Project description:Epidemiological studies indicate that progestin-containing contraceptives may increase susceptibility to HIV and other infections; however, underlying mechanisms involving the upper female reproductive tract are undefined. To determine the effects of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on gene expression and physiology of the human endometrial and cervical transformation zone (TZ), microarray analyses were performed on whole tissue biopsies. In endometrium, activated pathways included leukocyte chemotaxis, attachment, and inflammation in DMPA (z>2.5) and LNG-IUS (z>3.5) users, and regulation of pattern recognition receptors and other immune mediators. In cervical TZ, progestin treatment altered expression of tissue remodeling and viability genes, but not those of immune functions. Together, these results indicate that progestins influence expression of immune-related genes in endometrium that would be expected to result in the local recruitment of HIV target cells, and thus may increase HIV susceptibility. It is important to consider the upper reproductive tract in the assessment of effects of contraceptives that may influence susceptibility to pathogens, such as HIV. Cross-sectional study conducted at an academic medical center. Cervical transformation zone and endometrial biopsies were obtained from 3 groups of volunteers: those using no hormonal contraceptives (controls, mid-secretory phase, n=20 cervix, 11 endometrium), DMPA users (150mg, n=15, 8), or LNG-IUS users (n=17, 13). DMPA and LNG-IUS groups had used these contraceptives for at least 6 months.
Project description:Epidemiological studies indicate that progestin-containing contraceptives may increase susceptibility to HIV and other infections; however, underlying mechanisms involving the upper female reproductive tract are undefined. To determine the effects of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on gene expression and physiology of the human endometrial and cervical transformation zone (TZ), microarray analyses were performed on whole tissue biopsies. In endometrium, activated pathways included leukocyte chemotaxis, attachment, and inflammation in DMPA (z>2.5) and LNG-IUS (z>3.5) users, and regulation of pattern recognition receptors and other immune mediators. In cervical TZ, progestin treatment altered expression of tissue remodeling and viability genes, but not those of immune functions. Together, these results indicate that progestins influence expression of immune-related genes in endometrium that would be expected to result in the local recruitment of HIV target cells, and thus may increase HIV susceptibility. It is important to consider the upper reproductive tract in the assessment of effects of contraceptives that may influence susceptibility to pathogens, such as HIV.
Project description:The aim of this study was to identify hormonally regulated genes and their related biological pathways in the rhesus macaque cervix during the menstrual cycle. The cervix is the gateway for gamete passage, which is driven by hormonal regulation with progesterone (P) suppressing the passage of gametes. Contraceptives that are progesterone based change the cervix. Progestogen only contraception is reported to act by suppressing ovulation and/or altering cervical mucus secretion. In order to further investigate novel contraceptive targets and their pathways, a microarray was used to discover genes in the cervix that are suppressed under varying lengths of exposure to progesterone throughout an artificial menstrual cycle.
Project description:The contraceptive effectiveness of intrauterine devices has been attributed in part to effects of a foreign body reaction on the endometrium. We performed this study to identify compare the effects on the endometrial transcriptome of intrauterine devices and combined oral contraceptives, to better understand their mechanisms of action. We collected endometrial and cervical biopsies from women using the levonorgestrel-intrauterine device, copper intrauterine device or levonorgestrel-containing combined oral contraceptives, and from women not using contraceptives (control group). Transcriptional profiling was performed with Affymetrix arrays, Principal Component Analysis and the bioconductor package limma. Pathway analysis was performed using EnrichR and Reactome 2016. In endometrial samples from copper intrauterine device users (n=13), there were no genes with statistically significant differential expression compared to controls (n=11), whereas in levonorgestrel-intrauterine device users (n=11), 2509 genes were significantly dysregulated and mapped onto several immune and inflammatory pathways. In combined oral contraceptive users (n=12), 133 genes were significantly dysregulated and mapped predominantly onto pathways involving regulation of metal ions. Both levonorgestrel-intrauterine device and combined oral contraceptive use were associated with significant downregulation of members of the metallothionein gene family. In cervical samples, none of the groups showed statistically significant differential gene expression compared to controls. In conclusion, hormonal and copper intrauterine devices differ significantly in their effects on the endometrial transcriptome, with endometrium from copper intrauterine device users being indistinguishable from luteal phase endometrium. These results suggest that the contraceptive mechanisms of intrauterine devices are unlikely to rely on a common pathway involving a foreign body reaction in the endometrium.
Project description:Enhanced Expression of FKBP51 in Endometrium of Women Using Long-Acting Progestin-Only Contraceptives: Implications for Functional Progesterone and Glucocorticoid Withdrawal
Project description:Use of hormonal contraceptives (HC) could alter the bacterial community, immune response and epithelial barrier integrity of the female genital tract (FGT) mucosal environment, leading to increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Here, we tested whether use of three types of HCs, injectable Net-En, combined oral contraceptives (COC) and NuvaRing, a combined contraceptive vaginal ring (CCVR), led to distinct patterns in FGT host transcriptomics transcriptome in South African adolescent females. In an intention-to-treat analysis, we observed few changes in endocervical gene expression in the Net-En and COC groups. Relative to the COC and Net-En arms, samples from the CCVR arm had significant elevation of transcriptional networks driven by IL-6, IL-1 and NFKB, and lower expression of genes supporting epithelial barrier integrity. An integrated multivariate analysis of the cervicovaginal microbiome, transcriptome and cytokines demonstrated that networks of microbial dysbiosis and inflammation accurately discriminated the CCVR arm from the other contraceptive groups, while genes involved in epithelial cell differentiation were predictive of the Net-En and COC arms.
