
- Research Unit, Division of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eva Bojc Šmid
- Research Unit, Division of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Trojner Bregar
- Research Unit, Division of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Damjana Rozman
- Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Alkhfaji H, Kahloul M, Askar TRM, Alhamaidah MF, Ali Hussein H. Impact of Melatonin as a Premedication Agent in Caesarean Section on Blood Loss and Postoperative Pain Level. Anesthesiol Res Pract 2023; 2023:8102111. [PMID: 38116042 PMCID: PMC10730253 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a serious postdelivery condition with a high incidence of morbidity and mortality for women who undergo childbirth with or without a caesarean section. Melatonin has been suggested to increase the contractility of myometrium and reduce the pain score postoperatively, therefore it is believed that the use of melatonin before surgery may decrease blood loss, reduce pain score, and decrease the need for postoperative opioids. Objectives The main objectives of this study are focused on the investigation of melatonin as a premedication agent to reduce blood loss and decrease pain score postoperatively in patients undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Methods 80 patients were scheduled for spinal anesthesia-based cesarean sections and randomly assigned to two groups, melatonin group (M) 40 patients and placebo group (P) 40 patients to receive either 10 mg of sublingual melatonin or a placebo of 90 minutes preoperatively. Hemoglobin levels were been measured preoperative and 12 hrs. Postoperatively, blood loss volume was calculated by measuring both the weight of used materials before and after the surgery and the volume sucked in the suction bottle after placental delivery. Postoperative visual pain score and analgesic requirements were used to evaluate pain levels. Results Analyzed collected data showed a significant decrease in blood loss in the melatonin group in comparison with the placebo group as measured by the hemoglobin level. On the other hand, there is a significant decrease in pain score and analgesia requirement with the melatonin group compared to the placebo group. Conclusion Melatonin is a promising premedication drug that has a significant impact on postpartum hemorrhage by reducing blood loss and pain levels of mothers who have undergone C-sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Alkhfaji
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Health and Medical Technology, Al-Ayen University, Nasiriyah, Iraq
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine Ibn El Jazzar, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Kahloul
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Sahloul Teaching Hospital, University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | | | - Majid Fakhir Alhamaidah
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Health and Medical Technology, Al-Ayen University, Nasiriyah, Iraq
| | - Hussein Ali Hussein
- Department of Anesthesia, College of Health and Medical Technology, Al-Ayen University, Nasiriyah, Iraq
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Therapeutic effects of melatonin on endometriosis, targeting molecular pathways: Current knowledge and future perspective. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 243:154368. [PMID: 36774757 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis, the very serious disease in women creates a huge financial burden worldwide, which is comparable to diabetes mellitus. In addition to the typical pelvic pain, endometriosis is related to low life quality and decreased work efficiency; clinical consequences include mood complaints, metabolic impairments, inflammation, immunologic problems, and elevated malignancy risks. Several risk factors are correlated with endometriosis including elevated oxidative and nitrosative stress, long-lasting inflammation, raised immune tolerance, as well as autoimmunity. Melatonin is a natural molecule present throughout both the plant and animal kingdoms. It has numerous functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Due to the anti-proliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-invasive features of melatonin, it performances as a beneficial agent to limit endometriosis; this involves several pathways including antiestrogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptosis effects, as well as reducing the growth of E2-induced endometriotic tissue. Moreover, melatonin can favor sleep quality and decrease the unwanted signs in the patients. However, most of the data on melatonin accured from experimental works and additional clinical trials are needed. This review summarizes what is currently known regarding the influence of melatonin on endometriosis. AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIAL: Not applicable.
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Ono M, Ando H, Daikoku T, Fujiwara T, Mieda M, Mizumoto Y, Iizuka T, Kagami K, Hosono T, Nomura S, Toyoda N, Sekizuka-Kagami N, Maida Y, Kuji N, Nishi H, Fujiwara H. The Circadian Clock, Nutritional Signals and Reproduction: A Close Relationship. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021545. [PMID: 36675058 PMCID: PMC9865912 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The circadian rhythm, which is necessary for reproduction, is controlled by clock genes. In the mouse uterus, the oscillation of the circadian clock gene has been observed. The transcription of the core clock gene period (Per) and cryptochrome (Cry) is activated by the heterodimer of the transcription factor circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (Clock) and brain and muscle Arnt-like protein-1 (Bmal1). By binding to E-box sequences in the promoters of Per1/2 and Cry1/2 genes, the CLOCK-BMAL1 heterodimer promotes the transcription of these genes. Per1/2 and Cry1/2 form a complex with the Clock/Bmal1 heterodimer and inactivate its transcriptional activities. Endometrial BMAL1 expression levels are lower in human recurrent-miscarriage sufferers. Additionally, it was shown that the presence of BMAL1-depleted decidual cells prevents trophoblast invasion, highlighting the importance of the endometrial clock throughout pregnancy. It is widely known that hormone synthesis is disturbed and sterility develops in Bmal1-deficient mice. Recently, we discovered that animals with uterus-specific Bmal1 loss also had poor placental development, and these mice also had intrauterine fetal death. Furthermore, it was shown that time-restricted feeding controlled the uterine clock's circadian rhythm. The uterine clock system may be a possibility for pregnancy complications, according to these results. We summarize the most recent research on the close connection between the circadian clock and reproduction in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanori Ono
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-3342-6111
| | - Hitoshi Ando
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Function Analysis, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Takiko Daikoku
- Institute for Experimental Animals, Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Tomoko Fujiwara
- Department of Social Work and Life Design, Kyoto Notre Dame University, Kyoto 606-0848, Japan
| | - Michihiro Mieda
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Yasunari Mizumoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Takashi Iizuka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Kagami
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Takashi Hosono
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nomura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Natsumi Toyoda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
- Institute for Experimental Animals, Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Naomi Sekizuka-Kagami
- Department of Nursing, College of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Maida
- Department of Nursing, College of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
| | - Naoaki Kuji
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Nishi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Fujiwara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan
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The Role of Melatonin in Pregnancy and the Health Benefits for the Newborn. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123252. [PMID: 36552008 PMCID: PMC9775355 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, there have been significant evolutions in the understanding of the hormone melatonin in terms of its physiology, regulatory role, and potential utility in various domains of clinical medicine. Melatonin's properties include, among others, the regulation of mitochondrial function, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and neuro-protective effects, sleep promotion and immune enhancement. As it is also bioavailable and has little or no toxicity, it has been proposed as safe and effective for the treatment of numerous diseases and to preserve human health. In this manuscript, we tried to evaluate the role of melatonin at the beginning of human life, in pregnancy, in the fetus and in newborns through newly published literature studies.
