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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with different reproductive complications in the affected women. Inherited thrombophilias are genetic factors increasing the risk for thromboembolism and recurrent pregnancy loss, but their influence on other reproductive disturbances in SLE patients has not been completely clarified. Two hundred and twenty-three Caucasian women (112 with SLE and 111 controls) were included in the study. Complete reproductive history of all SLE patients was carefully obtained. Genotyping for the FVLeiden, FIIG20210A, and MTHFRC677T polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. No significant differences in the prevalence of the FVLeiden, FIIG20210A, and MTHFRC677T polymorphisms between patients and controls were established. Patients with FVLeiden had fewer pregnancies (0.57 ± 0.98 vs. 2.18 ± 1.58; p = 0.007) than the others, while no significant differences in the reproductive history of FIIG20210A carriers and non-carriers were observed (p >0.05). In the SLE group, 41.67% of women with the MTHFRC677T TT genotype had at least one miscarriage in comparison to only 14.00% of the other female patients (p = 0.030). While the prevalence of the investigated thrombophilias was similar in patients with SLE and healthy women, a substantial influence of the inherited prothrombotic factors on the reproductive history of patients was revealed. The investigations of the FVLeiden and MTHFRC677T polymorphisms in SLE patients could help to identify women at highest risk for reproductive failure and thus, further studies in other ethnic groups would be of strong clinical importance.

The calibration of method for determination of phthalates by means of GC/MS was done. The obtained working range for different phthalates is as following: DBP 58.8 - 1175,3 ppb; BBP 75,2 - 1504,6 ppb; DEHP 72,7 - 1454,2 ppb; DOP 59,1 - 1182,2 ppb; DINP 484,5 - 9690,3 ppb; DIDP 573,9 - 11477,0 ppb. Dicyclohexylphtalate (DICHP) was selected as an internal standard. Hexane is used as a solvent for preparation of standard solutions of phthalates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The pineal hormone melatonin could exert an important influence on the immune system and autoi mmu - nity. Its effect on the immunocompetent cells might be mediated at least partially through specific melatonin receptors. However, the role of melatonin - me latonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B) interrelations in human autoimmune diseases is still unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the possible influence of the MTNR1B gene polymorphisms for the development and clinical expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: 109 female SLE patients and 101 healthy women were genotyped for the MTNR1B rs1562444, rs10830962 and rs10830963 polymorphisms. Results: No genotype distribution differences were found between patients and controls. The presence of MTNR1B rs10830963 C/C genotype was related to increased prevalence of leucopenia compared to genotypes C/G and G/G after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons [36.5% vs. 14.5%, p=0.014]. Moreo ver, the rs10830963 G/G carriers had lower number of lupus criteria in comparison to patients with C/C genotype. Conclusions: The present data suggested that MTNR1B polymorphisms could influence the clinical features in lupus patients, and especially the susceptibility to leucopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The development of assisted reproductive techniques has significantly improved fertility chances in many women, but recurrent implantation failure (RIF) and miscarriages (RM) might preclude successful pregnancy. Alterations in the intrinsic secretory patterns of melatonin and cortisol influence reproduction in humans, and imperfection of receptor - dependent signaling may additionally compromise the hormonal effects. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the influence of certain melatonin and cortisol receptor polymorphisms in infertile women., Methods: A total of 111 female infertile patients suffering from implantation failure and/or miscarriages were genotyped for MTNR1B rs1562444, MTNR1B rs10830962, GCCR rs41423247, and GCCR ER22/23EK variants. Additionally, 106 female volunteers were genotyped for the same polymorphisms., Results: The allele and genotype distribution of the investigated polymorphisms did not differ between infertile women and the control group. Significantly more women with history of RIF have MTNR1B rs1562444 G-allele-containing genotypes in comparison to AA carriers (19.3% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.004). The minor allele of the ER22/23EK variant was more frequent in infertile patients with three or more unsuccessful implantation attempts than in other women (12.5% vs. 2.4%, p = 0.025)., Conclusions: Melatonin receptor 1B polymorphisms might affect embryo implantation and early pregnancy loss, while their influence on late pregnancy complications needs further evaluation. The possible association between the cortisol receptor ER22/23EK variant and recurrent implantation failure might help to differentiate women who could benefit from corticosteroid treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a connective tissue disease affecting predominantly women that has been widely associated with obstetric complications. Inherited thrombophilias are significant risk factors for pregnancy loss, but their role in patients with SLE, and especially in those without concomitant secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has not been clarified. The aim of the present study was to study PAI-1 5G/4G polymorphism in women with lupus. A total of 103 SLE patients as well as 69 healthy volunteers were genotyped for PAI-1 5G/4G (rs1799889). No significant differences in the PAI-1 5G/4G genotype prevalence between patients and controls were found. After exclusion of the women with secondary APS, the frequency of pregnancies and spontaneous abortions, as well as the number of live births were similar in the studied patients with different PAI-1 genotype (p> 0.05). PAI-1 5G/4G polymorphism was not significantly related to any of the lupus ACR criteria or disease activity (p > 0.05), but it could influence the platelet number in the studied patients (263.52 ± 91.10 [5G/5G genotype] versus 210.12 ± 71.79 [4G/4G genotype], p = 0.023). In conclusion, our results showed that PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism did not worsen the reproductive outcome in SLE women without secondary APS.

