Abstract Assisted reproductive technology (ART), notably in vitro fertilization–embryo transfer (IVF-ET), has become a primary therapeutic strategy for addressing rising infertility rates worldwide. Embryo quality, culture medium conditions, and endometrial receptivity are the core determinants of IVF-ET success, while elective single blastocyst transfer (eSBT), the mainstream strategy for reducing multiple pregnancy risks, still lacks standardized and high-predictivity selection criteria due to the limitations of morphological embryo assessment. The advent of high-throughput sequencing has driven a paradigm shift in embryonic microenvironment research, from isolated single-omics analyses to integrated multi-omics approaches (proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, genomics, microbiomics, etc.), which provide comprehensive molecular insights into embryo development and implantation. This narrative review systematically collates and analyzes the latest research progress of multi-omics technologies in the two core embryonic microenvironments (in vitro embryo culture system and uterine implantation milieu), summarizes the potential molecular biomarkers identified by various omics approaches and their clinical application value, and clarifies the key bottlenecks of current research (e.g., low reproducibility, non-standardized detection protocols, exogenous contamination in genomic analysis). A total of 57 relevant articles published between 1990 and 2021 were retrieved and included from the PubMed database for this review. We further prospect the application potential of emerging multi-omics technologies (single-cell multi-omics, spatial multi-omics) in this field and propose targeted solutions for existing research challenges. Collectively, multi-omics integration has emerged as a pivotal research focus in reproductive technology, and its clinical translation is expected to optimize embryo selection strategies, improve endometrial receptivity assessment accuracy, and ultimately enhance the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of IVF-ET.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic, recurrent intestinal inflammatory disorder with an unclear etiology. Current pharmaceutical therapies for IBD still have several side effects, necessitating safer and more effective strategies. Edible insects are novel nutritional and bioactive resources with potential anti-inflammatory properties, but the effects of Zophobas morio larvae (ZML) and Tenebrio molitor larvae (TML) on IBD remain insufficiently explored. A 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model was established to evaluate ZML protein powder (ZMLpp) and TML protein powder (TMLpp). Disease Activity Index (DAI), colon length, spleen weight, histopathology, inflammatory cell infiltration (LCA/MPO staining), inflammatory cytokines (Ccl2, Cxcl1, Ptgs2, Nf-κb), and intestinal microbiota (16S rRNA sequencing) were determined. The result showed that compared with the DSS group, both ZMLpp and TMLpp significantly reduced DAI, mitigated weight loss and hematochezia/diarrhea, restored colon length, attenuated mucosal damage, and preserved goblet cells and crypts, inflammatory cell infiltration, downregulated cytokine expression, improved fecal microbiota dysbiosis, such as increased abundance of beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia. These findings demonstrate that both ZMLpp and TMLpp alleviate DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting inflammation and modulating the microbiota, supporting their application in IBD therapy and the development of anti-colitis functional foods or pharmaceuticals.

BACKGROUND:The rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, causes substantial rice yield losses through larval leaf-rolling behavior. RNA interference (RNAi) offers a sustainable alternative, but its application in Lepidoptera is hindered by dsRNA degradation and poor cellular uptake. This study developed nanocarrier-mediated dsRNA delivery to overcome these limitations. RESULTS:Three nanocarriers - chitosan (CS), chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CS-TPP), and star polycation (SPc) - were compared for enhancing RNAi efficiency targeting the C. medinalis fibroin light chain gene (CmFibL). CS-TPP and SPc achieved 61% and 55% silencing efficiency, respectively, representing 2.7-fold improvement over naked dsRNA (23%). All nanocarriers protected dsRNA from RNase A (30 min) and midgut fluid (6 h) degradation. CmFibL knockdown caused severe silk defects, prolonged pupal duration by 23%, reduced pupal weight by 33%, and decreased leaf-rolling damage by 31% in glasshouse cage trials. Transcriptomics revealed down-regulation of amino acid metabolism and activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and immune responses. No off-target effects were detected in human genome, nor in any predators or parasitoids sharing the same ecological niche. CONCLUSION:CS-TPP and SPc nanocarriers effectively enhance RNAi efficiency in a Lepidopteran pest. Targeting CmFibL disrupts silk-mediated feeding shelters with minimal ecological risk, providing a practical framework for field application of RNAi-based biopesticides against leaf-rolling rice pests. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