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Hailemariam T, Atnafu A, Gezie LD, Tilahun B. Why maternal continuum of care remains low in Northwest Ethiopia? A multilevel logistic regression analysis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274729. [PMID: 36121833 PMCID: PMC9484641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-adherence to the maternal continuum of care remains a significant challenge. Though early initiation and continuum of care are recommended for mothers' and newborns' well-being, there is a paucity of evidence that clarify this condition in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to assess the level of women's completion of the maternal continuum of care and factors affecting it in Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November, 2020. Data were collected from 811 women who had a recent history of birth within the past one year. The random and fixed effects were reported using an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. The p-value of 0.05 was used to declare significantly associated factors with women's completion of the maternal continuum of care. RESULTS The study revealed that 6.9% (95%CI: 5.3-8.9%) of women were retained fully on the continuum of maternal care, while 7.89% of women did not receive any care from the existing healthcare system. Attending secondary and above education (AOR = 3.15; 95%CI: 1.25,7.89), membership in the women's development army (AOR = 2.91; 95%CI: 1.56,5.44); being insured (AOR = 2.59; 95%CI: 1.33,5.01); getting health education (AOR = 2.44; 95%CI: 1.33,4.45); short distance to health facility (AOR = 4.81; 95%CI: 1.55,14.95); and mass-media exposure (AOR = 2.39; 95%CI: 1.11,5.15) were significantly associated with maternal continuum of care. CONCLUSIONS The maternal continuum of care is low in rural northwest Ethiopia compared to findings from most resource-limited settings. Therefore, the existing health system should consider multilevel intervention strategies that focus on providing maternal health education, facilitating insurance mechanisms, encouraging women's participation in health clubs, and ensuring physical accessibility to healthcare facilities to be more effective in improving maternal health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfahun Hailemariam
- Department of Health Informatics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Asmamaw Atnafu
- Department of Health System and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Lemma Derseh Gezie
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Binyam Tilahun
- Department of Health Informatics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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Moeller JS, Bever SR, Finn SL, Phumsatitpong C, Browne MF, Kriegsfeld LJ. Circadian Regulation of Hormonal Timing and the Pathophysiology of Circadian Dysregulation. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:4185-4214. [PMID: 36073751 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c220018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, daily patterns of behavior and physiology that are essential for optimal health and disease prevention. Disruptions to circadian timing are associated with a host of maladies, including metabolic disease and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and mental health disturbances. The circadian timing system is hierarchically organized, with a master circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus and subordinate clocks throughout the CNS and periphery. The SCN receives light information via a direct retinal pathway, synchronizing the master clock to environmental time. At the cellular level, circadian rhythms are ubiquitous, with rhythms generated by interlocking, autoregulatory transcription-translation feedback loops. At the level of the SCN, tight cellular coupling maintains rhythms even in the absence of environmental input. The SCN, in turn, communicates timing information via the autonomic nervous system and hormonal signaling. This signaling couples individual cellular oscillators at the tissue level in extra-SCN brain loci and the periphery and synchronizes subordinate clocks to external time. In the modern world, circadian disruption is widespread due to limited exposure to sunlight during the day, exposure to artificial light at night, and widespread use of light-emitting electronic devices, likely contributing to an increase in the prevalence, and the progression, of a host of disease states. The present overview focuses on the circadian control of endocrine secretions, the significance of rhythms within key endocrine axes for typical, homeostatic functioning, and implications for health and disease when dysregulated. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12: 1-30, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Moeller
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Savannah R Bever
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Samantha L Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Madison F Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Lance J Kriegsfeld
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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Tobeiha M, Jafari A, Fadaei S, Mirazimi SMA, Dashti F, Amiri A, Khan H, Asemi Z, Reiter RJ, Hamblin MR, Mirzaei H. Evidence for the Benefits of Melatonin in Cardiovascular Disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:888319. [PMID: 35795371 PMCID: PMC9251346 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.888319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pineal gland is a neuroendocrine gland which produces melatonin, a neuroendocrine hormone with critical physiological roles in the circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin has been shown to possess anti-oxidant activity and neuroprotective properties. Numerous studies have shown that melatonin has significant functions in cardiovascular disease, and may have anti-aging properties. The ability of melatonin to decrease primary hypertension needs to be more extensively evaluated. Melatonin has shown significant benefits in reducing cardiac pathology, and preventing the death of cardiac muscle in response to ischemia-reperfusion in rodent species. Moreover, melatonin may also prevent the hypertrophy of the heart muscle under some circumstances, which in turn would lessen the development of heart failure. Several currently used conventional drugs show cardiotoxicity as an adverse effect. Recent rodent studies have shown that melatonin acts as an anti-oxidant and is effective in suppressing heart damage mediated by pharmacologic drugs. Therefore, melatonin has been shown to have cardioprotective activity in multiple animal and human studies. Herein, we summarize the most established benefits of melatonin in the cardiovascular system with a focus on the molecular mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Tobeiha
- School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Ameneh Jafari
- Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Fadaei
- Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Ali Mirazimi
- School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Dashti
- School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Atefeh Amiri
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Zatollah Asemi
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Russel J. Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health. Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Michael R. Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
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McDougall ARA, Goldstein M, Tuttle A, Ammerdorffer A, Rushwan S, Hastie R, Gülmezoglu AM, Vogel JP. Innovations in the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: Analysis of a novel medicines development pipeline database. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2022; 158 Suppl 1:31-39. [PMID: 35762804 PMCID: PMC9328148 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background A significant barrier to improving prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a lack of innovative medicines that meet the needs of women and providers, particularly those in low‐and middle‐income countries (LMICs). The Accelerating Innovation for Mothers (AIM) project established a new database of candidate medicines under development for five pregnancy‐related conditions between 2000 and 2021. Objective To systematically identify and rank candidates for prevention and treatment of PPH. Search Strategy Adis Insight, Pharmaprojects, WHO ICTRP, PubMed, and grant databases were searched to develop the AIM database. Selection Criteria AIM database was searched for candidates being evaluated for PPH prevention and treatment, regardless of phase. Data Collection and Analysis Candidates were ranked as high, medium, or low potential based on prespecified criteria. Analysis was primarily descriptive, describing candidates and development potential. Main Results Of the 444 unique candidates, only 39 pertained to PPH. One was high potential (heat‐stable/inhaled oxytocin) and three were medium potential (melatonin, vasopressin and dofetilide via nanoparticle delivery). Conclusion The pipeline for new PPH medicines is concerningly limited, lacking diversity, and showing little evidence of novel technologies. Without significant investment in early‐phase research, it is unlikely that new products will emerge. A new database of maternal medicine development shows few new PPH candidates are in the pipeline. Significant investment is needed, particularly in early‐phase research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie R A McDougall
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Roxanne Hastie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Australia
| | | | - Joshua P Vogel
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Martínez-Burnes J, Muns R, Barrios-García H, Villanueva-García D, Domínguez-Oliva A, Mota-Rojas D. Parturition in Mammals: Animal Models, Pain and Distress. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2960. [PMID: 34679979 PMCID: PMC8532935 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parturition is a complex physiological process and involves many hormonal, morphological, physiological, and behavioural changes. Labour is a crucial moment for numerous species and is usually the most painful experience in females. Contrary to the extensive research in humans, there are limited pain studies associated with the birth process in domestic animals. Nonetheless, awareness of parturition has increased among the public, owners, and the scientific community during recent years. Dystocia is a significant factor that increases the level of parturition pain. It is considered less common in polytocous species because newborns' number and small size might lead to the belief that the parturition process is less painful than in monotocous animal species and humans. This review aims to provide elements of the current knowledge about human labour pain (monotocous species), the relevant contribution of the rat model to human labour pain, and the current clinical and experimental knowledge of parturition pain mechanisms in domestic animals that support the fact that domestic polytocous species also experience pain. Moreover, both for women and domestic animal species, parturition's pain represents a potential welfare concern, and information on pain indicators and the appropriate analgesic therapy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Martínez-Burnes
- Animal Health Group, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Victoria City 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico;
| | - Ramon Muns
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough, Co Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland, UK;
| | - Hugo Barrios-García
- Animal Health Group, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Victoria City 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico;
| | - Dina Villanueva-García
- Division of Neonatology, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City 06720, Mexico;
| | - Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico;
| | - Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico;
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12
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Weiner CP, Dong Y, Zhou H, Cuckle H, Ramsey R, Egerman R, Buhimschi I, Buhimschi C. Early pregnancy prediction of spontaneous preterm birth before 32 completed weeks of pregnancy using plasma RNA: transcriptome discovery and initial validation of an RNA panel of markers. BJOG 2021; 128:1870-1880. [PMID: 33969600 PMCID: PMC8455415 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.16736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the second-trimester plasma cell-free (PCF) transcriptome of women who delivered at term with that of women with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) at or before 32 weeks of gestation and identify/validate PCF RNA markers present by 16 weeks of gestation. DESIGN Prospective case-control study. SETTING Academic tertiary care centre. POPULATION Pregnant women with known outcomes prospectively sampled. METHODS PCF RNAs extracted from women at 22-24 weeks of gestation (five sPTB up to 32 weeks and five at term) were hybridised to gene expression arrays. Differentially regulated RNAs for sPTB up to 32 weeks were initially selected based on P value compared with control (P < 0.01) and fold change (≥1.5×). Potential markers were then reordered by narrowness of distribution. Final marker selection was made by searching the Metacore™ database to determine whether the PCF RNAs interacted with a reported set of myometrial Preterm Initiator genes. RNAs were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and tested in a second group of 40 women: 20 with sPTB up to 32 weeks (mean gestation 26.5 weeks, standard deviation ±2.6 weeks), 20 with spontaneous term delivery (40.1 ± 0.9 weeks) sampled at 16-19+5 weeks of gestation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Identification of PCF RNAs predictive of sPTB up to 32 weeks. RESULTS Two hundred and ninety-seven PCR RNAs were differentially expressed in sPTB up to 32 weeks of gestation. Further selection retained 99 RNAs (86 mRNAs and 13 microRNAs) and five of these interacted in silica with seven Preterm Initiator genes. Four of five RNAs were confirmed and tested on the validation group. The expression of each confirmed PCF RNA was significantly higher in sPTB up to 32 weeks of gestation. In vitro study of the four mRNAs revealed higher expression in placentas of women with sPTB up to 32 weeks and the potential to interfere with myometrial quiescence. CONCLUSIONS The PCF RNA markers are highly associated with sPTB up to 32 weeks by 16 weeks of gestation. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT Women destined for spontaneous preterm birth can be identified by 16 weeks of gestation with a panel of maternal plasma RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- C P Weiner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Rosetta Signaling Laboratory, Mission Hills, KS, USA
