Article
Immunology
Douwe Jan Dijkstra, A. Inkeri Lokki, Lobke Marijn Gierman, Nicole Veronique Borggreven, Carin van der Keur, Michael Eikmans, Kyra Andrea Gelderman, Hannele Laivuori, Ann-Charlotte FINNPEC Core Investigator Grp, Ann-Charlotte Iversen, Marie-Louise P. van der Hoorn, Leendert Adrianus Trouw
Summary: Preeclampsia (PE) may be associated with decreased levels of C1q and FH, which are related to placental dysfunction and immune response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Sivan Livson, Seppo Virtanen, A. Inkeri Lokki, Tiina Holster, Leena Rahkonen, Ilkka Kalliala, Pekka Nieminen, Anne Salonen, Seppo Meri
Summary: This study investigated the association between the composition of the vaginal microbiota and the activation and regulation of the complement system during pregnancy and labor. The results showed that the dominant Lactobacillus species in the vaginal microbiota were correlated with complement activation, and the abundance of different bacteria varied during pregnancy and labor. The findings indicate that the bacterial composition of the vaginal microbiota may play a role in the local activation and regulation of complement-mediated inflammation during pregnancy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Catalina M. Valencia, Alyssa R. Hersh, Richard M. Burwick, Jesus A. Velasquez, Jorge Gutierrez-Marin, Francisco Edna, Jaime L. Silva, Juliana Trujilo-Otalvaro, Johanna Vargas-Rodriguez, Yamile Bernal, Alvaro Quintero, Monica Rincon, Jorge E. Tolosa
Summary: The study identified a pattern of increased urine and low plasma C5b-9 levels in patients with preeclampsia and end-organ injury. Soluble C5b-9 levels may be used to identify complement-mediated end-organ injury in preeclampsia.
PREGNANCY HYPERTENSION-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WOMENS CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Claudia Melina Robellada-Zarate, Janelly Estefania Luna-Palacios, Carlos Agustin Zapata Caballero, Juan Pablo Acuna-Gonzalez, Irlando Lara-Pereyra, Diego Ivan Gonzalez-Azpeitia, Ricardo Josue Acuna-Gonzalez, Elsa Romelia Moreno-Verduzco, Hector Flores-Herrera, Mauricio Osorio-Caballero
Summary: A study found that elevated levels of 60 and 70-KDa extracellular heat shock proteins (eHsp) and decreased levels of eHsp-27 in the first trimester are associated with the development of preeclampsia (PE). These findings suggest that first-trimester eHsp levels may serve as early biomarkers for predicting PE.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Youyi Zhang, Chen Xu, Zhengshan Tang, Dewei Guo, Ruojin Yao, Huina Zhao, Zixi Chen, Xin Ni
Summary: The study identified furin as a key player in promoting uterine activation for labor at term. Inhibition of furin activity suppressed contraction in smooth muscle cells and affected the expression of various proteins related to labor. Additionally, TWEAK was found to be a potential substrate for furin regulation of parturition initiation.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ning Liu, Haipeng Yang, Liqun Han, Mingxing Ma
Summary: Oxytocin plays different roles in males and females, especially in terms of reproduction. For women, oxytocin is crucial in processes such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, parturition, lactation, and menopause. Disorders in oxytocin secretion can result in various women's health issues.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Richard M. Burwick, Bruce B. Feinberg
Summary: The complement system plays a crucial role in host defense and immunity during pregnancy. Imbalanced complement activation and regulation are associated with complications like preeclampsia. Inhibiting the terminal complement pathway, possibly through C5 blockade, may be an effective strategy for treating these complications.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angeliki Gardikioti, Theodora-Maria Venou, Eleni Gavriilaki, Evangelia Vetsiou, Ioulia Mavrikou, Konstantinos Dinas, Angelos Daniilidis, Efthymia Vlachaki
Summary: Preeclampsia is a significant cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its pathogenesis is associated with an excessive maternal inflammatory response and complement activation. Elevated levels of Willebrand factor antigen and decreased ADAMTS-13 activity are related to the progression and diagnosis of the disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Oliwia Uchanska, Malgorzata Ochota, Maria Eberhardt, Wojciech Nizanski
Summary: The article summarizes the factors affecting the health and survival of puppies during pregnancy, birth, and the first weeks of life. It emphasizes the importance of the perinatal period.