PurposeTo investigate the association of sleep quality during pregnancy on in vitro fertilization/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) and natural conceiving (NC), as well as anxiety, depression, and perceived stress.MethodsThis prospective cohort study includes 500 infertile pregnant women undergoing IVF/ICSI and 678 NC women in a Sichuan birth cohort. Data on sleep, anxiety, depression, and stress was collected in the first trimester (T1), second trimester (T2), and third trimester (T3) using integrated questionnaires. Sleep quality is quantified by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with a cut-point of 5 indicating poor sleep. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Center for Epidemiologic Study of Depression scale (CES-D), and the Perceived Stress scale (PSS) were used for assessing anxiety, depression, and perceived stress symptoms. Additionally, the matched husbands are surveyed. Multivariable logistic regression models with adjustments for influencing factors were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of sleep quality.ResultsIn the IVF/ICSI group, 61.1%, 55.5%, and 66.5% of participants in T1, T2, and T3 reported poorer sleep quality compared to the NC group, which had 43.2%, 37.4%, and 46.4% throughout the same trimesters. Additionally, the IVF/ICSI group exhibited higher levels of negative psychological factors as measured by the CES-D and PSS during T1 and T2, showing statistical significance in T1 (P = 0.008, P < 0.001) and T2 (P = 0.038, P < 0.001), except at T3 (P = 0.107, P = 0.253). In addition to psychological factors and IVF/ICSI treatment, poor sleep quality was also associated with advanced age. However, there was no significant difference in sleep quality between the husbands of the IVF/ICSI and NC groups.ConclusionThe study reveals that women receiving IVF/ICSI treatment are at a higher risk of experiencing sleep disturbances throughout their pregnancy compared with women with natural conception. While partners typically do not report major sleep problems, they do exhibit increased anxiety levels. These findings underscore the necessity for screening and addressing sleep issues in women pregnant through assisted IVF/ICSI treatment, to promote their well-being during this critical period.

The rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis is one of the most important pests of rice. Double-stranded RNA-degrading enzyme (dsRNase) is one of key factors affecting the stability of dsRNA in insects, thus restricting the application of RNA interference (RNAi) technology in pest control. In this study, a dsRNase gene from C. medinalis, designated CmdsRNase2, was cloned by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The open reading frame (ORF) of CmdsRNase2 is 1,335 bp in length, encoding 444 amino acids. The CmdsRNase2 protein contains a signal peptide and an Endounuclease_NS domain that includes six active sites, one Mg2+ binding site, and three substrate binding sites. Homology comparison showed that CmdsRNase2 was most closely related to dsRNase2 from Ostrinia nubilalis, with 66.96% similarity. Spatiotemporal expression pattern analyses indicated that CmdsRNase2 was expressed throughout developmental stages with the highest expression level in the fifth-instar larvae and all seven tissues tested in adults with the highest level in the hemolymph. On the third day after RNA interference (RNAi), silencing CmCHS (C. medinalis chitin synthase) alone had a RNAi efficiency of 56.84%, while co-sliencing both CmCHS and CmdsRNase2 caused a RNAi efficiency of 83.44%, an increase of 26.60%. The results showed that the efficiency of RNAi in C. medinalis was greatly improved by simultaneously interfering with expressions of both CmCHS and CmdsRNase2. This study is very helpful for understanding the mechanism of dsRNase involved in the RNAi process and for eco-friendly pest control by using RNAi strategies.