| | - Y Dong
- Rosetta Signaling Laboratory, Mission Hills, KS, USA
| | - H Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - H Cuckle
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
| | - R Ramsey
- Office of Clinical Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - R Egerman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - I Buhimschi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - C Buhimschi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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13
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Maternal effects in mammals: Broadening our understanding of offspring programming. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 62:100924. [PMID: 33992652 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The perinatal period is a sensitive time in mammalian development that can have long-lasting consequences on offspring phenotype via maternal effects. Maternal effects have been most intensively studied with respect to two major conditions: maternal diet and maternal stress. In this review, we shift the focus by discussing five major additional maternal cues and their influence on offspring phenotype: maternal androgen levels, photoperiod (melatonin), microbiome, immune regulation, and milk composition. We present the key findings for each of these topics in mammals, their mechanisms of action, and how they interact with each other and with the maternal influences of diet and stress. We explore their impacts in the contexts of both predictive adaptive responses and the developmental origins of disease, identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities in the field, and place a particular emphasis on the application and consideration of these effects in non-model species and natural ecological systems.
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Yaw AM, McLane-Svoboda AK, Hoffmann HM. Shiftwork and Light at Night Negatively Impact Molecular and Endocrine Timekeeping in the Female Reproductive Axis in Humans and Rodents. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:E324. [PMID: 33396885 PMCID: PMC7795361 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Shiftwork, including work that takes place at night (nightshift) and/or rotates between day and nightshifts, plays an important role in our society, but is associated with decreased health, including reproductive dysfunction. One key factor in shiftwork, exposure to light at night, has been identified as a likely contributor to the underlying health risks associated with shiftwork. Light at night disrupts the behavioral and molecular circadian timekeeping system, which is important for coordinated timing of physiological processes, causing mistimed hormone release and impaired physiological functions. This review focuses on the impact of shiftwork on reproductive function and pregnancy in women and laboratory rodents and potential underlying molecular mechanisms. We summarize the negative impact of shiftwork on female fertility and compare these findings to studies in rodent models of light shifts. Light-shift rodent models recapitulate several aspects of reproductive dysfunction found in shift workers, and their comparison with human studies can enable a deeper understanding of physiological and hormonal responses to light shifts and the underlying molecular mechanisms that may lead to reproductive disruption in human shift workers. The contributions of human and rodent studies are essential to identify the origins of impaired fertility in women employed in shiftwork.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hanne M. Hoffmann
- Department of Animal Science and the Reproductive and Developmental Science Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Daylight Saving Time and Spontaneous Deliveries: A Case-Control Study in Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17218091. [PMID: 33153052 PMCID: PMC7662372 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17218091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Although the current literature shows that daylight saving time (DST) may play a role in human health and behavior, this topic has been poorly investigated with reference to Obstetrics. The aim of this case–control study was to evaluate whether DST may influence the number of spontaneous deliveries. (2) Methods: A low-risk pregnancy cohort with spontaneous onset of labor (n = 7415) was analyzed from a single Italian region for the period 2016–2018. Primary outcome was the number of spontaneous deliveries. Secondary outcomes were: gestational age at delivery, type and time of delivery, use of analgesia, birth weight, and 5-min Apgar at delivery. We compared the outcomes in the two weeks after DST (cases) to the two weeks before DST (controls). (3) Results: Data showed no significant difference between the number of deliveries occurring before and after DST (Chi-square = 0.546, p = 0.46). Vaginal deliveries at any gestational age showed no statistical difference between the two groups (Chi-square = 0.120, p = 0.73). There were no significant differences in the secondary outcomes, as well. (4) Conclusions: DST has neither a significant impact on the number of deliveries nor on the obstetric variables investigated by this study.
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Bae H, Yang C, Lee JY, Park S, Bazer FW, Song G, Lim W. Melatonin improves uterine-conceptus interaction via regulation of SIRT1 during early pregnancy. J Pineal Res 2020; 69:e12670. [PMID: 32421880 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin has been shown to improve in vitro fertilization and offspring survival after bacterial infection, but its role in regulating maternal-fetal communication during early pregnancy has not been investigated. Results of this study demonstrated expression of abundant melatonin receptors in conceptus and endometrium during early pregnancy. In gilts, expression of melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A or MT1) and melatonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B or MT2) increased in trophectoderm (Tr) and uterine luminal epithelium (LE) with advancing days during early pregnancy in a different manner. Melatonin increased proliferation and migration of porcine trophectoderm (pTr) cell, the percent pTr cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, and the expression of implantation-related genes by pTr cells and endometrial luminal epithelium (pLE). Melatonin also attenuated the production of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-sensing proteins. The expression of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) as a potential target of melatonin increased between Days 9 and 14 of gestation. Co-treatment with SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 and melatonin restored cell-cell interactions through PI3K and MAPK signaling. Knockdown of SIRT1 decreased the expression of implantation-related genes, as well as migration of pTr and pLE cells. The expression of microRNAs regulated by SIRT1 was suppressed in response to melatonin. Furthermore, melatonin significantly increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-reduced fertilization and embryogenesis in zebrafish model. These results suggest that melatonin may improve the uterine-conceptus interactions via the regulation of SIRT1 during early pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyocheol Bae
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Changwon Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin-Young Lee
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Sunwoo Park
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Fuller W Bazer
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Gwonhwa Song
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Whasun Lim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Science and Technology, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea
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Bagci S, Sabir H, Müller A, Reiter RJ. Effects of altered photoperiod due to COVID-19 lockdown on pregnant women and their fetuses. Chronobiol Int 2020; 37:961-973. [PMID: 32519912 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1772809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Maternal circadian rhythms provide highly important input into the entrainment and programming of fetal and newborn circadian rhythms. The light-dark cycle is an important regulator of the internal biological clock. Even though pregnant women spend a greater part of the day at home during the latter stages of pregnancy, natural light exposure is crucial for the fetus. The current recommended COVID-19 lockdown might dramatically alter normal environmental lighting conditions of pregnant women, resulting in exposure to extremely low levels of natural daylight and high-intensity artificial light sources during both day and night. This article summarizes the potential effects on pregnant woman and their fetuses due to prolonged exposure to altered photoperiod and as consequence altered circadian system, known as chronodisruption, that may result from the COVID-19 lockdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bagci
- Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Children's Hospital-University of Bonn , Bonn, Germany
| | - H Sabir
- Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Children's Hospital-University of Bonn , Bonn, Germany
| | - A Müller
- Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Children's Hospital-University of Bonn , Bonn, Germany
| | - R J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio , San Antonio, Texas, USA
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18
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Women's retention on the continuum of maternal care pathway in west Gojjam zone, Ethiopia: multilevel analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:258. [PMID: 32349687 PMCID: PMC7191802 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-02953-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The continuum of maternal care has been one of the effective approaches for improving the health of mothers and newborns. Although large numbers of Ethiopian women do not use maternal health services, points of drop out along the continuum are not understood well. Understanding of a particular point of maternal care dropout on the continuum, however, helps governments make effective interventions. This study aimed to assess the extent of women’s service utilization and the factors affecting retention on the continuum of care in West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. Methods A community-based study linked to health facility data was conducted in June 2018. Data were obtained from 1281 mothers who gave birth to their last baby within the preceding 12 months from a two-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using a pretested questionnaire. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of individual and cluster-level factors on key elements of the continuum of care. The measure of fixed effects was expressed as Odds Ratio with 95% confidence interval. Results The study revealed that only 12.1% of women completed the continuum of maternal care services (ANC4+, SBA, and PNC within 2 days after birth); while 25.1% of them did not receive any care during their recent births. There were commonalities and differences in the predictors of the three indicators of maternal health service utilization. Variables related to services received during antenatal care such as early initiation of ANC (AOR = 7.53, 95%CI, 2.94, 19.29) and receiving proper contents (AOR = 3.31, 95%CI, 1.08, 10.16) were among the predictors significantly associated with the completion of the continuum of care. Conclusions The continuum of maternal care completion rate was extremely low, indicating that women were not getting the maximum possible health benefit from existing health services. The results also revealed that maternal health service utilization was influenced by factors operating at various levels-individual, household, community, and health facility. Since antenatal care is considered an entry point for the subsequent use of maternal services, strategies that aimed to improve maternal health service utilization should target early initiation and antenatal care quality.