Project description:Sepsis is a global health emergency, which is known to be caused by various sources of infection that lead to changes in gene expression, protein coding, and metabolism. Advancements in omics technologies have provided valuable tools to unravel the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Through integration of transcriptome and proteome profiling, we identified 170 co differentially expressed genes/proteins. Among these, 122 genes/proteins displayed the same expression trend. Protein protein interaction network analyses revealed two densely connected regions, which majorly included down regulated genes/proteins that were related to the transcription of RNA, translation of proteins, and mitochondrial translation. Additionally, we identified one module comprising of up regulated genes/proteins, which were mainly related to low density neutrophils (LDNs). IPA analysis revealed enrichment of canonical pathways and diseases or functions annotations, wherein pathways related to lymphocyte functions with decreased status, and defense processes that were predicted to be strongly increased. These findings showed a reprioritization of biological functions in response to sepsis that involved a transcriptional and translational shutdown of genes/proteins, with exception of a set of genes related to LDNs and host defense system.
Project description:Cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH), mucometra, and pyometra are common uterine diseases in intact dogs, with pyometra being a life threatening disease. This study aimed to determine the gene expression profile of these conditions, in addition to potential biomarkers for closed-cervix pyometra, the most severe condition Total RNA was extracted from 69 fresh endometrium samples collected from 21 healthy female dogs during diestrus, 16 CEH, 15 mucometra and 17 pyometra (eight open and nine closed-cervix). Global gene expression was detected using the Affymetrix Canine Gene 1.0 ST Array
Project description:Background The in vivo properties of HR-HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins have been previously evaluated through the generation and characterization of HPV transgenic mouse strains. Although K14E6 transgenic mice develop spontaneous tumors of the skin epithelium, no spontaneous reproductive tract malignancies arise, unless the transgenic mice were treated chronically with 17β-estradiol. Taken together, these findings suggest that E6 performs critical functions in normal adult cervix and skin, highlighting the need to define E6-controlled transcriptional programs in these tissues. We evaluated the different expression profile of 14,000 genes in skin or cervix from young K14E6 transgenic mice compared with corresponding tissues from non-transgenic (FVB) mice. Result Microarray analysis identified a total of 676 and 1154 genes that were significantly up and down-regulated, respectively, in skin from K14E6 transgenic mice. On the other hand, in cervix from K14E6 transgenic mice we found that only 97 and 252 genes were significantly up and down-regulated, respectively. One of the most affected processes in the skin from K14E6 transgenic mice was the cell cycle. We also found that skin from transgenic mice showed down-regulation in pro-apoptotic genes expression, particularly in those related to the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. In contrast, we observed up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes. Another pathway that was severely affected in skin was the immune response. In cervix from transgenic mice, we could not find affected any gene related to the cell cycle and apoptosis pathways. Interestingly, we observed alterations in the expression of immune response genes in cervix from K14E6 transgenic mice. Pathways such as angiogenesis, cell junction, cytoskeleton, keratinocyte differentiation and epidermis development, showed different gene expression in skin or cervix from K14E6 transgenic mice. Conclusion Alterations in gene expression identified in the current study might partially explain why our K14E6 transgenic mice present a more aggressive phenotype in the skin than in the cervix. Expression of the HPV16 E6 oncoprotein alters expression of genes that fell into several functional groups providing insights into pathways by which E6 deregulate cell cycle progression, apoptosis and the host resistance to infection and immune function, providing new opportunities for early diagnostic markers and therapeutic drug targets. Keywords: Human_papillomavirus, transgenic mice, expression profile
Project description:Endocervical mucus changes play a key role in regulating fertility throughout the menstrual cycle and in response to hormonal contraceptives. Non-human primates (NHP) provide the most translational animal model for reproductive tract studies, as they have hormonally-regulated menstrual cycles and mucus changes, similar to women. We used TMT labelling and LC-LC/MS to compare the proteins found in the mucus of the rhesus macaque to the mucus of the human endocervix. We found 3,048 total proteins present in both rhesus mucus and human mucus, and of these, 57% showed a similar expression pattern. An even higher similarity occurred in the top 500 most prevalent proteins, with overlap in 341 (68%) proteins. Mucin MUC5B was the most highly expressed mucin protein (top 10 expressed proteins in both) but other key proteins related to mucus structure were present in both samples. We find that the mucus proteome of the endocervical mucus is highly conserved in NHP and women. This supports use of the NHP model system for studies of the endocervix and trials of novel fertility treatments targeting the cervix.