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Objective: To assess whether serum antim€ ullerian hormone (AMH) levels and antral follicle count (AFC) can predict primordial follicle density within ovarian cortex and the number of oocytes cryopreserved after in vitro maturation (IVM). Design: Retrospective analysis of a case series of patients. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): Fifty-four women, 18 to 35 years of age, with breast cancer who were candidates for fertility preservation (FP) using ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) associated with oocyte vitrification after unstimulated IVM between July 2013 and December 2016. Intervention(s): Serum AMH levels and transvaginal AFC evaluated before FP, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) recovered under ultrasound guidance and incubated for IVM, and ovarian tissue laparoscopically harvested and cryopreserved. Main Outcome Measure(s): Univariate and multivariate analysis between ovarian reserve tests, number of recovered and in vitro matured oocytes, and primordial follicle density histologically obtained within ovarian cortex. Result(s): Univariate analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between AMH or AFC and primordial follicle density. Multivariate analysis showed a predominant statistically significant correlation of serum AMH with density. Antim€ ullerian hormone also correlated with the number of COC and in vitro matured oocytes. Conclusion(s): Serum AMH levels may reflect the primordial follicle stockpile and may predict outcomes of IVM and OTC when performed for FP. Further analyses are required to evaluate the relevance of performing such procedures in young women who have low values on ovarian reserve tests. (Fertil Steril Ò 2019;111:357-62. Ó2018 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.) El resumen está disponible en Español al final del artículo.

The clinical potential of tumor therapies must be evaluated using animal models closely resembling human cancers. We investigated the impact of locally delivered interferon -(IFN-) on primary hepatocarcinoma spontaneously developed by T -SV40 transgenic mice. A single intratumor injection of adenovirus IFN -was sufficient enough to induce in vivo production of biologically active IFN -, as assessed by STAT1 activation. IFN -secretion led to the regression of primary tumor, principally by apoptosis of tumor hepatocytes. The lack of T -cells infiltrates in the liver upon treatment excluded a role of a specific immune response. In contrast, indirect pathways may include tumoricidal function of macrophages. Indeed, they were massively recruited in the entire liver under IFN -treatment; transmigration through hepatic blood vessels could be observed and co -localization with damaged hepatocytes was obvious. This correlated with nonparenchymal liver cell iNOS expression and high level of NO in hepatic extracts. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that NO releasing agents induced cell death of freshly isolated tumor hepatocytes, suggesting that NO could be one of the major effector molecules. Altogether, these observations defined an important role of IFN -in controlling tumor development in a model of primary hepatocarcinoma.

4-Methylumbelliferyl beta-D-xylosides (beta-D-xylosides) inhibit proteoglycan synthesis, and this is associated with reduced proliferation and extracellular matrix production by vascular smooth muscle cells. This study evaluated whether treatment with naroparcil, a beta-D-xyloside analogue, reduced intimal hyperplasia after arterial injury in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit. Forty-two rabbits were assigned to three groups that received either a 1% cholesterol-enriched diet (group 1, n = 15) or the same diet with added 100 mg.kg-1 naroparcil (group 2, n = 15) or 300 mg.kg-1 naroparcil (group 3, n = 12). All animals underwent iliac artery endothelial abrasion at day 14 and were killed at day 56. At the time of death, the angiographic minimal luminal diameter was significantly larger in both treated groups. Morphometric analysis showed a larger luminal area in treated rabbits (groups 2 and 3) compared with control rabbits (group 1) (0.75 +/- 0.54 and 0.85 +/- 0.61 mm2 versus 0.32 +/- 0.25 mm2, respectively; P < .05), with a decreased intimal thickness in groups 2 and 3 (average reduction of 37% and 39%, respectively, compared with group 1; P < .05) but without changes in medial area. Total vessel area was comparable among all groups. In the media, immunohistochemistry suggested reduced infiltration by macrophages and a larger fractional area of smooth muscle cells. There were no differences in plasma or arterial wall cholesterol content between groups. Plasma levels of glycosaminoglycans and dermatan sulfate content were increased only in group 3. In this model, oral treatment with naroparcil appears to preserve the arterial lumen and reduce intimal thickness after arterial injury.

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