Endometriosis is a benign gynecologic disorder, affecting up to 10% of women, characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue at ectopic positions generally within the peritoneum. It is a heritable condition influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors, with an overall heritability estimated at approximately 50%. In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7521902, rs10859871 and rs11031006, mapping to WNT4, VEZT and FSHB genetic loci, respectively, are associated with risk for endometriosis in a Greek population. This study included 166 women with histologically confirmed endometriosis diagnosed through surgery and 150 normal controls. Genotyping of the rs7521902, rs10859871 and rs11031006 SNPs was performed with Taqman primer/probe sets. A significant association was detected with the AC genotype of rs7521902 (WNT4) in patients with stage III and IV disease only. Evidence for association with endometriosis was also found for the AC genotype of the rs10859871 of VEZT. Notably, a significant difference in the distribution of the AG genotype and the minor allele A of FSHB rs11031006 SNP was found between the endometriosis patients and controls. We found a genetic association between rs11031006 (FSHB) SNP and endometriosis. WNT4 and VEZT genes constitute the most consistently associated genes with endometriosis. In the present study, an association of rs7521902 (WNT4) and rs10859871 (VEZT) was confirmed in women with endometriosis at the genotypic but not the allelic level.

RU 486 was administered to rats on Day 1 or Days 1 + 2 of pregnancy. Endometrial sensitivity (i.e. decidualization in response to oil instillation) was delayed by 2.5 mg/kg injected s.c. on Day 1, and almost half of the animals also exhibited a delay in implantation of 1-2 days. Higher doses (5 or 10 mg/kg) administered on Days 1 + 2 reduced the number of implantations to zero in all animals. Apparently normal morulae were found up to the evening of Day 4 in the oviduct and/or the uterus of most animals. However, on the morning of Day 5, ova were detected in only 25% of the animals and all were in the uterus: none was at the blastocyst stage and they appeared to be degenerated or compacted morulae. Egg survival and rate of egg recovery from the uterus was not improved by early ovariectomy, showing that this antiprogestagen acts on these events independently of the presence of circulating oestrogens.

Based on our study, advanced maternal age at twin gestation does not seem to affect significantly pregnancy complications and perinatal outcomes. VLBW was the only unfavorable perinatal outcome related to advanced maternal age.

No abstract

Studying the different check points of the VEGF pathway, we conclude that targeting calcium pathways could be beneficial for the vascular permeability control in an OHSS animal model.