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Swarnamani K, Davies-Tuck M, Wallace E, Mol BW, Mockler J. A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of melatonin as an adjuvant agent in induction of labour (MILO): a study protocol. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e032480. [PMID: 32051303 PMCID: PMC7044825 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Induction of labour (IOL) is a common practice. In Australia, up to 40% of women undergoing labour induction will ultimately have a caesarean section. As a biological role for melatonin in the onset and progress of labour has been demonstrated, we aim to test the hypothesis that addition of melatonin will reduce the need for caesarean section. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in women undergoing IOL at term. We plan to randomise 722 women (1:1 ratio) to receive either melatonin (four doses of 10 mg melatonin: first dose-in the evening at the time of cervical balloon or Dinoprostone PGE2 vaginal pessary insertion, second dose-at time of oxytocin infusion commencement, third dose-6 hours after the second dose, fourth dose-6 hours after the third dose) or placebo (same dosing regime). Participants who are having artificial rupture of the membranes only as the primary means of labour induction will receive up to three doses of the trial intervention. The primary outcome measure will be the requirement for a caesarean section. Secondary outcomes will include duration of each stage of labour and time from induction to birth, total dose of oxytocin administration, epidural rate, indication for caesarean section, rate of instrumental deliveries, birth within 24 hours of induction commencement, estimated blood loss, Apgar score at 5 min, neonatal intensive care unit admissions and participant satisfaction. Maternal melatonin levels will be measured immediately before commencement of the oxytocin intravenous infusion and 3 hours after and at the time of birth in order to determine any differences between the two trial arms. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study is conducted in accordance with the conditions of Monash Health HREC (RES-17-0000-168A). Findings from the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. PROTOCOL VERSION V.7.0, 30 July 2019. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12616000311459, Universal trial number: (UTN) U1111-1195-3515.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamala Swarnamani
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Miranda Davies-Tuck
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Euan Wallace
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ben W Mol
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joanne Mockler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Sen A, Hoffmann HM. Role of core circadian clock genes in hormone release and target tissue sensitivity in the reproductive axis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 501:110655. [PMID: 31756424 PMCID: PMC6962569 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.110655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Precise timing in hormone release from the hypothalamus, the pituitary and ovary is critical for fertility. Hormonal release patterns of the reproductive axis are regulated by a feedback loop within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The timing and rhythmicity of hormone release and tissue sensitivity in the HPG axis is regulated by circadian clocks located in the hypothalamus (suprachiasmatic nucleus, kisspeptin and GnRH neurons), the pituitary (gonadotrophs), the ovary (theca and granulosa cells), the testis (Leydig cells), as well as the uterus (endometrium and myometrium). The circadian clocks integrate environmental and physiological signals to produce cell endogenous rhythms generated by a transcriptional-translational feedback loop of transcription factors that are collectively called the "molecular clock". This review specifically focuses on the contribution of molecular clock transcription factors in regulating hormone release patterns in the reproductive axis, with an emphasis on the female reproductive system. Specifically, we discuss the contributions of circadian rhythms in distinct neuronal populations of the female hypothalamus, the molecular clock in the pituitary and its overall impact on female and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aritro Sen
- Department of Animal Science and the Reproductive and Developmental Science Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hanne M Hoffmann
- Department of Animal Science and the Reproductive and Developmental Science Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Hu JJ, Xiao LF, Song LL, Ge WB, Duan HW, Jiang Y. The expression of melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 is regulated by E2 in sheep oviduct. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 286:113135. [PMID: 30849411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Some of the functions of melatonin in mammals are exerted through its membrane receptors (MRs) and studies have shown that estradiol (E2) might play an important role in regulating the expression of these proteins in female reproductive organs. However, no reports have reported the expression of MRs in the sheep oviduct or whether they are regulated by E2. Thus, herein, we detected the localization of MT1 and MT2 in the sheep oviduct. Moreover, we also investigated the expression pattern of these markers in the ovulating and non-ovulating side of the oviduct in the sheep ampulla and isthmus. Immunohistochemistry analyses revealed that both MT1 and MT2 are mainly expressed on oviduct epithelial cells. Both real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot analyses showed that MT1 and MT2 genes and proteins are highly expressed on the non-ovulating side of the oviduct ampulla, but not the ovulating side. However, regarding the oviduct isthmus, there were no significant differences between the ovulating and non-ovulating sides. In vitro, 10 ng/ml and 1 µg/ml of E2, as well as 1 µg/ml of E2 combined with 0.1 µg/ml, 1 µg/ml, and 10 µg/ml of ICI182780 (a non-selective estrogenreceptor antagonist), were used to treat oviduct epithelial cells. We found that E2 inhibited the expression of MT1 and MT2 in cultured oviduct cells. Moreover, the inhibitory effect was suppressed by ICI182780. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that MRs are present in the sheep oviduct, and that E2, via the ER pathway, regulates their expression in the oviduct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Jie Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
| | - Long-Fei Xiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China.
| | - Liang-Li Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
| | - Wen-Bo Ge
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
| | - Hong-Wei Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
| | - Yuting Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
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Abstract
For more than a half century the hormone melatonin has been associated with vertebrate reproduction, particularly in the context of seasonal breeding. This association is due in large measure to the fact that melatonin secretion from the pineal gland into the peripheral circulation is a nocturnal event whose duration is reflective of night length, which of course becomes progressively longer during winter months and correspondingly shorter during the summer months. The nocturnal plasma melatonin signal is conserved in essentially all vertebrates and is accessed not just for reproductive rhythms, but for seasonal cycles of metabolic activities, immune functions, and behavioral expression. A vast literature on melatonin and vertebrate biology has accrued over the past 60 years since melatonin's discovery, including the broad topic of animal reproduction, which is far beyond the scope of this human-focused review. Although modern humans in the industrialized world appear in general to have little remaining reproductive seasonality, the relationships between melatonin and human reproduction continue to attract widespread scientific attention. The purpose of this chapter is to draw attention to some newer developments in the field, especially those with relevance to human fertility and reproductive medicine. As the vast majority of studies have focused on the female reproductive system, a discussion of the potential impact of melatonin on human male fertility will be left for others.