Previous studies suggest organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) negatively affect fertility, but limited research explores their metabolites in follicular fluid and reproductive outcomes. To investigate the associations between concentrations of OPFRs metabolites in follicular fluid and the outcomes of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) among women undergoing treatment. Women who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment at the Reproductive Center of West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, China, from 2017 to 2020 were recruited. The levels of seven OPFRs metabolites were quantified in follicular fluid collected on the day of oocyte retrieval. Reproductive outcomes were assessed, including key IVF/ICSI outcomes. This study included 401 women. After adjusting for relevant confounders, elevated concentrations of BBOEP (β = -0.08, 95

Insect metamorphosis is a complex developmental process regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs) and hormonal signaling pathways. Key genes driving insect ontogenic changes are precisely modulated by miRNAs, which interact with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and juvenile hormone (JH) to coordinate developmental transitions. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in understanding miRNA biogenesis, their regulatory roles in gene expression, and their involvement in critical biological processes, including metamorphosis and chitin metabolism. miRNAs are now recognized as essential regulators of chitin metabolism and hormonal signaling, ensuring precise control of insect development. Disrupting the expression of participating genes in hormone signaling pathways through miRNAs leads to aberrant metamorphosis and consequent lethal outcomes, highlighting their potential as targets for pest control. This review summarizes current advances in miRNA-mediated regulation of insect metamorphosis and chitin metabolism, with a focus on their interactions with 20E and JH signaling pathways. By integrating recent findings, we provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA function in developmental transitions and their potential applications in insect pest management strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Objective:To estimate the proportion of married women in China who intend to become pregnant given the country's pronatalist population policy and to investigate fecundity, with an emphasis on the influence of socioeconomic factors.Methods:A nationally representative survey of 12 815 married women aged 20 to 49 years (mean: 36.8 years) was conducted during 2019 and 2020. All completed questionnaires, 10 115 gave blood samples and 11 710 underwent pelvic ultrasound examination. Fertility intention was the desire or intent to become pregnant combined with engagement in unprotected sexual intercourse. We defined infertility as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of unprotected intercourse. We considered an anti-Müllerian hormone level < 1.1 ng/mL and an antral follicular count < 7 as indicating an abnormal ovarian reserve.Findings:Fertility intentions were reported by 11.9% of women overall but by only 6.1% of current mothers (weighted percentages). Fertility intention was significantly less likely among women in metropolises (odds ratio, OR: 0.38; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.31-0.45) and those with a higher educational level (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62-0.88). Overall, 18.0% had experienced infertility at any time and almost 30% had an abnormal ovarian reserve on assessment. An abnormal ovarian reserve and infertility were less likely in women in metropolises (P < 0.05) but more likely in obese women (P < 0.05).Conclusion:The willingness of Chinese married women to give birth remained low, even with relaxation of the one-child policy.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with metabolic disorders. Abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone found in vegetables and fruits that can be naturally supplied through dietary intake, has previously been studied for its benefits to human health, particularly in people with diabetes. ABA plays a key role in glucose metabolism, inflammation, and tumor growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of ABA on letrozole-induced PCOS rats. Methods: Wistar rats were implanted with continuous-release letrozole pellets to induce a PCOS-like phenotype, and subsequently treated with ABA or vehicle control. Body weight changes, Testosterone (T) levels, fasting insulin measurements, and glucose tolerance tests were investigated. A cell apoptosis model, induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), was established. Cell viability was tested by cell counting Kit-8. Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry, and oxidative stress state of cells was examined via reactive oxygen species (ROS) array. Results: Body weight, glucose impairment, and T level were significantly improved in ABA-treated PCOS rats compared to vehicle-treated rats. ABA significantly reduced H2O2-induced human ovarian granulosa cell line (KGN) cell apoptosis and ROS levels and increased cell viability. Conclusions: The findings suggest that ABA could be an adjunctive treatment candidate for improving the insulin sensitivity and hyperandrogenemia of PCOS patients, and for ameliorating H2O2-induced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Antimullerian hormone, the most reliable biomarker of ovarian reserve, is widely used in various clinical situations. Antimullerian hormone levels consistently decrease with age. However, there is no standard, age-specific reference values for antimullerian hormone in women of reproductive age, which limits its application. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish age-specific antimullerian hormone percentile reference values for women of reproductive age. STUDY DESIGN: A nationwide, population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 2019 and April 2021 in 15 provinces and municipalities in mainland China. A total of 10,053 eligible women aged 20 to 49 years were selected using a multistage stratified sampling procedure. Women who were pregnant, had undergone ovarian surgery, took hormone drugs in the past 3 months, or had an antimullerian hormone outlier value were excluded from establishing antimullerian hormone percentile reference values. Serum antimullerian hormone concentrations were measured using ultrasensitive, 2-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (Ansh Lab, Webster, TX) in the Reproductive Endocrinology Laboratory of Peking University Third Hospital. Generalized additive models for location scale and shape with the Box-Cox t original distribution were used to estimate the fitted antimullerian hormone percentile reference values. RESULTS: A total of 9112 eligible women aged 21 to 49 years were included in the fitting model. The fitted 50th (2.5th-97.5th) percentiles of antimullerian hormone values for women aged 21, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 49 years were 4.83 (0.79-18.41), 4.47 (0.72-16.58), 3.67 (0.50-13.82), 2.59 (0.24-10.35), 1.35 (0.05-6.68), 0.33 (<0.01 to 3.40), and 0.04 (<0.01 to 1.77) ng/mL, respectively. The populationbased decline rate of antimullerian hormone accelerated with increasing age, especially age >35 years. The magnitude of the decline of the 25th antimullerian hormone percentile curve was greater than that of the 75th percentile curve. CONCLUSION: This study established age-specific antimullerian hormone percentile reference values for women of reproductive age based on a large representative sample of the general population and described antimullerian hormone changes. These findings may facilitate antimullerian hormone application in clinical practices.