Background: The neuroendocrine system is known to influence immunity, but the precise interactions between different hormones and autoimmune disorders remain obscure., Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the role of daily serum melatonin concentrations in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in women., Study Design: Case-control study., Methods: One-hundred and eleven SLE female patients and 46 healthy women were included in the study. Daily serum melatonin levels were investigated in all participants., Results: SLE patients showed significantly lower daily melatonin levels in comparison to healthy women during the short photoperiod (17.75±7.13 pg/mL [16.05] vs. 21.63±6.60 pg/mL [20.10], p=0.012). Hormone concentrations were inversely related to the SLE activity index (SLEDAI) (r= -0.268, p=0.004), but they did not correlate to any particular American College Rheumatology (ACR) criterion (p>0.05 for all)., Conclusion: Daily melatonin levels were decreased in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and correlated inversely to the activity of the autoimmune disease. Further studies are needed to clarify the importance of the pineal and extrapineal melatonin secretion in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus as well as the interrelations between hormones and autoimmunity.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects mainly females. Therefore, interrelations between the reproductive and immune system have been assumed. Considering the complex influence of hormones and receptors, we aimed to investigate the influence of androgens and androgen receptor (AR) polymorphism in women with SLE. One hundred and sixteen patients and 44 healthy women were investigated. Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) concentrations and AR (CAG)n polymorphism were determined. SLE patients had significantly lower levels of total and free testosterone and DHEAS in comparison with the controls. No differences in the CAG repeat length between the groups were established. Women with two alleles carrying more than 22 CAG repeats had significantly higher levels of SHBG (101.51 ± 61.81 vs. 69.22 ± 45.93 nmol/l, p = 0.015) and DHEAS (3.11 ± 2.65 vs. 2.11 ± 3.06 μmol/l, p = 0.007) and a tendency to higher testosterone concentrations (2.35 ± 2.10 vs. 1.71 ± 1.70 nmol/l, p = 0.056) in comparison with other women. The CAG repeat length in the relatively longer (CAG)n allele was inversely related to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR index (r = -0.258, p = 0.009). In conclusion, the androgen receptor (CAG)n polymorphism is not related to the development of SLE, but it could modulate the severity of the lupus chronic damages as well as the androgen levels in women.

Studied was the effect of various technologies of industrial raising--battery-cell, and loose-box--as well as of stress factors on the functional shaping of rumen metabolism and the motor activity of the forestomach, and the unspecific resistance, growth, development, and morbidity rate of early weaned lambs from the 1st to the 75th day. It was found that early weaned (on the 3rd day of age) artificially raised and nourished with a milk replacer lambs exhibited a comparatively low natural resistance. Those of the lambs that were kept in battery cells gave losses amounting up to 5 animals (13.9 per cent) due to bronchopneumonia and white muscle disease. With the use of the group box technology of raising the death cases were 3 (8.3 per cent), 2 of which were due to tympanits. Loosely raised lambs with their ewes showed higher average daily gain (24.9 per cent) as against those raised after the group box system; it was also higher (25.9 per cent) than that of lambs raised in battery cells. With lambs raised in boxes the total locomotor activity of the forestomach proved higher (991 units) as compared to lambs kept in battery (670); it proved lower than that in lambs raised together with their ewes.

Genetic markers have recently been found to be much more polymorphic than expected. Such extensive human polymorphisms may be partly explained by a number of genetic and environmental factors, including infectious diseases. Malaria, which was very widespread in the past and still poses a problem in many countries today, is a good candidate for research. The association between malaria and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is well-known, but more should be done to determine the mechanisms responsible for this positive correlation and to confirm that malaria is a strong selective factor for many other genotypes also. The present paper refers to a WHO project on genetic markers and susceptibility to infectious diseases, which is concerned mainly with G6PD deficiency and the following genetic markers: haemoglobinopathies, including the beta-thalassaemia trait and ABO, Rh, MN, Duffy, secretory types (Ss), and human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Since malaria was eradicated in Bulgaria many years ago, human populations from this country, living at different altitudes above sea-level, were used as a model for analysis of the malaria hypothesis. The data for G6PD deficiency confirm that malaria was a selective factor in lowland areas where malaria infection was more frequent in the past. It is, moreover, apparent that in addition to malaria some other factors also play a selective role.