Genome-Wide Shifts in Gene Expression Induced in Theca-Interstitial Cells by Inflammatory Stimuli
September 2018
in “
Fertility and Sterility
”
Studysummary This study observed that inflammatory stimuli significantly altered gene expression in rat theca-interstitial cells, affecting pathways related to growth and androgen production, which are central features of polycystic ovary syndrome.
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The document reports on two separate studies. The first study is a retrospective cohort study that analyzed 10,371 singleton live births from IVF treatments between 2004-2016, finding that African American women had a significantly higher risk of preterm delivery compared to Caucasian women, with births occurring over 6 days earlier on average. This risk persisted even after adjusting for confounders like BMI and uterine factors. Asian and Hispanic births had gestational ages similar to Caucasian births. The second study focused on the effects of inflammatory stimuli on gene expression in theca-interstitial cells, relevant to PCOS. It found that lipid-induced NFkB activation was independent of obesity in women with PCOS and that these women exhibited LPS tolerance, suggesting a heightened inflammatory state. The study also observed increased ANFkB levels in response to lipid and LPS stimuli across different groups, with significant differences in lean controls. Women with PCOS had higher HCG-stimulated testosterone and androstenedione levels than weight-matched controls, and correlations were noted between 4NFkB after lipid exposure, androgen levels, and insulin sensitivity. The number of participants in the second study was not specified.