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has become a major international public health concern. However, because of controversy about the diagnostic criteria and patient selection, estimates of its absolute prevalence and change with time vary greatly.Methods We conducted two consecutive nationwide epidemiological surveys of the prevalence of PCOS in representative samples of reproductive-aged women in China in 2010 and 2020. Face-to-face interviews were performed by trained interviewers in each survey. All participants completed a questionnaire and underwent a physical examination, blood sampling, and transvaginal pelvic ultrasound. We assessed hyperandrogenism (H), chronic anovulation (O), and polycystic ovaries (P) to classify the presence of PCOS using the Rotterdam criteria. The prevalence of PCOS among reproductive-aged women was estimated after consideration of differential probabilities of selection and population distribution. We conducted a logistic regression analysis by using the probability of PCOS as a function of the survey year to acquire the trend information across the years.Findings 28,739 respondents completed the survey, including 15,924 in the previously published 2010 survey and 12,815 in the new 2020 survey. In 2020, 826 participants could be diagnosed as having PCOS, with a weighted prevalence of 7.8% (95%CI: 7.0%, 9.0%) among women aged 20-49 years, leading to an estimate of 24.0 million women of reproductive age affected by this condition in China as a whole. The estimated prevalence in 2020 was higher than that of a decade ago despite identical research methods suggesting a two-thirds increase over the study period. Women with PCOS in 2020 also appeared to have a more severe phenotype overall than those of a decade ago, possibly reflecting a significantly higher prevalence of obesity, hyperandrogenism, and infertility.Interpretation The prevalence of PCOS in Chinese women has increased significantly over the past 10 years. PCOS is a significant public health problem in women of reproductive age in China and national policy and guidelines should be re-examined in the light of the current data.Funding National Key R&D Program of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.Copyright (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