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Melatonin Promotes Uterine and Placental Health: Potential Molecular Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010300. [PMID: 31906255 PMCID: PMC6982088 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of the endometrium is a cyclic event tightly regulated by hormones and growth factors to coordinate the menstrual cycle while promoting a suitable microenvironment for embryo implantation during the “receptivity window”. Many women experience uterine failures that hamper the success of conception, such as endometrium thickness, endometriosis, luteal phase defects, endometrial polyps, adenomyosis, viral infection, and even endometrial cancer; most of these disturbances involve changes in endocrine components or cell damage. The emerging evidence has proven that circadian rhythm deregulation followed by low circulating melatonin is associated with low implantation rates and difficulties to maintain pregnancy. Given that melatonin is a circadian-regulating hormone also involved in the maintenance of uterine homeostasis through regulation of numerous pathways associated with uterine receptivity and gestation, the success of female reproduction may be dependent on the levels and activity of uterine and placental melatonin. Based on the fact that irregular production of maternal and placental melatonin is related to recurrent spontaneous abortion and maternal/fetal disturbances, melatonin replacement may offer an excellent opportunity to restore normal physiological function of the affected tissues. By alleviating oxidative damage in the placenta, melatonin favors nutrient transfer and improves vascular dynamics at the uterine–placental interface. This review focuses on the main in vivo and in vitro functions of melatonin on uterine physiological processes, such as decidualization and implantation, and also on the feto-maternal tissues, and reviews how exogenous melatonin functions from a mechanistic standpoint to preserve the organ health. New insights on the potential signaling pathways whereby melatonin resists preeclampsia and endometriosis are further emphasized in this review.
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Prado NJ, Egan Beňová T, Diez ER, Knezl V, Lipták B, Ponce Zumino AZ, Llamedo-Soria M, Szeiffová Bačová B, Miatello RM, Tribulová N. Melatonin receptor activation protects against low potassium-induced ventricular fibrillation by preserving action potentials and connexin-43 topology in isolated rat hearts. J Pineal Res 2019; 67:e12605. [PMID: 31408542 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hypokalemia prolongs the QRS and QT intervals, deteriorates intercellular coupling, and increases the risk for arrhythmia. Melatonin preserves gap junctions and shortens action potential as potential antiarrhythmic mechanisms, but its properties under hypokalemia remain unknown. We hypothesized that melatonin protects against low potassium-induced arrhythmias through the activation of its receptors, resulting in action potential shortening and connexin-43 preservation. After stabilization in Krebs-Henseleit solution (4.5 mEq/L K+ ), isolated hearts from Wistar rats underwent perfusion with low-potassium (1 mEq/L) solution and melatonin (100 μmol/L), a melatonin receptor blocker (luzindole, 5 μmol/L), melatonin + luzindole or vehicle. The primary endpoint of the study was the prevention of ventricular fibrillation. Electrocardiography was used, and epicardial action potentials and heart function were measured and analyzed. The ventricular expression, dephosphorylation, and distribution of connexin-43 were examined. Melatonin reduced the incidence of low potassium-induced ventricular fibrillation from 100% to 59%, delayed the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation and induced a faster recovery of sinus rhythm during potassium restitution. Melatonin prevented QRS widening, action potential activation delay, and the prolongation of action potential duration at 50% of repolarization. Other ECG and action potential parameters, the left ventricular developed pressure, and nonsustained ventricular arrhythmias did not differ among groups. Melatonin prevented connexin-43 dephosphorylation and its abnormal topology (lateralization). Luzindole abrogated the protective effects of melatonin on electrophysiological properties and connexin-43 misdistribution. Our results indicate that melatonin receptor activation protects against low potassium-induced ventricular fibrillation, shortens action potential duration, preserves ventricular electrical activation, and prevents acute changes in connexin-43 distribution. All of these properties make melatonin a remarkable antifibrillatory agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jorgelina Prado
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Tamara Egan Beňová
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Heart Research, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Emiliano Raúl Diez
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Vladimír Knezl
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Lipták
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Amira Zulma Ponce Zumino
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Mariano Llamedo-Soria
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Barbara Szeiffová Bačová
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Heart Research, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Roberto Miguel Miatello
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Narcisa Tribulová
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Heart Research, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Rahman SA, Bibbo C, Olcese J, Czeisler CA, Robinson JN, Klerman EB. Relationship between endogenous melatonin concentrations and uterine contractions in late third trimester of human pregnancy. J Pineal Res 2019; 66:e12566. [PMID: 30739346 PMCID: PMC6453747 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In humans, circulating levels of the hormone melatonin and the initiation of spontaneous labor are both higher at night than during the day. Since activation of uterine melatonin receptors can stimulate human in vitro uterine contractions and these receptors are only expressed on the uterine tissue of women in labor, we hypothesized that circulating melatonin concentrations would affect uterine contractions in vivo. We evaluated the impact of light-induced modulation of melatonin secretion on uterine contractions in women during late third trimester (~36-39 weeks) of pregnancy in two inpatient protocols. We found a significant (P < 0.05) positive linear association between circulating melatonin concentrations and the number of uterine contractions under both protocols. On average, uterine contractions increased between 1.4 and 2.1 contractions per 30 minutes for every 10 pg/mL*h increase in melatonin concentration. These findings have both basic science and clinical implications for pregnant women, since endogenous melatonin levels and melatonin receptor activity can be altered by light and/or pharmaceutical agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadab A Rahman
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston MA
| | - Carolina Bibbo
- Department of Obstetrics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston MA
| | - James Olcese
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee FL
| | - Charles A Czeisler
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston MA
| | | | - Elizabeth B Klerman
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston MA
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Effect of Melatonin on Blood Loss After Cesarean Section: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Trial. J Obstet Gynaecol India 2019; 69:436-443. [PMID: 31598047 DOI: 10.1007/s13224-019-01205-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives The similarities between the melatonin and oxytocin signaling could lead to increased contractility of myometrium. We designed this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin in reduction of blood loss during and after the lower segment cesarean section. Methods One hundred and twenty patients who had been scheduled for cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were enrolled in the study. We randomly allocated them to one of the three following groups to receive either melatonin 3 mg (M3), melatonin 6 mg (M6), or placebo (P) sublingually 20 min before the surgery. The hemoglobin levels before and 12 h after surgery, the mean weight of the materials used in the operation time, the need for additional oxytocic therapy, and the incidence of adverse effects were probed and recorded. Results There was a significant difference between the group M6 and both M3 and P in the mean weight of the materials (p = .024 and .041, respectively) and between M6 and P groups in terms of mean decrease in hemoglobin during 12 h after cesarean section (p = .029). Conclusion Using 6 mg melatonin, sublingually, as a premedication in patients undergoing cesarean section with spinal anesthesia could statistically reduce the amount of blood loss after the lower segment cesarean section, although it may not be clinically meaningful.Registration number: ACTRN12612000117819 and ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01572805.