Article
Developmental Biology
Ewelina Jurewicz, Anna Filipek
Summary: S100 proteins bind Ca2+ and regulate signaling pathways, their increased expression levels are associated with various diseases. S100 proteins can be found in high levels in serum and body fluids in pathological states, making them potential diagnostic markers. In addition, S100 protein expression is related to pregnancy and may play a role in embryo/fetus formation.
Article
Immunology
Anya L. Arthurs, Melanie D. Smith, Mhyles D. Hintural, James Breen, Dylan McCullough, Francesca I. Thornton, Shalem Y. Leemaqz, Gustaaf A. Dekker, Tanja Jankovic-Karasoulos, Claire T. Roberts
Summary: Parturition signals the end of immune tolerance in pregnancy. The activation of placental inflammasome differs in terms of mode of delivery and neonatal sex. Assessing placental inflammasome activation may identify babies who have been exposed to aberrant inflammation at birth.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Min Liu, Xiaolei Luo, Qin Xu, Hongbiao Yu, Linbo Gao, Rong Zhou, Tao Wang
Summary: The study found that levels of adipsin, C5a, and sENG were significantly increased in the plasma of pregnant women with preeclampsia before delivery. In healthy pregnant women, levels of adipsin, C5a, and sENG increased from the third trimester and remained stable postpartum, but C3a levels increased in the second trimester and remained stable afterward.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Rebecca Horgan, Yara Hage Diab, Jerri Waller, Alfred Abuhamad, George Saade
Summary: The dosage and timing of aspirin initiation are crucial for reducing the risk of preeclampsia. Initiating a dosage of >100 mg of aspirin daily before 16 weeks' gestation seems to be the most effective approach. Randomized control trials are needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of different aspirin dosages available in the United States.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Johanna M. Huusko, Heli Tiensuu, Antti M. Haapalainen, Anu Pasanen, Pinja Tissarinen, Minna K. Karjalainen, Ge Zhang, Kaare Christensen, Kelli K. Ryckman, Bo Jacobsson, Jeffrey C. Murray, Stephen F. Kingsmore, Mikko Hallman, Louis J. Muglia, Mika Ramet
Summary: Heat shock proteins and nuclear hormone receptor genes are associated with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB); Several orthogonal datasets supported the roles of several genes in susceptibility; Studies suggest that suppression of specific heat shock proteins contributes to maintaining pregnancy.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Urology & Nephrology
Amy Oi, Michelle A. Hladunewich
Summary: Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the right of American women to terminate pregnancy, vulnerable women, including those with chronic kidney disease, require increased care and attention. Nephrologists need to quickly develop expertise in reproductive care to ensure their health and well-being.
NATURE REVIEWS NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ana Sofia Cerdeira, Tim James, Manu Vatish
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ana Sofia Cerdeira, Joe O'Sullivan, Eric O. Ohuma, Tim James, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Marian Knight, Manu Vatish
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Samuel Dockree, Brian Shine, Lawrence Impey, Lucy Mackillop, Harpal Randeva, Manu Vatish
Summary: This study proposes the use of pregnancy-specific reference intervals (RIs) to interpret investigations during pregnancy, with the aim to improve diagnostic accuracy by using gestational age-specific RIs. By mapping the trajectory of platelets in pregnant women, it is found that platelets below the 3rd centile in early pregnancy can accurately predict thrombocytopaenia at term.
CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Chiara Tersigni, Muhammad Furqan Bari, Shijei Cai, Wei Zhang, Neva Kandzija, Alice Buchan, Fabrizio Miranda, Nicoletta Di Simone, Christopher W. Redman, Claire Bastie, Manu Vatish
Summary: In normal pregnancy, placental release of STBEVs carrying apoE may target liver cells and increase lipid synthesis, potentially meeting the nutritional needs of the growing foetus.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Peter W. Horby, Guilherme Pessoa-Amorim, Natalie Staplin, Jonathan R. Emberson, Mark Campbell, Enti Spata, Leon Peto, Nigel J. Brunskill, Simon Tiberi, Victor Chew, Thomas Brown, Hasan Tahir, Beate Ebert, David Chadwick, Tony Whitehouse, Rahuldeb Sarkar, Clive Graham, J. Kenneth Baillie, Buddha Basnyat, Maya H. Buch, Lucy C. Chappell, Jeremy Day, Saul N. Faust, Raph L. Hamers, Thomas Jaki, Edmund Juszczak, Katie Jeffery, Wei Shen Lim, Alan Montgomery, Andrew Mumford, Kathryn Rowan, Guy Thwaites, Marion Mafham, Richard Haynes, Martin J. Landray
Summary: In patients hospitalized with COVID-19, aspirin was not associated with reductions in 28-day mortality or in the risk of progressing to invasive mechanical ventilation or death, but was associated with a small increase in the rate of being discharged alive within 28 days.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Zahir Ali, Edith Sanchez, Muhammad Tehseen, Ahmed Mahas, Tin Marsic, Rashid Aman, Gundra Sivakrishna Rao, Fatimah Saeed Alhamlan, Madain S. Alsanea, Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani, Samir Hamdan, Magdy Mahfouz
Summary: Bio-SCAN is a rapid and accurate pathogen detection platform for SARS-CoV-2, offering high sensitivity and efficiency in distinguishing between different variants.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Reem S. Almaghrabi, Fatimah S. Alhamlan, Ashraf Dada, Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq, Mohammad K. Al Hroub, Mohammed F. Saeedi, Maha Alamri, Bushra Alhothaly, Abdulmohsin Alqasabi, Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani, Awad Al-Omari, Abeer N. Alshukairi
Summary: Solid organ transplant recipients who are fully vaccinated may still be at risk of breakthrough infections from SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, as shown in this case series. Some patients experienced severe pneumonia and required intensive care and ventilatory support. Younger patients had better outcomes.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rashid Aman, Tin Marsic, Gundra Sivakrishna Rao, Ahmed Mahas, Zahir Ali, Madain Alsanea, Ahmed Al-Qahtani, Fatimah Alhamlan, Magdy Mahfouz
Summary: This study presents a rapid and sensitive detection platform for mass-scale screening of SARS-CoV-2 in low-resource settings. The platform combines CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology with isothermal amplification methods to enable detection of SARS-CoV-2 at a single temperature in less than an hour. The authors also provide detailed guidelines for developing and establishing this one-pot assay, and the clinical validation shows high sensitivity and specificity.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yumna Aloraij, Alanoud Alsheikh, Reema A. Alyousef, Fatimah Alhamlan, Ghadeer A. R. Y. Suaifan, Saddam Muthana, Khaled Al-Kattan, Mohammed Zourob
Summary: Despite progress in fighting infectious diseases, human adenoviruses (HAdVs) that cause eye infections still pose a significant threat. Conventional diagnostic methods suffer from various issues, and this study presents a novel nanobased immunosensing technique for rapid HAdV detection. The developed assay is simple, reliable, and cost-effective, with a detection limit of 10(2) pfu/mL in less than 2 minutes. It offers a visual color change as a means of detection, demonstrating high specificity and potential as a point-of-care testing device for low-resource settings.