溶菌酶是一组进化上保守的酶,在昆虫中主要分为c型和i型两类.为明确i型溶菌酶在九香虫Coridius chinensis体内的表达模式与功能,我们对九香虫的两个i型溶菌酶基因CcL ys-i1和CcLys-i2进行了克隆,这两个基因的编码区分别为504 bp和432 bp,分别编码167和143个氨基酸.序列分析显示,CcLys-i1和CcLys-i2缺乏与催化活性相关的谷氨酸(E)和丝氨酸(S).同源性和聚类分析显示,CcLys-i1和CcLys-i2与斯氏珀蝽Plautia stali的i型溶菌酶相似性最高,分别为80.36％和48.95％.采用实时荧光定量PCR (RT-qPCR)解析CcL ys-i和CcLys-i2基因的时空表达谱,结果表明它们在九香虫不同发育阶段都有表达,CcL ys-i1在成虫中表达水平最高,而CcLys-i2在5龄若虫中表达水平最高;它们在所检测的成虫不同组织中都有表达,都在脂肪体中表达水平最高.九香虫被注射细菌后24 h,CcLys-i1和CcL ys-i2的表达显著上调;九香虫被饲喂细菌后,这两种基因的表达水平没有显著变化.九香虫的这两种i型溶茼酶基因的表达受到自身免疫机制的调控,可以被诱导而参与免疫应答,但不具有参与消化的功能.该研究为进一步明确九香虫i型溶菌酶基因的功能奠定基础.

Abstract Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly associated with metabolic disorders. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone present in vegetables and fruits that can be naturally supplied by the dietary intake and has been previously studied for its benefits to human health, especially in diabetes people. It has been demonstrated that ABA plays a key role in glucose metabolism, inflammation, and tumor growth.Methods: Wistar rats were implanted with letrozole-continuous-release pellets to induce a PCOS-like phenotype, subsequently treated with ABA or vehicle control. Bodyweight changes, Testosterone(T) level, fasting insulin measurements, and glucose tolerance tests have been investigated. A cell apoptosis model was established induced by H2O2. Cell viability was tested by cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry, and the oxidative stress state of cells was examined using ROS array.Results: Body weights, glucose impairment, and T level were significantly improved in the ABA treated PCOS rat than in vehicle-treated control PCOS rats. ABA significantly reduced H2O2-induced KGNs cell apoptosis and ROS levels and increased cell viability. Conclusions: The findings suggest that ABA could be a candidate adjunctive treatment for improving the insulin sensitivity and hyperandrogenemia of PCOS patients, and ameliorated H2O2-induced KGN cell apoptosis and oxidant stress.

昆虫抗菌肽是昆虫体液免疫产生的天然免疫因子,受Toll信号通路和IMD信号通路的调控.Toll信号通路主要是昆虫细胞对革兰氏阳性菌和真菌的免疫应答,而IMD信号通路主要参与细胞对革兰氏阴性菌的免疫反应.Toll和IMD信号通路中存在多种调节免疫反应的正、负反馈信号因子.两条信号通路都始于信号通路上游的模式识别受体识别病原微生物表面的病原相关分子模式,经过信号因子级联反应传递信号,于信号通路下游转录因子进入细胞核,激活体液免疫相关基因的表达.