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Wrønding T, Argyraki A, Petersen JF, Topsøe MF, Petersen PM, Løkkegaard ECL. The aesthetic nature of the birthing room environment may alter the need for obstetrical interventions - an observational retrospective cohort study. Sci Rep 2019; 9:303. [PMID: 30670709 PMCID: PMC6342941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36416-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of sensory delivery rooms was introduced in 2013. These rooms offer programmable calming lights, restful blurred pictures displayed on a wall-sized big screen, and sound effects. The primary aim of this observational study was to analyse the risk of obstetrical interventions among women giving birth for the first-time in a sensory delivery room vs. a standard delivery room. We included nulliparous, term pregnant women having a single baby with a cephalic presentation who were in spontaneous labour and gave birth between March 1st 2014 and July 1st 2015 in North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød. A total of 789 women were included in the study, 313 gave birth in a sensory room and 476 in a standard delivery room. The risk of a caesarean delivery was significantly decreased when giving birth in a sensory room compared with a standard delivery room (OR, multiple adjusted: 0.44; 95% CI 0.22-0.87); furthermore, the use of oxytocin infusion was also reduced (OR, multiple adjusted: 0.71; 95% CI 0.50-1.03). This observational cohort study suggests that giving birth in a sensory delivery room could lower the risk of caesarean delivery, potentially reducing the number of such deliveries by one for every 23 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine Wrønding
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Aikaterini Argyraki
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Frederiksborgvej 399, DK, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jesper Friis Petersen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Märta Fink Topsøe
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paul Michael Petersen
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Frederiksborgvej 399, DK, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ellen C L Løkkegaard
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, North Zealand Hospital, Hillerød, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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McCarthy R, Jungheim ES, Fay JC, Bates K, Herzog ED, England SK. Riding the Rhythm of Melatonin Through Pregnancy to Deliver on Time. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:616. [PMID: 31572299 PMCID: PMC6753220 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is influenced by the circadian ("circa" or approximately; diēm or day) system, which coordinates physiology and behavior with predictable daily changes in the environment such as light/dark cycles. For example, most species deliver around a particular time of day. In mammals, circadian rhythms are controlled by the master circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. One key way that the suprachiasmatic nucleus coordinates circadian rhythms throughout the body is by regulating production of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. Serum melatonin concentration, which peaks at night and is suppressed during the day, is one of the best biological indicators of circadian timing. Circadian misalignment causes maternal disturbances in the temporal organization of many physiological processes including melatonin synthesis, and these disturbances of the circadian system have been linked to an increased risk for pregnancy complications. Here, we review evidence that melatonin helps regulate the maternal and fetal circadian systems and the timing of birth. Finally, we discuss the potential for melatonin-based therapeutic strategies to alleviate poor pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia and preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald McCarthy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Emily S. Jungheim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Justin C. Fay
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Keenan Bates
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Erik D. Herzog
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Sarah K. England
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Sarah K. England
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Cipolla-Neto J, Amaral FGD. Melatonin as a Hormone: New Physiological and Clinical Insights. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:990-1028. [PMID: 30215696 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 328] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule present in almost every live being from bacteria to humans. In vertebrates, besides being produced in peripheral tissues and acting as an autocrine and paracrine signal, melatonin is centrally synthetized by a neuroendocrine organ, the pineal gland. Independently of the considered species, pineal hormone melatonin is always produced during the night and its production and secretory episode duration are directly dependent on the length of the night. As its production is tightly linked to the light/dark cycle, melatonin main hormonal systemic integrative action is to coordinate behavioral and physiological adaptations to the environmental geophysical day and season. The circadian signal is dependent on its daily production regularity, on the contrast between day and night concentrations, and on specially developed ways of action. During its daily secretory episode, melatonin coordinates the night adaptive physiology through immediate effects and primes the day adaptive responses through prospective effects that will only appear at daytime, when melatonin is absent. Similarly, the annual history of the daily melatonin secretory episode duration primes the central nervous/endocrine system to the seasons to come. Remarkably, maternal melatonin programs the fetuses' behavior and physiology to cope with the environmental light/dark cycle and season after birth. These unique ways of action turn melatonin into a biological time-domain-acting molecule. The present review focuses on the above considerations, proposes a putative classification of clinical melatonin dysfunctions, and discusses general guidelines to the therapeutic use of melatonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Cipolla-Neto
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Chronodisruption: An untimely cause of preterm birth? Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2018; 52:60-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Napso T, Yong HEJ, Lopez-Tello J, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. The Role of Placental Hormones in Mediating Maternal Adaptations to Support Pregnancy and Lactation. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1091. [PMID: 30174608 PMCID: PMC6108594 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy, the mother must adapt her body systems to support nutrient and oxygen supply for growth of the baby in utero and during the subsequent lactation. These include changes in the cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune and metabolic systems of the mother. Failure to appropriately adjust maternal physiology to the pregnant state may result in pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes and abnormal birth weight, which can further lead to a range of medically significant complications for the mother and baby. The placenta, which forms the functional interface separating the maternal and fetal circulations, is important for mediating adaptations in maternal physiology. It secretes a plethora of hormones into the maternal circulation which modulate her physiology and transfers the oxygen and nutrients available to the fetus for growth. Among these placental hormones, the prolactin-growth hormone family, steroids and neuropeptides play critical roles in driving maternal physiological adaptations during pregnancy. This review examines the changes that occur in maternal physiology in response to pregnancy and the significance of placental hormone production in mediating such changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Napso
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah E J Yong
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Lopez-Tello
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Cecon E, Oishi A, Jockers R. Melatonin receptors: molecular pharmacology and signalling in the context of system bias. Br J Pharmacol 2018; 175:3263-3280. [PMID: 28707298 PMCID: PMC6057902 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin, N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, an evolutionally old molecule, is produced by the pineal gland in vertebrates, and it binds with high affinity to melatonin receptors, which are members of the GPCR family. Among the multiple effects attributed to melatonin, we will focus here on those that are dependent on the activation of the two mammalian MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors. We briefly summarize the latest developments on synthetic melatonin receptor ligands, including multi-target-directed ligands, and the characterization of signalling-biased ligands. We discuss signalling pathways activated by melatonin receptors that appear to be highly cell- and tissue-dependent, emphasizing the impact of system bias on the functional outcome. Different proteins have been demonstrated to interact with melatonin receptors, and thus, we postulate that part of this system bias has its molecular basis in differences of the expression of receptor-associated proteins including heterodimerization partners. Finally, bias at the level of the receptor, by the expression of genetic receptor variants, will be discussed to show how a modified receptor function can have an effect on the risk for common diseases like type 2 diabetes in humans. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Recent Developments in Research of Melatonin and its Potential Therapeutic Applications. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.16/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Cecon
- Institut CochinInserm, U1016ParisFrance
- CNRS UMR 8104ParisFrance
- Univ. Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris CitéParisFrance
| | - Atsuro Oishi
- Institut CochinInserm, U1016ParisFrance
- CNRS UMR 8104ParisFrance
- Univ. Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris CitéParisFrance
| | - Ralf Jockers
- Institut CochinInserm, U1016ParisFrance
- CNRS UMR 8104ParisFrance
- Univ. Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris CitéParisFrance
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Chaney C, Goetz TG, Valeggia C. A time to be born: Variation in the hour of birth in a rural population of Northern Argentina. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:975-978. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlye Chaney
- Department of AnthropologyYale UniversityNew Haven Connecticut 06511
| | - Teddy G. Goetz
- Medical Scientist ProgramCollege of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia UniversityNew York New York 10032
| | - Claudia Valeggia
- Department of AnthropologyYale UniversityNew Haven Connecticut 06511
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Burchakov DI, Uspenskaya YB. [Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and sedative effects of melatonin: results of clinical trials]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2017; 117:67-73. [PMID: 28777367 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20171174267-73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A literature review of clinical trials and systematic reviews on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of melatonin is presented. The results of animal studies and recent publications on the effects of melatonin in humans are summarized. Melatonin protects the cardiovascular system from destructive effects of ischemia/reperfusion, when the drug has been timely administered, has a neuroprotective effect in newborns with asphyxia. It is an effective drug in complex treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). As an alternative to benzodiazepines, melatonin can be used for premedication and anxiety reduction in surgical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D I Burchakov
