• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.245-262
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• 2020

In recent years, nanotechnology has revolutionized global healthcare and has been predicted to exert a remarkable effect on clinical medicine. In this context, the clinical use of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis, fertility preservation, and the management of infertility and other pathologies linked to pubertal development, menopause, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has substantial promise to fill the existing lacunae in reproductive healthcare. Of late, a number of clinical trials involving the use of nanoparticles for the early detection of reproductive tract infections and cancers, targeted drug delivery, and cellular therapeutics have been conducted. However, most of these trials of nanoengineering are still at a nascent stage, and better synergy between pharmaceutics, chemistry, and cutting-edge molecular sciences is needed for effective translation of these interventions from bench to bedside. To bridge the gap between translational outcome and product development, strategic partnerships with the insight and ability to anticipate challenges, as well as an indepth understanding of the molecular pathways involved, are highly essential. Such amalgamations would overcome the regulatory gauntlet and technical hurdles, thereby facilitating the effective clinical translation of these nano-based tools and technologies. The present review comprehensively focuses on emerging applications of nanotechnology, which holds enormous promise for improved therapeutics and early diagnosis of various human reproductive tract diseases and conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3529-3533
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• 2012

Objectives: To investigate the current prevalence and knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) in rural Chinese women, and to explore the acceptance and feasibility of implementing a combined screening program in rural China. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 30 to 59 years old in Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Province from 2009 to 2010. Socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of cervical cancer, breast cancer and RTIs, and the attitude toward single or combined screening were collected by an interview questionnaire. Each participant received a clinical examination of the cervix, breast and reproductive tract. Examinations included visual inspection, mammography, laboratory tests and pathological diagnosis. Results: A total of 1,530 women were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of cervical precancerous lesions, suspicious breast cancer, suspicious benign breast disease and RTIs was 1.4%, 0.2%, 14.0% and 54.3%, respectively. Cervicitis, trichomonas vaginitis, and bacterial vaginitis were the three most common RTIs among our participants. Television, radio broadcast, and public education during screening were the major source of healthcare knowledge in rural China. Moreover 99.7% of women expressed great interest in participating in a combined screening project. The affordable limit for combined screening project was only 50 RMB for more than half of the rural women. Conclusion: A combined screening program would be more effective and popular than single disease screening projects, while appropriate accompanied education and a co-pay model for its successful implementation need to be explored, especially in low-resource settings.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2011

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a pathogen of a variety of infections in horse. We studied biochemical and molecular characteristics of S. zooepidemicus isolated from the genital tract of Thoroughbred mares in Korea. Seventy-nine isolates were identified as S. zooepidemicus by biochemical and PCR method from 374 horses. The biochemical characteristics of S. zooepidemicus isolates were positive reaction of lactose and sorbitol. However, S. zooepidemicus isoltes were negative reaction of inulin, mannitol, raffinose, trehalose, aesculin hydrolysis, growth in 6.5% NaCl and variable reaction of maltose. Epidemiological investigations of S. zooepidemicus isolates were performed by fragment analysis of SzP (S. zooepidemicus protective protein) gene, CNE (collagen binding protein) gene and ISR (16s rRNA intergenic spacer region) gene using ABI Prism $3,130{\times}1$ Genetic Analyzer System. All isolates were shown single amplification size of 906 bp in CNE gene, but SzP and ISR gene were shown variable patterns of fragment size. The characteristics of S. zooepidemicus investigated in this study will be very useful for the prevention of infection and the studies of epidemiologic characteristics of S. zooepidemicus, causing the severe economic losses due to reproductive failures.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.94-98
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• 2009

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a foodborne anaerobic gram-positive rod and the third most common pathogen for neonatal meningitis. Although the mortality and morbidity of L. monocytogenes infections are high, thus causing serious problems in Western populations, neonatal listeriosis is relatively rare in Eastern countries, including Korea. Possible routes for intrauterine infection or vertical transmission of L. monocytogenes include infected placentas and the reproductive tract. Intrauterine infections may cause chorioamnionitis, preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, or neonatal infection. A high index of suspicion and early empirical antibiotic treatment are critical to achieve a favorable prognosis for neonatal listeriosis. We managed a case of L. monocytogenes sepsis and pneumonia in a premature neonate born at 26 weeks of gestational age from an asymptomatic mother with culture-proven placental infection. The neonate was successively treated with ampicillin and gentamicin.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2021