The association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometrial cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the causal association between genetically predicted PCOS and endometrial cancer risk in two ethnic groups through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Our study includes 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs) for PCOS in Europeans, and another 13 SNPs are used as IVs for PCOS in Asians. Outcome data were obtained from the largest published meta-GWAS of European ancestry to date, as well as from the BioBank Japan Project of Asian ancestry. Our study demonstrates that genetically predicted PCOS is not causally associated with the risk of overall endometrial cancer in either Europeans or Asians (odds ratio (OR) = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85–1.01, p = 0.09 and OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.84–1.13, p = 0.75, respectively). Subgroup analyses according to histotype further illustrate that PCOS might not be associated with the risk of either endometrioid endometrial cancer or non-endometrioid endometrial cancer in European ancestry. No pleiotropy is found in our study, and a sensitivity analysis shows similar results. Our results indicate that genetically predicted PCOS might not be associated with the risk of endometrial cancer.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic diseases among women of reproductive age. Inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS, but its exact relationship with PCOS remains unclear. Herein, we investigate the causal association between systemic inflammatory regulators and PCOS risk through a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach based on the latest and largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 41 systemic inflammatory regulators in 8293 Finnish participants and a GWAS meta-analysis consisting of 10,074 PCOS cases and 103,164 controls of European ancestry. Our results suggest that higher levels of IL-17 and SDF1a, as well as lower levels of SCGFb and IL-4, are associated with an increased risk of PCOS (OR = 1.794, 95% CI = 1.150 - 2.801, P = 0.010; OR = 1.563, 95% CI = 1.055 - 2.315, P = 0.026; OR = 0.838, 95% CI = 0.712 - 0.986, P = 0.034; and OR = 0.637, 95% CI = 0.413 - 0.983, P = 0.042, respectively). In addition, genetically predicted PCOS is related to increased levels of IL-2 and VEGF (OR = 1.257, 95% CI = 1.022 - 1.546, P = 0.030 and OR = 1.112, 95% CI = 1.006 - 1.229, P = 0.038, respectively). Our results indicate the essential role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Further studies are warranted to assess the possibility of these biomarkers as targets for PCOS prevention and treatment.

The beneficial effects of metformin, especially its capacity to ameliorate insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), explains why it is widely prescribed. However, its effect on the offspring of patients with PCOS remains uncertain. This study investigated the impact of metformin treatment on the first- and second-generation female offspring born to letrozole-induced PCOS-IR rats. Forty-five female Wistar rats were implanted with continuous-release letrozole pellets or placebo and treated with metformin or vehicle control. Rats exposed to letrozole showed PCOS-like reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic phenotypes in contrast to the controls. Metformin significantly decreased the risk of body weight gain and increased INSR expression in F1 female offspring in PCOS-IR rats, contributing to the improvement in obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and IR. Decreased FSHR expression and increased LHCGR expression were observed in F1 female rats of the PCOS-IR and PCOS-IR+Metformin groups, suggesting that FSHR and LHCGR dysfunction might promote the development of PCOS. Nevertheless, we found no significant differences in INSR, FSHR, and LHCGR expression or other PCOS phenotypes in F2 female offspring of PCOS-IR rats. These findings indicated widespread reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic changes in the PCOS-IR rat model, but the PCOS phenotypes could not be stably inherited by the next generations. Metformin might have contributed to the improvement in obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and IR in F1 female offspring. The results of this study could be used as a theoretical basis in support of using metformin in the treatment of PCOS-IR patients.

[目的]探明九香虫防卫素基因CcDef3的生物信息学特征及其在九香虫体内的表达模式,揭示CcDef3基因的调控规律,为进一步研究该基因的功能及开发新型药物奠定基础.[方法]采用反转录PCR克隆CcDef3基因并使用生物信息学软件和方法对其进行序列分析,采用实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time quantitative PCR,RT-qPCR)检测其时空表达模式及细菌诱导后的表达模式.[结果]九香虫防卫素基因CcDef3的cDNA长度为522 bp,包含一个长351 bp的开放阅读框,编码116个氨基酸残基;CcDef3多肽由1个信号肽、2个前肽及1个成熟肽组成,成熟肽形成1个α-螺旋,2个β-折叠片和3个二硫键的三维分子结构;九香虫防卫素CcDef3与红尾碧蝽防卫素的亲缘关系最近;CcDef3在九香虫不同发育时期均表达,其中在5龄若虫中表达水平最高,在所检测的组织中皆表达,在脂肪体中表达水平最高;用细菌诱导九香虫成虫后CcDef3的表达水平上调,在12 h时达到峰值,而后下调至48 h时趋向于诱导前表达水平.[结论]该研究克隆了九香虫防卫素CcDef3基因,并进行了特征分析,解析其表达模式.CcDef3基因的表达受到自身免疫的调控,还可以被诱导而参与免疫应答反应.

