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Relevance. A key factor influencing the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology programmes is the quality of the embryo transferred into the uterine cavity. The aim is to investigate the possibility of using quantitative assessment of genomic (gDNA), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels in spent culture medium (SCM) and mtDNA in the trophectoderm (TE) as a marker of successful implantation and pregnancy lasting more than 12 weeks. Materials and Methods. The study included 195 SCM samples from 93 couples with infertility. Frozen embryo transfer (FET) was performed in 43 patients. The level of gDNA, mtDNA in SCM by real-time PCR and mtDNA in TE by NGS was analysed depending on the chromosomal status of embryos and the outcome of FET. Statistical analyses were performed in Jamovi software. Results and Discussion. Depending on the outcome of transfer, the patients were divided into groups: Group 1—negative result, n=18; Group 2—pregnancy continuing for more than 12 weeks, n=25. mtDNA and gDNA in SCM were statistically significantly lower in group 2 compared to group 1 (p=0.007 and p=0.01, respectively). When mtDNA levels in SCM were 95 copies, the odds of pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy were increased 3.2-fold (95 % CI=1.1–31.6). Prediction formulas for the probability of ongoing pregnancy after FET were proposed for continuous (sensitivity was 67.0 %, specificity was 91 %, area under the curve (AUC) was 90.0 %) and binary (sensitivity was 75.0 %, specificity was 70 %, AUC was 83.8 %). Thus, the level of gDNA and mtDNA copy number in the embryo culture medium is a significant prognostic factor for the onset and prolongation of pregnancy in ART programmes. Depending on the ploidy of the blastocysts, we analysed the level of mtDNA in TE, gDNA and mtDNA in the SCM of embryos in groups 1.1. (euploid, n=98) and 2.1. (aneuploid, n=97). No differences were detected in the compared groups. Conclusion. Assessment of gDNA and mtDNA levels in SCM may be an additional non-invasive marker for selection of the most promising euploid embryo for transfer into the uterine cavity.

An observational cohort study of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC) stage IA G1, or atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH), undergoing organ-preserving treatment, was conducted. Objective of the study: To determine CDO1, PITX2, and CDH13 gene methylation levels in early endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia specimens obtained before organ-preserving treatment in the patients with adequate response and with insufficient response to hormonal treatment. Materials and methods: A total of 41 endometrial specimens obtained during diagnostic uterine curettage in women with EC (n = 28) and AEH (n = 13), willing to preserve reproductive function, were studied; 18 specimens of uterine cancer IA stage G1 from peri- and early postmenopausal women (comparison group) were included in the study. The control group included 18 endometrial specimens from healthy women obtained by diagnostic curettage for missed abortion and/or intrauterine adhesions. Methylation levels were analyzed using the modified MS-HRM method. Results: All 13 women with AEH had a complete response (CR) to medical treatment. In the group undergoing organ-preserving treatment for uterine cancer IA stage G1 (n = 28), 14 patients had a complete response (EC CR group) and 14 did not (EC non-CR group). It was found that all groups had statistically significant differences in CDO1 gene methylation levels compared to the control group (p < 0.001) except for the EC CR group (p = 0.21). The p-value for the difference between EC CR and EC non-CR groups was <0.001. The differences in PITX2 gene methylation levels between the control and study groups were also significantly different (p < 0.001), except for the AEH group (p = 0.21). For the difference between EC CR and EC non-CR groups, the p-value was 0.43. For CDH13 gene methylation levels, statistically significant differences were found between the control and EC non-CR groups (p < 0.001), and the control and EC comparison groups (p = 0.005). When comparing the EC CR group with EC non-CR group, the p-value for this gene was <0.001. The simultaneous assessment of CDO1 and CDH13 genes methylation allowed for an accurate distinction between EC CR and EC non-CR groups (AUC = 0.96). Conclusion: The assessment of CDO1 and CDH13 gene methylation in endometrial specimens from patients with endometrial cancer (IA stage G1), scheduled for medical treatment, can predict the treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DNA methylation profile of breast cancer differs from that in