Objective: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is known to cause urinary tract infections, and the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) of this bacterium may cause deficiencies of sperm quality and morphology. In the present study, the effects of LPS on mouse sperm were studied, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-17A and possible changes in testis tissue were evaluated. Methods: LPS of uropathogenic E. coli was extracted using the methanol-chloroform method, followed confirmation using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Purified LPS (100 ㎍/kg) or phosphate-buffered saline was injected intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice for 7 days consecutively in the test and control groups, mice were sacrificed on days 3, 7, and 42 after the first injection. Blood was tested for levels of IL-17A using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Testis tissue and sperm were collected from each mouse and were studied according to standard protocols. Results: The mean sperm count and motility significantly decreased (p=0.03) at 3, 7, and 42 days after the injections. The level of IL-17A in the test groups increased, but not significantly (p=0.8, p=0.11, and p=0.15, respectively). Microscopic studies showed no obvious changes in the morphology of the testis tissue; however, significant changes were observed in the cellular parenchyma on day 42. Conclusion: LPS can stimulate the immune system to produce proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in an immune response in the testis and ultimately leading to deficiency in sperm parameters and testis tissue damage. In addition, the presence of LPS could significantly impair sperm parameters, as shown by the finding of decreased motility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2022

Objective: Male genital tract infections have been associated with infertility, and Escherichia coli has drawn increasing attention as an important bacterium in this context. This investigation aimed to characterize and compare the distributions of O-antigen serogroups of E. coli in the semen samples of fertile and infertile men. Methods: In this case-control study, semen samples were collected from 618 fertile and 1,535 infertile men. The E. coli-positive samples were evaluated in terms of concentration, morphology, viability, and motility parameters according to the World Health Organization 2010 guidelines. Finally, different serogroups of E. coli were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the O-antigen variations of the bacterium. Results: The prevalence of E. coli among fertile men was significantly higher than among infertile men (p<0.001). The sperm morphology, viability, and motility in the E. coli-positive fertile group were significantly higher than in the E. coli-positive infertile group (p<0.001). E. coli O6 was the most prevalent serogroup found in both groups. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of different serogroups of E. coil between the two groups (p=0.55). Conclusion: Despite the higher prevalence of E. coli among fertile men, E. coli had more detrimental effects on semen parameters in infertile men. There was no significant difference in E. coli serogroups between the fertile and infertile groups.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on pregnancy in cytokeratin-18 (K18)-hACE2 transgenic mice. Methods: To determine the expression of hACE2 mRNA in the female reproductive tract of K18-hACE2 mice, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using the ovary, oviduct, uterus, umbilical cord, and placenta. SARS-CoV-2 was inoculated intranasally (30 μL/mouse, 1×10⁴ TCID₅₀/mL) to plug-checked K18-hACE2 homozygous female mice at the pre-and post-implantation stages at 2.5 days post-coitum (dpc) and 15.5 dpc, respectively. The number of implantation sites was checked at 7.5 dpc, and the number of normally born pups was investigated at 20.5 dpc. Pregnancy outcomes, including implantation and childbirth, were confirmed by comparison with the non-infected group. Tissues of infected mice were collected at 7.5 dpc and 19.5 dpc to confirm the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The infection was identified by performing RT-PCR on the infected tissues and comparing them to the non-infected tissues. Results: hACE2 mRNA expression was confirmed in the female reproductive tract of the K18-hACE2 mice. Compared to the non-infected group, no significant difference in the number of implantation sites or normally born pups was found in the infected group. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in the lungs but not in the female reproductive system of infected K18-hACE2 mice. Conclusion: In K18-hACE2 mice, intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2 did not induce implantation failure, preterm labor, or miscarriage. Although the viral infection was not detected in the uterus, placenta, or fetus, the infection of the lungs could induce problems in the reproductive system. However, lung infections were not related to pregnancy outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.163-170
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• 2021

Bacterial infections in the female reproductive tract negatively affect ovarian function, follicular development, and embryo development, leading to the eventual failure of fertilization. Moreover, bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) can interfere with the immune system and reproductive system of the host animal. Therefore, this study examined the effect of LPS on the in vitro maturation (IVM) of pig oocytes. Oocytes were matured in TCM199 medium in the presence of varying concentrations of LPS (0 - 50 ㎍·mL^-1). The maturation rate, cortical granules (CGs) migration, and chromosome alignment were subsequently evaluated during the meiotic development of the oocytes. We observed a dose-dependent and significant decrease in the metaphase II (MII) rate with increasing concentrations of LPS (97.6% control [0 ㎍·mL^-1 LPS] vs. 10.4-74.9% LPS [1 - 50 ㎍·mL^-1], p < 0.05). In addition, compared to the control oocytes without LPS, higher levels of abnormal CGs distribution (18.1 - 50.0% LPS vs. 0% control), chromosome/spindle alignment (20.3 - 56.7% LPS vs. 0% control), and intracellular ROS generation were observed in oocytes matured with LPS (p < 0.05). Nitrite levels were also increased in the maturation medium derived from the oocytes matured with LPS (p < 0.05). These results indicate that LPS induces oxidative stress during IVM and affects oocyte maturation, including CGs migration and chromosome alignment of pig oocytes.