Article
Virology
Madain Alsanea, Asma Alsaleh, Dalia Obeid, Faten Alhadeq, Basma Alahideb, Fatimah Alhamlan
Summary: This retrospective cohort study analyzed E6, E7, and L1 gene mutations in cervical specimens collected from Saudi women positive for HPV16 or HPV18 infection. The study found that HPV16 and HPV18 lineages in these specimens were predominantly from Europe. Certain mutations in the E6 and E7 genes of HPV16 were associated with cervical cancer progression and low risk, respectively. Other specific HPV16 and HPV18 mutations were associated with increased risk of cancer, progression, viral load, and age. These findings have important implications for the design of molecular diagnostic tests and vaccination strategies for the Saudi population.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
D. Obeid, A. Al-Qahtani, R. Almaghrabi, S. Alghamdi, M. Alsanea, B. Alahideb, S. Almutairi, F. Alsuwairi, M. Al-Abdulkareem, M. Asiri, A. Alshukairi, J. Alkahtany, S. Altamimi, M. Mutabagani, S. Althawadi, F. Alanzi, F. Alhamlan
Summary: This study tracked the genomic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assessed its transmission modes during the Delta and Omicron waves. The findings highlighted the distribution of variants across demographic and clinical variables, as well as vaccination status, with significant public health implications.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Fatimah S. Alhamlan, Dana M. Bakheet, Marie F. Bohol, Madain S. Alsanea, Basma M. Alahideb, Faten M. Alhadeq, Feda A. Alsuwairi, Maha A. Al-Abdulkareem, Mohamed S. Asiri, Reem S. Almaghrabi, Sarah A. Altamimi, Maysoon S. Mutabagani, Sahar Althawadi, Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani
Summary: The study developed a cost-effective genome sequencing protocol to identify circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Sets of primers were designed and validated using 282 positive samples. The protocol showed 100% specificity and successfully detected alpha, beta, and delta variants in the samples.
Article
Microbiology
Feda A. Alsuwairi, Asma N. Alsaleh, Madain S. Alsanea, Ahmed A. Al-Qahtani, Dalia Obeid, Reem S. Almaghrabi, Basma M. Alahideb, Maha A. AlAbdulkareem, Maysoon S. Mutabagani, Sahar I. Althawadi, Sara A. Altamimi, Abeer N. Alshukairi, Fatimah S. Alhamlan
Summary: This study identified mutations in the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 and their association with patient characteristics. Among the identified mutations, R203K was the most common and was associated with reduced risk of ICU admission and death. On the other hand, D63G, R203M, and D377Y were associated with increased risk of ICU admission. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring nucleocapsid protein mutations in understanding viral infection and disease severity.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Abeer N. Alshukairi, Yasser Aldabbagh, Sabir A. Adroub, Tobias Mourier, Khalid Y. Abumelha, Ghadeer E. Albishi, Basem M. Alraddadi, Mohammad K. Al Hroub, Aiman El-Saed, Suzan M. Nagash Ibrahim, Mohammed Al Musawa, Ahlam Almasari, Wael T. Habahab, Fatimah S. Alhamlan, Awad Al-Omari, Arnab Pain, Ashraf Dada
Summary: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Omicron subvariants on the mortality of transplant recipients. Our findings revealed that the mortality rate of transplant patients infected with Omicron variants was higher in our cohort compared to other centers, as a limited number of patients received booster vaccines. Optimizing booster vaccination is the most efficient way to improve the mortality of COVID-19 in transplant recipients.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Peter W. Horby, Marion Mafham, Leon Peto, Mark Campbell, Guilherme Pessoa-Amorim, Enti Spata, Natalie Staplin, Jonathan R. Emberson, Benjamin Prudon, Paul Hine, Thomas Brown, Christopher A. Green, Rahuldeb Sarkar, Purav Desai, Bryan Yates, Tom Bewick, Simon Tiberi, Tim Felton, J. Kenneth Baillie, Maya H. Bitch, Lucy C. Chappell, Saul N. Faust, Thomas Jaki, Katie Jeffery, Edmund Juszczak, Wei Shen Lim, Alan Montgomery, Andrew Mumford, Kathryn Rowan, David M. Weinreich, Richard Haynes, Martin J. Landray
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of casirivimab and imdevimab in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The results showed that this combination therapy reduced the 28-day mortality rate in patients without detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 infection at baseline, but not in those with detectable antibodies.
