Melatonin stimulates aromatase expression and estradiol production in human granulosa-lutein cells: relevance for high serum estradiol levels in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is one of the most life-threatening and potentially fatal complications associated with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Although the pathogenesis of OHSS remains unclear, elevated serum estradiol (E2) levels before human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration are associated with the risk of OHSS. The pineal hormone melatonin and its receptors are expressed in human granulosa cells and have been shown to stimulate E2 production. However, the effect of melatonin on the expression of aromatase, an enzyme responsible for a key step in the biosynthesis of E2, in human granulosa cells remains to be determined. Here, we demonstrate that melatonin upregulates aromatase expression in primary cultured human granulosa-lutein (hGL) cells through the melatonin receptor-mediated PKA-CREB pathway. Using a mouse model of OHSS, we demonstrate that administration of the melatonin receptor inhibitor luzindole inhibits the development of OHSS. In addition, the expression of ovarian aromatase and serum E2 levels are upregulated in OHSS mice compared to control mice, but this upregulation is attenuated by inhibition of the function of melatonin. Moreover, clinical results reveal that aromatase expression levels are upregulated in hGL cells from OHSS patients. Melatonin and E2 levels in the follicular fluid are significantly higher in OHSS patients than in non-OHSS patients. Furthermore, melatonin levels are positively correlated with E2 levels in follicular fluid. This study helps to elucidate the mechanisms mediating the expression of aromatase in hGL cells and provides a potential mechanism explaining the high E2 levels in patients with OHSS.Subject terms: Endocrine reproductive disorders, Endocrine reproductive disorders     

超临界压力CO2在水平圆管内流动传热数值分析

采用SST k-w低雷诺数湍流模型对加热条件下超临界压力CO2在内径di=22.14 mm,加热长度Lh=2440 mm水平圆管内三维稳态流动与传热特性进行了数值计算.通过超临界CO2在水平圆管内的流动传热实验数据验证了数值模型的可靠性和准确性.首先,研究了超临界压力CO2在水平圆管内的流动传热特点,基于超临界CO2在类临界温度Tpc处发生类液-类气“相变”的假设,揭示了水平圆管顶母线和底母线区域不同的流动传热行为.然后,分析了热流密度qw和质量流速G对水平圆管内超临界压力CO2流动换热的影响,通过获取流体域内的物性分布、速度分布和湍流分布等详细信息,重点解释了不同热流密度qw和质量流速G下顶母线内壁温度Tw,i分布产生差异的传热机理,分析结果确定了类气膜厚度d、类气膜性质、轴向速度u和湍动能k是影响顶母线壁温分布差异的主要因素.研究结果可以为超临界压力CO2换热装置的优化设计和安全运行提供理论指导.     

A metabolically engineered spin-labeling approach for studying glycans on cells

Metabolic glycan engineering (MGE) coupled with nitroxide spin-labeling (SL) was utilized to investigate the heterogeneous environment of cell surface glycans in select cancer and normal cells. This approach exploited the incorporation of azides into cell surface glycans followed by a click reaction with a new nitroxide spin label. Both sialic acid and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) were targeted for spin labelling. Although each of these moieties experiences a diverse and heterogeneous glycan environment, their EPR spectra and hence mobility are both characterized as a linear combination of two distinct spectra where one component reflects a highly mobile or uncrowded micro-environment with the second component reflecting more restricted motion, reflective of increased crowding and packing within the glycocalyx. What differs among the spectra of the targeted glycans is the relative percentage of each component, with sialic acid moieties experiencing on average an ∼80% less crowded environment, where conversely GlcNAc/GalNAz labeled sites reported on average a ∼50% more crowded environment. These distinct environments are consistent with the organization of sugar moieties within cellular glycans where some residues occur close to the cell membrane/protein backbone (i.e. more restricted) and others are more terminal in the glycan (i.e. more mobile). Strikingly, different cell lines displayed varied relative populations of these two components, suggesting distinctive glycan packing, organization, and composition of different cells. This work demonstrates the capability of SDSL EPR to be a broadly useful tool for studying glycans on cells, and interpretation of the results provides insights for distinguishing the differences and changes in the local organization and heterogeneity of the cellular glycocalyx.

Metabolic glycan engineering (MGE) coupled with nitroxide spin-labeling (SL) was utilized to investigate the heterogeneous environment of cell surface glycans in select cancer and normal cells.     

Lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate as an additive to suppress the aluminum corrosion in lithium bis(fluorosulfony)imide-based nonaqueous carbonate electrolyte

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Lithium bis(fluorosulfony)imide (LiFSI) is a promising alternative lithium salt to replace lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) due to its high conductivity...     

Vitamin K1 distribution following intravenous vitamin K1–fat emulsion administration in rats

This study investigated vitamin K₁ (VK₁) distribution following intravenous vitamin K₁–fat emulsion (VK₁–FE) administration and compared it with that after VK₁ injection. Rats were intravenously injected with VK₁–FE or VK₁. The organ and tissue VK₁ concentrations were determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography method at 0.5, 2 and 4 h to determine distribution, equilibrium and elimination phases, respectively. In the VK₁–FE group, the plasma, heart and spleen VK₁ concentrations decreased over time. However, other organs like liver, lung, kidney, muscle and testis, reached peak VK₁ concentrations at 2 h. In the VK₁ injection group, the liver VK₁ concentrations were significantly higher than those in other organs at the three time points. However, VK₁ concentrations in the other organs peaked at 2 h. In addition, in VK₁–FE group, the heart, spleen and lung VK₁ concentrations were significantly higher than those in the VK₁ injection group at the three time points, and the liver VK₁ concentration was significantly higher than that in the VK₁ injection group at 4 h. The VK₁ amount was greatest in the liver compared with the other organs. Thus, the liver is the primary organ for VK₁ distribution. The distribution of VK₁ is more rapid when injected as VK₁–FE than as VK₁. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

(4R,5R)-1,3-二氧戊环-2,2-二苯基-4,5-二-[亚甲基-N,N'-(1-甲基-4-羟基苯甲醛)]的合成及其催化性能

以L-酒石酸和二苯甲酮为原料,经酯化、缩酮、加成、消除、还原和缩合等反应合成了一种新型席夫碱类化合物——(4R,5R)-1,3-二氧戊环-2,2-二苯基-4,5-二-[亚甲基-N,N'-(1-甲基-4-羟基苯甲醛)](4),其结构经1H NMR,13C NMR和LC-MS表征。以二烷基锌对苯甲醛的不对称加成为模板反应,考察了4的不对称催化性能。实验结果表明,4对该反应具有一定的催化效果(ee值52%)。