Objective: The study aimed at investigating the association between the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) genetic variants, the VEGFA serum level, and the primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) risk in Chinese Han women. Design: An age-matched case-control study was implemented in the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University. Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods: Blood samples and clinical information were collected from 240 patients with POI and 261 healthy controls between December 2012 and December 2018 at the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University. Mutations of VEGFA gene -2578C/A, -1154G/A, 936C/T, and -634C/G were identified by PCR-RFLP. Moreover, VEGFA serum levels in the 2 groups were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The -1154G>A and 936C>T variants of the VEGFA gene were significantly associated with POI (the adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.17 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-4.43 for the former; the adjusted OR = 2.74 and 95% CI = 1.18-6.34 for the latter), whereas no significant difference was found in the genotype distribution of -2578C>A and -634C>G variants between patients and controls (p > 0.05). Moreover, the combined -1154G>A and 936C>T genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of POI (the adjusted OR = 21.98, 95% CI = 2.78-173.78 among subjects carrying 3 or more variants), particularly when patients aged >= 35 years (the adjusted OR = 20.58, and 95% CI = 2.58-164.25). The POI group exhibited an obviously lower VEGFA serum level (45.15 +/- 1.25 pg/mL) than the control group. Compared with the control, the expression of VEGFA was significantly decreased in the POI group (279.90 +/- 5.71 pg/mL; p < 0.05). Moreover, the serum VEGFA levels are lower in the -1154AA genotype than those of AG/GG genotypes. Limitations: The main limitation is that all participants enrolled in this study were Chinese. As genotype and allelotype frequencies tend to differ between ethnic populations, extrapolation of the results to other ethnic groups should be cautiously considered. Conclusions: Our study indicates an association between the VEGFA -1154G/A, 936C/T variants, and susceptibility to POI in Chinese Han women. Reduced levels of VEGFA may be a potential mechanism for the de-velopment of POI.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex and heterogeneous endocrine disorder that has many characteristic features including hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance and obesity. The beneficial effects of metformin on reproduction, metabolism and endocrine, especially with the capacity to ameliorate insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), place it as a good alternative for its widely prescribed, but its association with PCOS offspring remains uncertain. We aim to investigate the impact of metformin on reproductive, endocrine and metabolic characteristics in female offspring born to letrozole-induced PCOS-IR rats. Methods: 45 female wistar rats were implanted with letrozole-continuous-release pellets or placebo, subsequently treated with metformin or vehicle control, then mated with healthy male wistar rats. Estrous cycle, endocrine hormone profile, fasting insulin measurements and glucose tolerance test have been investigated and the expression of INSR in pancreas, FSHR and LHCGR in ovaries have been analyzed with Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Western Blotting assay. Results: Decreased conception rate and increased multiple pregnancy rates were found in PCOS-IR rats, which significantly improved after metformin treatment. Metformin significantly decreased the risk of body weight gain and increased INSR expression of pancreas in female F1 offspring in PCOS-IR rats. Decreased FSHR and increased LHCGR expressions in ovary were observed in female F1 rats of PCOS-IR and PCOS-IR+Met group. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences of INSR, FSHR and LHCGR expressions in female F2 offspring of PCOS-IR rats, as well as other PCOS phenotypes. Conclusions: The current study indicates that widespread reproductive, endocrine and metabolic changes in letrozole induced PCOS-IR rat model, but those PCOS phenotypes could not be inherit to offspring generations stably. Metformin may contribute to improve obesity, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance of female F1 offspring in PCOS-IR. The results of this study can be used as a theoretical basis for supporting metformin-using in the treatment of PCOS-IR patients.