healthy tissues and can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Aim of this study: To compare the levels of gene methylation in small malignant breast cancer tumors (<2 cm), in healthy tissue, and in fibroadenoma, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the modified Methylation Sensitive–High Resolution Melting (MS–HRM) method for this analysis. Analysis was performed using the modified MS–HRM method. For validation, the methylation levels of five genes were confirmed by pyrosequencing. The main study group included 96 breast cancer samples and the control group included 24 fibroadenoma samples and 24 healthy tissue samples obtained from patients with fibroadenoma. Breast cancer samples were divided into two subgroups (test set and validation set). The methylation of the following 15 genes was studied: MAST1, PRDM14, ZNF177, DNM2, SSH1, AP2M1, CACNA1E, CPEB4, DLGAP2, CCDC181, GCM2, ITPRIPL1, POM121L2, KCNQ1, and TIMP3. Significant differences in the validation set of samples were found for seven genes; the combination of the four genes GCM2, ITPRIPL1, CACNA1E, DLGAP2 (AUC = 0.99) showed the highest diagnostic value based on logistic regression for all breast cancer samples. Our modified MS–HRM method demonstrated that small breast cancer tumors have a specific DNA methylation profile that distinguishes them from healthy tissues and benign proliferative lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The content of eight different cytokines, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in women's plasma during preterm birth (PB) was studied. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between the investigated factors and determine their prognostic significance. Methods: Venous blood samples were collected from 45 women with PB and 35 women with full-term labor at 22–31 and 32–36 weeks of gestation, as well as from 17 women during labor at 39–40 weeks of gestation. The concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, GM-CSF, IFN-γ and TNF-α cytokines in peripheral blood plasma was measured by multiplex method. The level of cfDNA and cffDNA was evaluated using PCR analysis. Results: It was found that, the level of IL-6, IL-8 and cfDNA in the blood was significantly increased in women with PB at 22–31 weeks of gestation (p = 0.044, p = 0.001, p < 0.001) and 32–36 weeks of gestation (p = 0.025, p = 0.001, p = 0.002) compared to women with physiological pregnancy at the same terms. The level of cffDNA (p = 0.014) was significantly increased in women with PB at 32–36 weeks of gestation. The IL-8 content had a significant correlation with the cfDNA level in women with PB at all stages of labor and with the cffDNA level in the group who gave birth at 32–36 weeks of gestation. There was no correlation between IL-8, cfDNA and cffDNA, but there was consistency with other cytokines at all studied terms and during delivery in the term-delivery group. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that cfDNA is a potential marker of PB and show that the aberrant relationship between cfDNA and IL-8 may be important in the genesis of PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of ten energy metabolism factors: C-peptide, ghrelin, GIP, GLP-1, glucagon, insulin, leptin, PAI-1 (total), resistin, and visfatin, and to determine the expression of GLP1R receptors, CD10, CD26 proteases, and pro-inflammatory marker CD86 by macrophages in the peritoneal fluid (PF) in patients with endometriosis. The study included 54 women with endometriosis and a control group of 30 women with uterine myoma without signs of endometriosis. The levels of factors in PF were assessed by a multiplex method. Expression of GLP1R receptors, CD10, CD26 proteases, and CD86 by macrophages was evaluated using flow cytometry. It was found that in women with endometriosis, the concentrations of ghrelin, GLP-1, glucagon, and visfatin in PF were reduced (p = 0.007, p = 0.009, p = 0.002, p = 0.008, respectively). At the same time, there was a noted increase in the CD10 protease expression by peritoneal macrophages (p = 0.044). Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation of ghrelin and GLP-1 levels with CD86 macrophage expression (p = 0.044, p = 0.022, respectively) in the study group; a positive correlation was also found between the levels of GLP-1, glucagon, and visfatin with CD26 macrophage expression (p = 0.041, p = 0.048, p = 0.015, respectively) in PF. No correlations were found in the control group. These results indicate that a decrease in the levels of ghrelin, GLP-1, glucagon, and visfatin in PF may contribute to endometriosis development through their impact on the expression of pro-inflammatory markers of PF macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]