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Anti-Ro/SSA and/or anti-La/SSB antibodies (anti-SSA/SSB) were reported to increase the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss. However, the effects of anti-SSA/SSB antibodies on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and pregnancy outcomes were still unclear. The purpose of the study was to determine whether anti-SSA/SSB antibodies were detrimental to IVF and pregnancy outcomes. This study included 55 anti-SSA/SSB antibodies-positive women and 61 anti-SSA/SSB antibodies-negative control women receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist long protocol (n = 30 and 39, respectively) or GnRH antagonist protocol (n = 25 and 22, respectively) for in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The impact of anti-SSA/SSB antibodies on immune-related indicators, fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. With either GnRH agonist or antagonist protocol, women with anti-SSA/SSB had higher levels of peripheral blood cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-17A, lower levels of peripheral blood Th and NK cells, and poor IVF outcomes, including lower number of retrieved oocytes and embryos, lower M II oocytes rate, blastocyst formation rate, and perfect and available embryo rates. Moreover, clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, take-home baby rate, and birth weight were significantly lower in the study group as compared with those of the control group. In conclusion, women with anti-SSA/SSB are associated with adverse IVF and pregnancy outcomes. Screening for these antibodies and proper counselling of couples undergoing IVF-ET should be considered. Underlying immunopathology associated with SSA/SSB antibodies and reproduction should be explored further.

During investigating water-compatible Lewis acids catalyzed etherifications using alcohols as alkylating reagents directly, we developed Fe(III)-catalyzed trityl benzyl ether formations irradiated by microwave. Then an in situ trityl benzyl ether formation and disproportionation cascade reaction was achieved to yield the benzaldehyde products with good functional group tolerances under neat conditions at relative higher temperatures. The substituent effects of the substrates on the etherification and disproportionation were explored by changing the substitutions on benzyl alcohols and triarylmethanols using chemical kinetic plots methods and the mechanism of the transformation was studied by crossover experiments. The etherification and disproportionation cascade process could be conveniently scaled up in laboratory without losing much efficiency.

Twenty-four diosgenyl saponins bearing cinnamoyl, carbamido and thiosemicarbazone groups were synthesized concisely. The cytotoxicities of the synthetic compounds on six human caner cell lines were evaluated employing MTT method. Structure-activity relationship could be observed, and two of the synthesized compounds (5c and 5f) exhibited selective inhibition on HeLa and MCF-7 cells, while three of them (5d, 5f and 5h) showed strong inhibition against HT1080.