- Sechenov First State Moscow Medical University, Moscow, Russiа
| | - Yu B Uspenskaya
- Sechenov First State Moscow Medical University, Moscow, Russiа
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Egan Benova T, Szeiffova Bacova B, Viczenczova C, Diez E, Barancik M, Tribulova N. Protection of cardiac cell-to-cell coupling attenuate myocardial remodeling and proarrhythmia induced by hypertension. Physiol Res 2017; 65 Suppl 1:S29-42. [PMID: 27643938 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junction connexin channels are important determinants of myocardial conduction and synchronization that is crucial for coordinated heart function. One of the main risk factors for cardiovascular events that results in heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke as well as sudden arrhythmic death is hypertension. Mislocalization and/or dysfunction of specific connexin-43 channels due to hypertension-induced myocardial remodeling have been implicated in the occurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias and heart failure in both, humans as well as experimental animals. Recent studies suggest that down-regulation of myocardial connexin-43, its abnormal distribution and/or phosphorylation might be implicated in this process. On the other hand, treatment of hypertensive animals with cardioprotective drugs (e.g. statins) or supplementation with non-pharmacological compounds, such as melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids and red palm oil protects from lethal arrhythmias. The antiarrhythmic effects are attributed to the attenuation of myocardial connexin-43 abnormalities associated with preservation of myocardial architecture and improvement of cardiac conduction. Findings uncover novel mechanisms of cardioprotective (antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic) effects of compounds that are used in clinical settings. Well-designed trials are needed to explore the antiarrhythmic potential of these compounds in patients suffering from hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Egan Benova
- Institute for Heart Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Menon R, Bonney EA, Condon J, Mesiano S, Taylor RN. Novel concepts on pregnancy clocks and alarms: redundancy and synergy in human parturition. Hum Reprod Update 2016; 22:535-60. [PMID: 27363410 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmw022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The signals and mechanisms that synchronize the timing of human parturition remain a mystery and a better understanding of these processes is essential to avert adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although our insights into human labor initiation have been informed by studies in animal models, the timing of parturition relative to fetal maturation varies among viviparous species, indicative of phylogenetically different clocks and alarms; but what is clear is that important common pathways must converge to control the birth process. For example, in all species, parturition involves the transition of the myometrium from a relaxed to a highly excitable state, where the muscle rhythmically and forcefully contracts, softening the cervical extracellular matrix to allow distensibility and dilatation and thus a shearing of the fetal membranes to facilitate their rupture. We review a number of theories promulgated to explain how a variety of different timing mechanisms, including fetal membrane cell senescence, circadian endocrine clocks, and inflammatory and mechanical factors, are coordinated as initiators and effectors of parturition. Many of these factors have been independently described with a focus on specific tissue compartments.In this review, we put forth the core hypothesis that fetal membrane (amnion and chorion) senescence is the initiator of a coordinated, redundant signal cascade leading to parturition. Whether modified by oxidative stress or other factors, this process constitutes a counting device, i.e. a clock, that measures maturation of the fetal organ systems and the production of hormones and other soluble mediators (including alarmins) and that promotes inflammation and orchestrates an immune cascade to propagate signals across different uterine compartments. This mechanism in turn sensitizes decidual responsiveness and eventually promotes functional progesterone withdrawal in the myometrium, leading to increased myometrial cell contraction and the triggering of parturition. Linkage of these processes allows convergence and integration of the gestational clocks and alarms, prompting a timely and safe birth. In summary, we provide a comprehensive synthesis of the mediators that contribute to the timing of human labor. Integrating these concepts will provide a better understanding of human parturition and ultimately improve pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., MRB, Room 11.138, Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Bonney
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 792 College Parkway, Fanny Allen Campus, Suite 101, Colchester, Burlington, VT 05446, USA
| | - Jennifer Condon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Perinatal Research Branch, NICHD, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Sam Mesiano
- Department of Reproductive Biology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Robert N Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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Cebrián-Pérez JA, Casao A, González-Arto M, dos Santos Hamilton TR, Pérez-Pé R, Muiño-Blanco T. Melatonin in sperm biology: breaking paradigms. Reprod Domest Anim 2015; 49 Suppl 4:11-21. [PMID: 25277428 DOI: 10.1111/rda.12378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule, present in a wide range of organisms, and involved in multiple functions. Melatonin relays the information about the photoperiod to the tissues that express melatonin-binding sites in both central and peripheral nervous systems. This hormone has a complex mechanism of action. It can cross the cell plasma membrane and exert its actions in all cells of the body. Certain melatonin actions are mediated by receptors that belong to the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the MT1 and MT2 membrane. Melatonin can also bind to calmodulin as well as to nuclear receptors of the retinoic acid receptor family, RORα1, RORα2 and RZRβ. The purpose of this review is to report on recent developments in the physiological role of melatonin and its receptors. Specific issues concerning the biological function of melatonin in mammalian seasonal reproduction and spermatozoa are considered. The significance of the continuous presence of melatonin in seminal plasma with a fairly constant concentration is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Cebrián-Pérez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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Soliman A, Lacasse AA, Lanoix D, Sagrillo-Fagundes L, Boulard V, Vaillancourt C. Placental melatonin system is present throughout pregnancy and regulates villous trophoblast differentiation. J Pineal Res 2015; 59:38-46. [PMID: 25833399 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is highly produced in the placenta where it protects against molecular damage and cellular dysfunction arising from hypoxia/re-oxygenation-induced oxidative stress as observed in primary cultures of syncytiotrophoblast. However, little is known about melatonin and its receptors in the human placenta throughout pregnancy and their role in villous trophoblast development. The purpose of this study was to determine melatonin-synthesizing enzymes, arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) and hydroxyindole O-methyltransferase (HIOMT), and melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) expression throughout pregnancy as well as the role of melatonin and its receptors in villous trophoblast syncytialization. Our data show that the melatonin generating system is expressed throughout pregnancy (from week 7 to term) in placental tissues. AANAT and HIOMT show maximal expression at the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. MT1 receptor expression is maximal at the 1st trimester compared to the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, while MT2 receptor expression does not change significantly during pregnancy. Moreover, during primary villous cytotrophoblast syncytialization, MT1 receptor expression increases, while MT2 receptor expression decreases. Treatment of primary villous cytotrophoblast with an increasing concentration of melatonin (10 pM-1 mM) increases the fusion index (syncytium formation; 21% augmentation at 1 mM melatonin vs. vehicle) and β-hCG secretion (121% augmentation at 1 mM melatonin vs. vehicle). This effect of melatonin appears to be mediated via its MT1 and MT2 receptors. In sum, melatonin machinery (synthetizing enzymes and receptors) is expressed in human placenta throughout pregnancy and promotes syncytium formation, suggesting an essential role of this indolamine in placental function and pregnancy well-being.
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MESH Headings
- Acetylserotonin O-Methyltransferase/genetics
- Acetylserotonin O-Methyltransferase/metabolism
- Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase/genetics
- Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase/metabolism
- Cell Differentiation/drug effects
- Cells, Cultured
- Chorionic Villi/metabolism
- Female
- Humans
- In Vitro Techniques
- Melatonin/pharmacology
- Pregnancy
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Receptor, Melatonin, MT1/genetics
- Receptor, Melatonin, MT1/metabolism
- Receptor, Melatonin, MT2/genetics
- Receptor, Melatonin, MT2/metabolism
- Trophoblasts/cytology
- Trophoblasts/drug effects
- Trophoblasts/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Soliman
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Andrée-Anne Lacasse
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Dave Lanoix
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Lucas Sagrillo-Fagundes
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Véronique Boulard
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Cathy Vaillancourt
- INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and BioMed research Center, Université du Québec, Laval, QC, Canada
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40
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Ben-Ari Y. Is birth a critical period in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders? Nat Rev Neurosci 2015; 16:498-505. [DOI: 10.1038/nrn3956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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41
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Beesley S, Lee J, Olcese J. Circadian clock regulation of melatonin MTNR1B receptor expression in human myometrial smooth muscle cells. Mol Hum Reprod 2015; 21:662-71. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gav023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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Dragojevic Dikic S, Jovanovic AM, Dikic S, Jovanovic T, Jurisic A, Dobrosavljevic A. Melatonin: a "Higgs boson" in human reproduction. Gynecol Endocrinol 2015; 31:92-101. [PMID: 25377724 DOI: 10.3109/09513590.2014.978851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
As the Higgs boson could be a key to unlocking mysteries regarding our Universe, melatonin, a somewhat mysterious substance secreted by the pineal gland primarily at night, might be a crucial factor in regulating numerous processes in human reproduction. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant which has an essential role in controlling several physiological reactions, as well as biological rhythms throughout human reproductive life. Melatonin, which is referred to as a hormone, but also as an autocoid, a chronobiotic, a hypnotic, an immunomodulator and a biological modifier, plays a crucial part in establishing homeostatic, neurohumoral balance and circadian rhythm in the body through synergic actions with other hormones and neuropeptides. This paper aims to analyze the effects of melatonin on the reproductive function, as well as to shed light on immunological and oncostatic properties of one of the most powerful hormones.
