Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T H Burwinkel.
PURPOSE: This review provides evidence for the involvement of platelet activating factor (PAF) in the several facets of pregnancy establishment. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review and new data. RESULTS: PAF has a role in spermatozoal function, fertilization, embryo development, and implantation. CONCLUSIONS: PAF is intimately involved in conception.
PURPOSE: This work investigates the relationship of basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) measurements and age to ovarian responsiveness and pregnancy occurrence following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination (COH-IUI). METHOD: Basal FSH was measured retrospectively in sera from infertility patients obtained on cycle day 2, 3, or 4 of a COH-IUI treatment cycle. Basal FSH was then correlated with COH response parameters and treatment outcome in ovulatory (n = 98) and anovulatory (n = 33) patients. Clinical data were collected from retrospective chart review. In the ovulatory group, increasing basal FSH was associated with fewer follicles (P = 0.01) and lower peak estradiol (P = 0.0001). RESULTS: No age related effects were detected in the anovulatory group. Also, there were no pregnancies in this group when basal FSH was > 22.1 mIU/ml. Increasing age in the ovulatory group was associated with fewer follicles (P = 0.0001), lower peak estradiol (P = 0.0001), and fewer pregnancies (P = 0.04). In the anovulatory group, basal FSH did not correlate with follicle numbers or peak estradiol, although more ampoules of hMG were used for stimulation (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing basal FSH and patient age both correlated inversely with ovarian responsiveness to COH in ovulatory patients. Basal FSH can be used in clinically to identify patients undergoing COH who are unlikely to respond to superovulatory drugs and unlikely to become pregnant.
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spermatozoal platelet activating factor (PAF) treatment on fertilization rates employing subzonal sperm insertion in the rabbit. STUDY DESIGN: Oocytes (n = 130) with distinct first polar bodies were injected with three to seven motile spermatozoa. Half (n = 65) of the oocytes were injected with PAF-treated sperm, whereas the other half (n = 65) served as controls and were injected with nontreated sperm. Fertilization rates were assessed by the formation of two pronuclei followed by cleavage to the two-cell stage. RESULTS: In the group of oocytes injected with PAF-treated sperm, we noted a significant (P < 0.001) improvement in fertilization rates, 61.5% (40/65), vs. control nontreated sperm, 20.0% (13/65). Subsequent cleavage to the two-cell stage was noted for 95% (38/40) in the treated vs 92.3% (12/13) in the nontreated fertilized zygotes. CONCLUSION: We conclude that PAF treatment of rabbit spermatozoa prior to subzonal insertion improves fertilization rates and may be of clinical significance in assisted reproductive programs.
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare murine embryo development after pronuclear microinjection of a gene construct, followed by trophectoderm biopsy at the blastocyst state, with development after a single micromanipulation, and with cultured controls. STUDY DESIGN: alpha-Myosin heavy-chain gene sequence was microinjected into the murine embryo pronucleus and cultured to blastocyst. After trophectoderm biopsy the embryos were allowed to re-expand. Re-expanded embryos were transferred to pseudopregnant females; implantation and live birth rates were recorded. In this study group the rates were compared with three control groups of embryos simultaneously cultured after (1) pronuclear microinjection only, (2) trophectoderm biopsy only, and (3) non-micromanipulated, culture only. RESULTS: A total of 1222 embryos were divided among the four groups. In the study group 472 embryos underwent pronuclear microinjection and trophectoderm biopsy. Of these, 203 (43%) reached the blastocyst stage and underwent biopsy; 183 (38.8%) re-expanded after biopsy. Of 275 pronuclear microinjected only (control 1) embryos, 113 (41.1%) reached the blastocyst stage. Of 336 embryos 148 (44.0%) reached the blastocyst stage and underwent trophectoderm biopsy only (control 2); 129 (39.2%) survived biopsy. The cultured only group (control 3) consisted of 139 pronuclear embryos; 67 (48.2%) developed to the blastocyst stage. CONCLUSIONS: Murine embryos can survive two micro-manipulations, pronuclear microinjection followed by trophectoderm micro-biopsy. Although there is minimal effect of these procedures on embryonic development in vitro, the live birth rate is tenuous.
OBJECTIVE: This study measured platelet activating factor (PAF) production by rabbit embryos in vitro and ascertained if there is increased PAF production associated with advancing embryonic development. STUDY DESIGN: Two-cell rabbit embryos were recovered from superovulated New Zealand White does and cultured in vitro for 96 hr. Every 24 hr embryos were scored for developmental stage and PAF activity from the corresponding culture medium was measured by platelet aggregation and organic phosphate analyses. RESULTS: PAF was detected in culture medium at all stages from two cells to blastocysts and rose significantly (P < 0.001) at each 24-hr interval, reaching maximal levels at the expanded blastocyst stage. CONCLUSION: Maximal PAF production by expanded blastocysts may be an embryonic paracrine signal that facilitates implantation.
This retrospective study evaluates early first trimester FHR, gestational SACD, and CRL measurements as means to predict ultimate pregnancy outcome. Outcomes of 274 pregnancies were monitored a single time by transvaginal ultrasonography with measurements recorded between 5.0 and 9.0 weeks' gestation. The measurements were then correlated with the pregnancy outcomes. FHR (P < 0.0001), gestational SACD (P = 0.0002), and CRL (P = 0.0059) each correlated positively with a successful pregnancy outcome. Measurements from a single transvaginal ultrasonogram can be used to predict a successful pregnancy outcome in the early first trimester.
PROBLEM: This study measured platelet-activating factor (PAF) production of in vitro and in vivo fertilized murine embryos to ascertain whether site of fertilization impacted subsequent embryonic PAF production. METHOD: Oocytes and embryo were collected from stimulated B6D2F1 mice. PAF production throughout the preimplantation phase from the two-celled stage through expanded blastocysts was measured and compared among normally developing embryos with the only difference being site of fertilization. RESULTS: A striking increase in PAF production was noted for both in vivo and in vitro fertilized embryos over the four days of culture. Significantly higher (P < .001) levels of PAF production were noted with development from the two-celled stage (47.22 +/- 4.13; 44.30 +/- 2.43) to expanded blastocysts (254.31 +/- 24.01; 255.11 +/- 5.35 ng/embryo/24 h) for both in vitro and in vivo fertilized embryos, respectively. There was no significant difference (P > .05) in PAF production between the two groups of embryos. CONCLUSIONS: Embryonic PAF production in the mouse increases in a stage-specific manner, and specifically the site of fertilization in vitro versus in vivo does not affect PAF production in normally developing embryos.