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Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome is a congenital disorder of the female reproductive tract due to impaired Müllerian duct development. There are three known categorical presentations: isolated, atypical, and MURCS association. Several developmentally significant factors including inappropriate AMH/AMHR interaction, and mutations in the WNT gene family and HOXA7-13 cluster have been studied. There has also been investigation into an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance in families with multiple cases of the syndrome. Due to the presence of multiple subsets of patients with similar genetic abnormalities, it seems unlikely that a single etiology will be discovered.

A síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) constituia causa mais freqüente de infertilidade, anovulação e hiperandrogenismo atualmente. Sua fisiopatogenia é em parte obscura. O hormônio anti-mülleriano (HAM),uma glicoproteína produzida pelas células da granulosa dos folículos pré-antrais e folículos antrais pequenos, parece exercer papel fundamental para seu surgimento, exacerbando o hiperandrogenismo intra-folicular e interferindo no mecanismo de seleção do folículo dominante. Além das alterações ovulatórias, há repercussões metabólicas decorrentes da síndrome, como a resistência à insulina (RI), que afeta entre 45 a 70% das mulheres com SOP em idade reprodutiva. Estratégias para aumentar a sensibilidade à insulina poderiam reduzir o impacto reprodutivo e metabólico da RI. Entre elas, destaca-se a metformina, uma droga anti-diabética oral, cuja utilização levaria a uma melhora dos padrões metabólicos e restabelecimento da ovulação. No presente estudo, foram avaliados a relação entre os níveis séricos de HAM e resistência insulínica antes e após o tratamento com metformina, comparados os níveis séricos de HAM na fase folicular precoce entre pacientes com e sem SOP e correlacionados os níveis de HAM com os níveis séricos de insulina, gonadotrofinas e androgênios. Foram realizadas dosagens séricas de HAM, androgênios e gonadotrofinas em 36 pacientes (16 com SOP e resistência insulínica e 20 eumenorreicas, sendo grupos pareados quanto à idade e índice de massa corpórea). No grupo SOP, foram avaliados níveis de HAM, insulina, glicemia e QUICKI (quantitative insulin check index) antes e depois do tratamento com metformina 1500 mg/dia por oito semanas. Foram encontrados níveis de HAM mais elevados no grupo SOP do que no grupo controle (49,9 ± 6,1 pmol/L versus 4,5 ± 2,1 pmol/L, p < 0,0001), assim como os níveis de hormônio luteinizante (LH) (10,3± 1,5 mUI/L versus 3,5 ±0,5 mUI/L, p=0,0004), testosterona (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 41,1 ±4,7 ng/mL, p=0,0017) e 17-hidroxiprogesterona (17OHP) ( 90 ±16,8ng/ml versus 49,1 ±6,6 ng/ml; p= 0,03). Nas pacientes com SOP, houve correlação positiva forte entre os níveis de HAM pré-tratamento e testosterona (coeficiente r dePearson - R - de 0,83; p<0,0001). Também foi encontrada correlação positiva e significativa entre HAM e LH (R = 0,51; p = 0,04). As demais variáveis não apresentaram correlação significativa com o HAM pré-tratamento. Após o tratamento, houve redução significativa dos níveis de insulina (16,4 ± 2,6 mUI/ml versus 12 ± 1,9 mUI/ml; p=0,0132). Os níveis de HAM tiveram redução, porém sem diferença estatística (49,9 ± 6,1 versus 41,5 ± 5,6 pmol/L; p=0,06). Houve redução significativa nos níveis de testosterona (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 49,3 ± 14 ng/mL). A correlação do HAM com os níveis de testosterona não persistiu após o tratamento com a metformina (R=0,08 e p=0,76). Assim, a manutenção dos níveis séricos de HAM após o uso da metformina, mesmo com a comprovada melhora metabólica e redução dos níveis de gonadototrofinas sugere que o papel do HAM na SOP baseia-se num mecanismo intrínseco ovariano, independente do eixo hipotálmo-hipófise-ovário e não influenciado pela resistência insulínica. / Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent cause of infertility, anovulatory disordes and hyperandrogenism in young women. Its pathophisiology remains unclear and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), a glycoprotein produced by the granulose cells of early developing follicles, seems to be fundamental to its development, by enhancing the intra-follicular hyperandrogenism and interfering in the selection of a dominant follicle. PCOS also causes metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance (IR), that affects 45 to 70% of women with PCOS. Strategies to improve insulin sensitivity could reduce the reproductive and metabolic impact of IR.Metformin, a insulin-sensitizing agent, appears to improve the metabolicparameters and reestablish ovulatory cycles. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels and IR before and after protracted treatment with meformin; we also compared the anti-mullerian hormone levels in PCOS in the early follicular phase to normo-ovulatory women. The correlation of anti-mullerian hormone levels to insulin, gonatotropins and androgen serum levels was also evaluated. The study included 36 pacients (20 with PCOS and IR and 16 with ovulatory cycles). Anti-mullerian hormone serum levels, insulin, glucose and QUICKI (quantitative insulin check index) were evaluated in patients with PCOS before and after treatment with metformina 1500 mg/day during eight weeks. Anti-mullerian hormone serum levels were higher in PCOS (49,9 ± 6,1 pmol/L versus 4,5 ± 2,1 pmol/L, p < 0,0001), as well as luteinizing hormone (LH) levels (10,3± 1,5 mUI/L versus 3,5 ±0,5 mUI/L, p=0,0004), testosterone (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 41,1 ±4,7 ng/mL, p=0,0017) and 17-ydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) ( 90 ±16,8ng/ml versus 49,1 ±6,6 ng/ml; p= 0,03). In PCOS, there is a positive correlation between anti-mullerian hormoneserum levels and testosterone (R= 0,83; p<0,0001) before treatment; this correlation did not persisted after treatment (R=0,08 e p=0,76). There is also a positive correlation between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels before metformin treatment and LH (R= 0,83; p<0,0001). No correlations were found between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels before treatment and other parameters. After treatment, insulin serum levels reduced (16,4 ± 2,6 mUI/ml versus 12 ± 1,9 mUI/ml; p=0,0132). AMH serum levels also reduced, but therewas no statically significant difference (49,9 ± 6,1 versus 41,5 ± 5,6 pmol/L; p=0,06). Testosterone serum levels decreased significantly (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 49,3 ± 14 ng/mL). No correlation between AMH and testosterone levels was found after treatment (r=0, 08 e p=0, 76). The maintenance of AMH serum levels after treatment with metformin, despite the enhance of metabolic parameters and reduction of the gonadrotopins levels, suggests that AMH acts in the pathophisiology of PCOS by a intra-ovarian mechanism, that does not depend on the neuroendrocine axis and that is not influenced by IR.

When the delicate hormonal balance in early pregnancy is disrupted, the consequences can be significant. We have a poor understanding of the "cross-talk" in the fetal/placental/ovarian axis that occurs throughout pregnancy and is essential for normal fetal development. This lack of knowledge challenges our ability to recognize disruptions in this axis that may be a signal for future disease. As a result, our ability to apply preventive measures against adverse obstetric outcomes, such as preterm birth (PTB), are quite limited. Attempts to predict PTB using biomarkers of feto-placental health have been largely unsuccessful, but no one has considered the inclusion of ovarian biomarkers in these models. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a biomarker of ovarian activity that has recently been found to decline in early pregnancy at a time that corresponds to the involution of the corpus luteum (CL). The signal for CL involution is believed to originate from the placenta; therefore, the AMH levels in pregnancy may reflect the degree of ovarian up or down-regulation based on feto-placental needs. As the major function of the CL in pregnancy is the production of progesterone, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent in the placental bed, changes in CL-derived progesterone could result in higher or lower degrees of placental inflammation. Therefore, monitoring the changes in AMH levels may provide insight into the inflammatory state of the placenta which could then be used as a signal for possible adverse obstetric outcomes resulting from a pro-inflammatory state, such as PTB. The first aim of this project was to test the hypothesis of an association between AMH levels in early pregnancy and PTB risk. When the differences in AMH levels between the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy were stratified by the level of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) and controlled for maternal weight gain between trimesters, small or absent decreases in AMH levels were associated with a higher probability of preterm birth. However, when AMH was modeled alone, no significant associations were found. The need for changes in multiple biomarkers in the fetal/placental/ovarian axis suggests that a change is only significant if it can impact multiple axis points. Therefore, models that included two biomarkers from different part of the axis would find stronger associations than two biomarkers from a single point (e.g. two feto-placental biomarkers), and monitoring these changes may help identify women at risk for PTB. The strategy of the second aim was to determine if the changes in AMH levels in early pregnancy could be used to predict time to delivery. Again, only when the risks of AMH and MSAFP were combined was a significant, dose-dependent relationship found with time to delivery. In women with an MSAFP of >1 multiple of the median (MoM), smaller declines and/or elevations in AMH levels were significantly associated with shorter times to delivery. In fact, 19% of women in the highest risk group delivered prior to 32 weeks gestation compared to 7% in the lowest risk group, and all infants who delivered prior to 24 weeks gestation were in the highest risk category. Thus, the amount of change in the AMH level when MSAFP is elevated may reflect the level of disruption in the fetal/placental/ovarian axis, which can then be used to predict time to delivery. Finally, the third aim of this study was to determine if AMH levels were associated with a pro-inflammatory placental state other than PTB. The degree of placental inflammation is known to vary by fetal gender, with male placentas having higher levels of inflammation compared to female placentas. When AMH levels were compared between women with male vs. female fetuses in early pregnancy, 1st trimester AMH levels were found to be lower when carrying a male fetus. Further, sexually-dimorphic patterns in AMH levels were seen between genders when stratified by birth outcome (term vs. preterm delivery). The stronger ovarian response seen in women with female fetuses suggests a better survival function and may account for the discrepancies between PTB rates in males and females. This also strengthens our hypothesis that the dynamic changes in AMH levels reflect the degree of placental inflammation and the need for CL-derived progesterone. This project demonstrates that the changes in AMH levels may be representative of the cross-talk occurring in the fetal/placental/ovarian axis in early pregnancy. Further, changes in AMH levels may be an indication of the amount of inflammation in the placenta and the physiologic need for higher levels of progesterone to control this inflammatory state when considered along with MSAFP. Therefore, the consideration of AMH levels as a biomarker of ovarian activity along with biomarkers of feto-placental health may provide clinically useful information about the development of future diseases such as preterm birth.