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Olcese J, Beesley S. Clinical significance of melatonin receptors in the human myometrium. Fertil Steril 2014; 102:329-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Lorca RA, Prabagaran M, England SK. Functional insights into modulation of BKCa channel activity to alter myometrial contractility. Front Physiol 2014; 5:289. [PMID: 25132821 PMCID: PMC4116789 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The large-conductance voltage- and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (BKCa) is an important regulator of membrane excitability in a wide variety of cells and tissues. In myometrial smooth muscle, activation of BKCa plays essential roles in buffering contractility to maintain uterine quiescence during pregnancy and in the transition to a more contractile state at the onset of labor. Multiple mechanisms of modulation have been described to alter BKCa channel activity, expression, and cellular localization. In the myometrium, BKCa is regulated by alternative splicing, protein targeting to the plasma membrane, compartmentation in membrane microdomains, and posttranslational modifications. In addition, interaction with auxiliary proteins (i.e., β1- and β2-subunits), association with G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathways, such as those activated by adrenergic and oxytocin receptors, and hormonal regulation provide further mechanisms of variable modulation of BKCa channel function in myometrial smooth muscle. Here, we provide an overview of these mechanisms of BKCa channel modulation and provide a context for them in relation to myometrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón A Lorca
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Monali Prabagaran
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sarah K England
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, USA
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Nagel C, Erber R, Ille N, von Lewinski M, Aurich J, Möstl E, Aurich C. Parturition in horses is dominated by parasympathetic activity of the autonomous nervous system. Theriogenology 2014; 82:160-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Revised: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Simşek Y, Parlakpınar H, Turhan U, Tağluk ME, Ateş B. Dual effects of melatonin on uterine myoelectrical activity of non-pregnant rats. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2014; 15:86-91. [PMID: 24976773 DOI: 10.5152/jtgga.2014.26932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this experimental study, we aimed to investigate the role of melatonin on uterine myoelectrical activity of non-pregnant rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-six female rats were assigned to six groups: (1) control; (0.2 mL 0.9% NaCl was injected intravenously (IV), n=6); (2) melatonin applied as 0.4 mg/kg/IV (n=8); (3) melatonin applied as 4 mg/kg/IV (n=8); (4) single dose of oxytocin (100 mU/kg) injected IV (n=8); (5) melatonin (0.4 mg/kg) plus oxytocin (100 mU/kg) (n=8); and (6) melatonin (4 mg/kg) plus oxytocin (100 mU/kg) injected IV (n=8). Each rat underwent a laparotomy, and uterine myoelectrical signals were recorded. The mean spectrum, averaged over the spectral content of signals in each group, was compared. RESULTS Melatonin induced uterine myoelectrical activity in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of melatonin after oxytocin suppressed the mean power of the signals. Serum melatonin concentrations were significantly higher in melatonin-treated rats. CONCLUSION Melatonin itself at two different dose levels was found to be equally effective in stimulating the uterine electrical signals, although oxytocin-induced uterine electrical activity was suppressed by melatonin. These findings merit further investigations on the possible beneficial role of melatonin in the treatment of conditions associated with abnormal uterine activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yavuz Simşek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kırıkkale, Turkey
| | - Hakan Parlakpınar
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, İnönü University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Uğur Turhan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, İnönü University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Emin Tağluk
- Department of Electrical and Electronics, İnönü University Faculty of Engineering, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Burhan Ateş
- Department of Chemistry, İnönü University Faculty of Science, Malatya, Turkey
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Corthell JT, Olcese J, Trombley PQ. Melatonin in the mammalian olfactory bulb. Neuroscience 2013; 261:74-84. [PMID: 24365461 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is a neurohormone associated with circadian rhythms. A diurnal rhythm in olfactory sensitivity has been previously reported and melatonin receptor mRNAs have been observed in the olfactory bulb, but the effects of melatonin in the olfactory bulb have not been explored. First, we corroborated data from a previous study that identified melatonin receptor messenger RNAs in the olfactory bulb. We then investigated whether melatonin treatment would affect cells in the olfactory bulbs of rats. Using a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), cell culture, and electrophysiology, we discovered that melatonin receptors and melatonin synthesis enzymes were present in the olfactory bulb and we observed changes in connexin43 protein, GluR1 mRNA, GluR2 mRNA, Per1 mRNA, Cry2 mRNA, and K(+) currents in response to 2-iodomelatonin. Via qPCR, we observed that messenger RNAs encoding melatonin receptors and melatonin biosynthesis enzymes fluctuated in the olfactory bulb across 24h. Together, these data show that melatonin receptors are present in the olfactory bulb and likely affect olfactory function. Additionally, these data suggest that melatonin may be locally synthesized in the olfactory bulb.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Corthell
- Florida State University, Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
| | - J Olcese
- Florida State University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - P Q Trombley
- Florida State University, Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
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Chaemsaithong P, Madan I, Romero R, Than NG, Tarca AL, Draghici S, Bhatti G, Yeo L, Mazor M, Kim CJ, Hassan SS, Chaiworapongsa T. Characterization of the myometrial transcriptome in women with an arrest of dilatation during labor. J Perinat Med 2013; 41:665-81. [PMID: 23893668 PMCID: PMC4183453 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2013-0086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The molecular basis of failure to progress in labor is poorly understood. This study was undertaken to characterize the myometrial transcriptome of patients with an arrest of dilatation (AODIL). STUDY DESIGN Human myometrium was prospectively collected from women in the following groups: (1) spontaneous term labor (TL; n=29) and (2) arrest of dilatation (AODIL; n=14). Gene expression was characterized using Illumina® HumanHT-12 microarrays. A moderated Student's t-test and false discovery rate adjustment were used for analysis. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of selected genes was performed in an independent sample set. Pathway analysis was performed on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database using Pathway Analysis with Down-weighting of Overlapping Genes (PADOG). The MetaCore knowledge base was also searched for pathway analysis. RESULTS (1) Forty-two differentially expressed genes were identified in women with an AODIL; (2) gene ontology analysis indicated enrichment of biological processes, which included regulation of angiogenesis, response to hypoxia, inflammatory response, and chemokine-mediated signaling pathway. Enriched molecular functions included transcription repressor activity, heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 binding, and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity; (3) MetaCore analysis identified immune response chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) signaling, muscle contraction regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity in endothelial cells, and triiodothyronine and thyroxine signaling as significantly overrepresented (false discovery rate <0.05); (4) qRT-PCR confirmed the overexpression of Nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3); hypoxic ischemic factor 1A (HIF1A); Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2); angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4); ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1, motif 9 (ADAMTS9); G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4); metallothionein 1A (MT1A); MT2A; and selectin E (SELE) in an AODIL. CONCLUSION The myometrium of women with AODIL has a stereotypic transcriptome profile. This disorder has been associated with a pattern of gene expression involved in muscle contraction, an inflammatory response, and hypoxia. This is the first comprehensive and unbiased examination of the molecular basis of an AODIL.
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50
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Reiter RJ, Tan DX, Korkmaz A, Rosales-Corral SA. Melatonin and stable circadian rhythms optimize maternal, placental and fetal physiology. Hum Reprod Update 2013; 20:293-307. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmt054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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