The concentrations of the enviromental pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin were measured in the blood of 44 infertile women with endometriosis (study group), and in 35 age-matched women with tubal infertility (control group). Eight women with endometriosis (18%) were dioxin positive as compared to one woman (3%) in the controls (P = 0.04). Although the concentrations of dioxin did not seem to be directly correlated with the severity of endometriosis, these observations contribute to the accumulating data linking dioxin to endometriosis in humans.
Abstract. The role ofMycoplasma pneumoniaegenerated superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in inducing host cell injury was studied in normal and trisomy 21 human cells. As a result of M. pneumoniae infection, catalase activity in infected normal skin fibroblasts and ciliated epithelial cells decreased by 74-77% as compared with uninfected controls. Addition of superoxide dismutase to the infected cultured cells totally prevented the inhibition whereas addition of catalase or catalytically inactivated superoxide dismutase had no protective effect. Trisomy 21 erythrocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts in which CuZn-superoxide dismutase content is 50% greater than in normal cells were infected by M. pneumoniae. The inhibition of catalase activity in these cells was 7-33% and 0-20.5%, respectively, as compared with 65-72% and 48-68% inhibition in normal infected controls. Following M. pneumoniae infection, the levels of malonyldialdehyde, an indicator for membrane lipid peroxidation were raised in trisomy 21 cultured fibroblasts by 10-32% while in normal cells malonyldialdehyde increased by 140-870%. Externally added superoxide dismutase, but not catalase, reduced the extent of lipid peroxidation in normal infected cells. Lactate dehydrogenase release from normal infected cells was time correlated with the increase in their malonyldialdehyde formation. It is suggested that superoxide generated during M. pneumoniae infection is involved in the inhibition of host cell catalase activity. The inactivation of this cellular antioxReceivedfor publication 9 August 1983 and in revisedform 24 October 1983. idative defense mechanism results in progressive oxidative damage to the M. pneumoniae-infected cells.
The expression of glucose transporters 1, 2, 3 and 4 was evaluated in human oocytes and polyploid preimplantation embryos. Only glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1) isoform was detected in oocytes and in 2-12-cell stage embryos. Glucose uptake was markedly increased in embryos as compared to oocytes (19.7 +/- 3.4 pmol/min/embryo and 2.3 +/- 0.3 pmol/min/oocyte), and GLUT-1 was inhibited by cytochalasin B. These results suggest that, although GLUT-1 is expressed in human oocytes and throughout preimplantation development, its function in mediating the rise in glucose uptake is triggered following fertilization.
In women treated by IVF the concentrations of CRP in blood increase significantly during the first week following oocyte retrieval. Successful outcome is associated with a relative small increment in CRP on the day of embryo transfer.
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