Ovarian cancer is a fatal disease because of the lack of symptoms and markers for early detection. Most ovarian neoplasms resemble and are classified according to the complex characteristics of Mullerian duct epithelia. We tested the hypothesis that Mullerian epithelial characteristics influence early ovarian neoplastic progression. The most common type of ovarian cancer is the serous carcinoma which resembles Mullerian-derived oviductal epithelium. We discovered that oviduct-specific glycoprotein (OVGP1), a tubal differentiation marker, was present in inclusion cysts, which are the preferential sites for malignant transformation, and in most low grade serous tumors, but absent in ovarian surface epithelium and most high grade carcinomas. OVGP1 was almost entirely limited to ovarian neoplasms with the notable exception of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. A new antibody against OVGP1 detected elevated serum levels from most women with low grade ovarian cancers compared to normal controls. OVGP1 also identified a subset of patients with high grade serous carcinomas who had a more favorable outcome. To examine whether the differentiated phenotype of early ovarian neoplasms alters invasiveness, we established the first permanent cell line for serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT), which are differentiated but noninvasive. The results revealed a striking phenotypic similarity between two lines regardless of their cytogenetic diversity. They retained Mullerian epithelial characteristics in vitro, as demonstrated by their morphologic appearance and the differentiation markers keratin, E-cadherin, CA125 and OVGP1. Neither disruption of the growth pattern nor manipulations of the cadherin profile induced invasivenesss. Induction of invasiveness by SV40 early genes was associated with a loss in morphologic differentiation and of differentiation markers but increased motility. MMP secretion was independent of the invasion status. Our findings indicate that OVGP1 is an indicator of early ovarian epithelial neoplasia. It can be detected in the sera from women with early ovarian cancer, and thus, may be a new promising diagnostic marker for the early detection of ovarian cancer. In addition, the results show that Mullerian differentiation does not directly prevent invasiveness, but it diminishes in parallel with invasion caused by other factors. The lack of invasiveness by SBOT cells may depend on factors that regulate motility.

Ovarian cancer is a fatal disease because of the lack of symptoms and markers for early detection. Most ovarian neoplasms resemble and are classified according to the complex characteristics of Mullerian duct epithelia. We tested the hypothesis that Mullerian epithelial characteristics influence early ovarian neoplastic progression. The most common type of ovarian cancer is the serous carcinoma which resembles Mullerian-derived oviductal epithelium. We discovered that oviduct-specific glycoprotein (OVGP1), a tubal differentiation marker, was present in inclusion cysts, which are the preferential sites for malignant transformation, and in most low grade serous tumors, but absent in ovarian surface epithelium and most high grade carcinomas. OVGP1 was almost entirely limited to ovarian neoplasms with the notable exception of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. A new antibody against OVGP1 detected elevated serum levels from most women with low grade ovarian cancers compared to normal controls. OVGP1 also identified a subset of patients with high grade serous carcinomas who had a more favorable outcome. To examine whether the differentiated phenotype of early ovarian neoplasms alters invasiveness, we established the first permanent cell line for serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT), which are differentiated but noninvasive. The results revealed a striking phenotypic similarity between two lines regardless of their cytogenetic diversity. They retained Mullerian epithelial characteristics in vitro, as demonstrated by their morphologic appearance and the differentiation markers keratin, E-cadherin, CA125 and OVGP1. Neither disruption of the growth pattern nor manipulations of the cadherin profile induced invasivenesss. Induction of invasiveness by SV40 early genes was associated with a loss in morphologic differentiation and of differentiation markers but increased motility. MMP secretion was independent of the invasion status. Our findings indicate that OVGP1 is an indicator of early ovarian epithelial neoplasia. It can be detected in the sera from women with early ovarian cancer, and thus, may be a new promising diagnostic marker for the early detection of ovarian cancer. In addition, the results show that Mullerian differentiation does not directly prevent invasiveness, but it diminishes in parallel with invasion caused by other factors. The lack of invasiveness by SBOT cells may depend on factors that regulate motility.

A síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) constituia causa mais freqüente de infertilidade, anovulação e hiperandrogenismo atualmente. Sua fisiopatogenia é em parte obscura. O hormônio anti-mülleriano (HAM),uma glicoproteína produzida pelas células da granulosa dos folículos pré-antrais e folículos antrais pequenos, parece exercer papel fundamental para seu surgimento, exacerbando o hiperandrogenismo intra-folicular e interferindo no mecanismo de seleção do folículo dominante. Além das alterações ovulatórias, há repercussões metabólicas decorrentes da síndrome, como a resistência à insulina (RI), que afeta entre 45 a 70% das mulheres com SOP em idade reprodutiva. Estratégias para aumentar a sensibilidade à insulina poderiam reduzir o impacto reprodutivo e metabólico da RI. Entre elas, destaca-se a metformina, uma droga anti-diabética oral, cuja utilização levaria a uma melhora dos padrões metabólicos e restabelecimento da ovulação. No presente estudo, foram avaliados a relação entre os níveis séricos de HAM e resistência insulínica antes e após o tratamento com metformina, comparados os níveis séricos de HAM na fase folicular precoce entre pacientes com e sem SOP e correlacionados os níveis de HAM com os níveis séricos de insulina, gonadotrofinas e androgênios. Foram realizadas dosagens séricas de HAM, androgênios e gonadotrofinas em 36 pacientes (16 com SOP e resistência insulínica e 20 eumenorreicas, sendo grupos pareados quanto à idade e índice de massa corpórea). No grupo SOP, foram avaliados níveis de HAM, insulina, glicemia e QUICKI (quantitative insulin check index) antes e depois do tratamento com metformina 1500 mg/dia por oito semanas. Foram encontrados níveis de HAM mais elevados no grupo SOP do que no grupo controle (49,9 ± 6,1 pmol/L versus 4,5 ± 2,1 pmol/L, p < 0,0001), assim como os níveis de hormônio luteinizante (LH) (10,3± 1,5 mUI/L versus 3,5 ±0,5 mUI/L, p=0,0004), testosterona (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 41,1 ±4,7 ng/mL, p=0,0017) e 17-hidroxiprogesterona (17OHP) ( 90 ±16,8ng/ml versus 49,1 ±6,6 ng/ml; p= 0,03). Nas pacientes com SOP, houve correlação positiva forte entre os níveis de HAM pré-tratamento e testosterona (coeficiente r dePearson - R - de 0,83; p<0,0001). Também foi encontrada correlação positiva e significativa entre HAM e LH (R = 0,51; p = 0,04). As demais variáveis não apresentaram correlação significativa com o HAM pré-tratamento. Após o tratamento, houve redução significativa dos níveis de insulina (16,4 ± 2,6 mUI/ml versus 12 ± 1,9 mUI/ml; p=0,0132). Os níveis de HAM tiveram redução, porém sem diferença estatística (49,9 ± 6,1 versus 41,5 ± 5,6 pmol/L; p=0,06). Houve redução significativa nos níveis de testosterona (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 49,3 ± 14 ng/mL). A correlação do HAM com os níveis de testosterona não persistiu após o tratamento com a metformina (R=0,08 e p=0,76). Assim, a manutenção dos níveis séricos de HAM após o uso da metformina, mesmo com a comprovada melhora metabólica e redução dos níveis de gonadototrofinas sugere que o papel do HAM na SOP baseia-se num mecanismo intrínseco ovariano, independente do eixo hipotálmo-hipófise-ovário e não influenciado pela resistência insulínica. / Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent cause of infertility, anovulatory disordes and hyperandrogenism in young women. Its pathophisiology remains unclear and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), a glycoprotein produced by the granulose cells of early developing follicles, seems to be fundamental to its development, by enhancing the intra-follicular hyperandrogenism and interfering in the selection of a dominant follicle. PCOS also causes metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance (IR), that affects 45 to 70% of women with PCOS. Strategies to improve insulin sensitivity could reduce the reproductive and metabolic impact of IR.Metformin, a insulin-sensitizing agent, appears to improve the metabolicparameters and reestablish ovulatory cycles. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels and IR before and after protracted treatment with meformin; we also compared the anti-mullerian hormone levels in PCOS in the early follicular phase to normo-ovulatory women. The correlation of anti-mullerian hormone levels to insulin, gonatotropins and androgen serum levels was also evaluated. The study included 36 pacients (20 with PCOS and IR and 16 with ovulatory cycles). Anti-mullerian hormone serum levels, insulin, glucose and QUICKI (quantitative insulin check index) were evaluated in patients with PCOS before and after treatment with metformina 1500 mg/day during eight weeks. Anti-mullerian hormone serum levels were higher in PCOS (49,9 ± 6,1 pmol/L versus 4,5 ± 2,1 pmol/L, p < 0,0001), as well as luteinizing hormone (LH) levels (10,3± 1,5 mUI/L versus 3,5 ±0,5 mUI/L, p=0,0004), testosterone (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 41,1 ±4,7 ng/mL, p=0,0017) and 17-ydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) ( 90 ±16,8ng/ml versus 49,1 ±6,6 ng/ml; p= 0,03). In PCOS, there is a positive correlation between anti-mullerian hormoneserum levels and testosterone (R= 0,83; p<0,0001) before treatment; this correlation did not persisted after treatment (R=0,08 e p=0,76). There is also a positive correlation between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels before metformin treatment and LH (R= 0,83; p<0,0001). No correlations were found between anti-mullerian hormone serum levels before treatment and other parameters. After treatment, insulin serum levels reduced (16,4 ± 2,6 mUI/ml versus 12 ± 1,9 mUI/ml; p=0,0132). AMH serum levels also reduced, but therewas no statically significant difference (49,9 ± 6,1 versus 41,5 ± 5,6 pmol/L; p=0,06). Testosterone serum levels decreased significantly (64,9 ± 5 ng/mL versus 49,3 ± 14 ng/mL). No correlation between AMH and testosterone levels was found after treatment (r=0, 08 e p=0, 76). The maintenance of AMH serum levels after treatment with metformin, despite the enhance of metabolic parameters and reduction of the gonadrotopins levels, suggests that AMH acts in the pathophisiology of PCOS by a intra-ovarian mechanism, that does not depend on the neuroendrocine axis and that is not influenced by IR.

Ovarian cancer is a fatal disease because of the lack of symptoms and markers for early detection. Most ovarian neoplasms resemble and are classified according to the complex characteristics of Mullerian duct epithelia. We tested the hypothesis that Mullerian epithelial characteristics influence early ovarian neoplastic progression. The most common type of ovarian cancer is the serous carcinoma which resembles Mullerian-derived oviductal epithelium. We discovered that oviduct-specific glycoprotein (OVGP1), a tubal differentiation marker, was present in inclusion cysts, which are the preferential sites for malignant transformation, and in most low grade serous tumors, but absent in ovarian surface epithelium and most high grade carcinomas. OVGP1 was almost entirely limited to ovarian neoplasms with the notable exception of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. A new antibody against OVGP1 detected elevated serum levels from most women with low grade ovarian cancers compared to normal controls. OVGP1 also identified a subset of patients with high grade serous carcinomas who had a more favorable outcome. To examine whether the differentiated phenotype of early ovarian neoplasms alters invasiveness, we established the first permanent cell line for serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT), which are differentiated but noninvasive. The results revealed a striking phenotypic similarity between two lines regardless of their cytogenetic diversity. They retained Mullerian epithelial characteristics in vitro, as demonstrated by their morphologic appearance and the differentiation markers keratin, E-cadherin, CA125 and OVGP1. Neither disruption of the growth pattern nor manipulations of the cadherin profile induced invasivenesss. Induction of invasiveness by SV40 early genes was associated with a loss in morphologic differentiation and of differentiation markers but increased motility. MMP secretion was independent of the invasion status. Our findings indicate that OVGP1 is an indicator of early ovarian epithelial neoplasia. It can be detected in the sera from women with early ovarian cancer, and thus, may be a new promising diagnostic marker for the early detection of ovarian cancer. In addition, the results show that Mullerian differentiation does not directly prevent invasiveness, but it diminishes in parallel with invasion caused by other factors. The lack of invasiveness by SBOT cells may depend on factors that regulate motility. / Medicine, Faculty of / Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.