Article
Oncology
Kaiyuan Ji, Lina Chen, Xiaodi Wang, Bolun Wen, Fan Yang, Wenfeng Deng, Yunshan Chen, Guozheng Zhang, Huishu Liu
Summary: Through transcriptomics, proteomics, and cytokine arrays, the study revealed the inflammation in the human myometrium during labour. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatiotemporal transcriptomic (ST) analyses, they identified immune cell types, their transcriptional characteristics, distribution, function and intercellular communications during labour. The study provided insights into the immune mechanisms underlying labour and detected and characterized inflammatory changes.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Lina Chen, Lele Wang, Yihong Luo, Qian Huang, Kaiyuan Ji, Junjie Bao, Huishu Liu
Summary: This study utilized RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to uncover that inflammation and hypoxia play a role in differentially expressed proteins and mRNA in the myometrium during labor.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lucia Riaposova, Sung Hye Kim, Aylin C. Hanyaloglu, Lynne Sykes, David A. MacIntyre, Phillip R. Bennett, Vasso Terzidou
Summary: Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Inflammatory activation in uterine tissues, characterized by increased leukocyte infiltration and elevated levels of chemokines and cytokines, as well as activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors and increased prostaglandin synthesis, precedes both term and preterm labor. The study investigated the role of PGF2 alpha in pro-inflammatory signaling pathways in human myometrial cells and found that it increases inflammation through activation of NF-kB and MAP kinases, as well as increased expression of COX-2.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Scott D. Barnett, Hazik Asif, Iain L. O. Buxton
Summary: This study identifies a mechanosensitive cation channel, Piezo1, in the uterine smooth muscle and microvascular endothelium of pregnant myometrium. Activation of Piezo1 relaxes the uterine tissue and its effects are associated with myocyte and endothelial nitric oxide signaling. These findings highlight the importance of stretch-activated channels in pregnancy maintenance and parturition.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Fatai Lu, Yingkang Zhu, Guodong Zhang, Zunpeng Liu
Summary: This article discusses the diverse effects of antimicrobial peptide LL37 in host defense, including antibacterial properties, tissue repair, and inflammatory responses, and explores its complex role in promoting or inhibiting tumor growth. The strategies to enhance delivery of this peptide and selectivity for cancer cells are also discussed.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Li Chen, Zhenzhen Song, Xiaowan Cao, Mingsong Fan, Yan Zhou, Guoying Zhang
Summary: The study suggests that IL-33 may be involved in the initiation of labor in human uterine smooth muscle cells by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress through calcium influx.
Article
Cell Biology
Maeva Wendremaire, Tatiana E. Lopez, Marina Barrichon, Hang Zhang, Tarik Hadi, Xiang-Yang Ye, Fabrice Neiers, Marc Bardou, Paul Sagot, Carmen Garrido, Frederic Lirussi
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of leptin on myometrial contraction and differentiation using a co-culture model of human primary macrophages and myocytes. The results showed that leptin had different effects on myocytes and macrophages depending on the dose, and a low concentration of leptin inhibits myocyte contraction, differentiation, and macrophage-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Leptin also increased the expression of HLA-G, suggesting its tocolytic effect may be driven by HLA-G.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karen Coste, Shaam Bruet, Caroline Chollat-Namy, Odile Filhol, Claude Cochet, Denis Gallot, Geoffroy Marceau, Loic Blanchon, Vincent Sapin, Corinne Belville
Summary: Fetal membranes (FM) play a crucial role at the feto-maternal interface. Rupture of FM at term involves sterile inflammation mechanisms, including the activation of the RAGE pathway. The protein kinase CK2 is also implicated in inflammation, and this study aims to characterize the expressions of RAGE and CK2 and their potential regulatory relationship.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Adam Boros-Rausch, Oksana Shynlova, Stephen James Lye
Summary: This study investigated the mechanism of action of the broad-spectrum chemokine inhibitor (BSCI) FX125L on human myometrial smooth muscle cells. The results showed that BSCI prevented infection-induced contraction of uterine myocytes by inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the expression of contraction-associated proteins, and disruption of myocyte interaction with tissue macrophages. BSCI represents a novel therapeutic approach for preventing inflammation-induced preterm birth in women.
Article
Physiology
Chelsea A. Saito Reis, Po'okela K. Ng, Courtney Kehaulani Kurashima, Justin Padron, Claire Enid Kendal-Wright
Summary: This study found that fetal DNA can trigger inflammation in the human fetal membranes, leading to increased secretion of cytokines and pro-MMP activity. Additionally, the responses differ between male and female fetuses, and the fragment size and methylation status of fetal DNA can also influence the types and quantities of molecules secreted.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
E. Miskiewicz, A. Olaloku, B. K. MacPhee, D. J. MacPhee
Summary: This study examines the temporal and spatial detection of phosphorylated HSPB1 in rat myometrium during pregnancy and labor, as well as its role in uterine distension. The findings suggest that levels of phosphorylated HSPB1 increase prior to and during labor, and that uterine distension is a stress-inducing signal for HSPB1 phosphorylation. The exact roles of different phosphorylated forms of HSPB1 in myometrial cells remain to be determined.
HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
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)
Review
Physiology
Inmaculada Moreno, Antonio Capalbo, Aymara Mas, Tamara Garrido-Gomez, Beatriz Roson, Maurizio Poli, Eva Dimitriadis, Xavier Santamaria, Felipe Vilella, Carlos Simon
Summary: Pregnancy is established during the periconceptional period from blastocyst attachment to placenta formation, significantly impacting the health of both the child and the mother. Advances in understanding the periconceptional space, including the preimplantation human embryo and maternal endometrium, offer opportunities for preventative interventions. This review discusses the role of maternal decidua, the maternal-embryonic interface, the endometrial microbiome, and the myometrium in pregnancy health during the periconceptional period.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Huiqian Zeng, Xinjia Han, Zhiqin Zhu, Shengjun Yu, Shanshan Mei, Xi Cheng, Weiqiang Zhang, Guanglan Zhang, Dajun Fang
Summary: The inflammasome plays a significant role in PE, affecting leukocyte infiltration in decidual and uterine tissues, particularly the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of PE.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marco Massimo, Carlotta Barelli, Catalina Moreno, Chiara Collesi, Rebecca K. Holloway, Berta Crespo, Lorena Zentilin, Anna Williams, Veronique E. Miron, Mauro Giacca, Katherine R. Long
Summary: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in first and second trimester foetal brain tissue is associated with cortical haemorrhages, reduced blood vessel integrity, and increased immune cell infiltration into the foetal brain.