Colette Gerday

Effects of oral contraception with ethinylestradiol and drospirenone on oxidative stress in women 18-35 years old.

BACKGROUND Oral contraceptives (OCs) with estrogens and progestins may affect oxidative stress (OS) status. STUDY DESIGN A group of 32 women using oral contraceptives (OCU) containing 0.03 mg ethinylestradiol and 3 mg drospirenone have been compared to a matched control group of 30 noncontraception users (NCU). Blood levels of antioxidants, trace elements and markers of lipid peroxidation were assessed by biochemical methods. A microarray analysis of whole blood mRNA levels of 200 genes involved in OS-dependant pathway was also performed. RESULTS Levels of zinc, vitamin E and antibodies to oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) were not significantly different between the two groups. On the other hand, significant increases in the mean levels of lipid peroxides (+176%, p<.001), oxidized LDLs (+145%, p<.002), copper (+103%, p<.001), Cu/Zn ratio (+100%, p<.001) and a significant decrease in the mean level of beta-carotene (-41%, p<.01) were observed in the OCU compared to NCU. There was a highly significant positive correlation between the lipid peroxide levels and the copper-to-zinc ratio. From the 200 genes tested by microarray, one coding for HSP70 was significantly up-regulated (log(2) fold change=+ 0.45, p<.02) and one coding for inducible nitric oxide synthase significantly down-regulated (log(2) fold change=-0.24, p<.05) in the OCU compared to the NCU. CONCLUSIONS The recently introduced combination of ethinylestradiol and drospirenone induced the heightening of lipid peroxidation correlated with high levels of copper, a situation that could be associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

Le streptocoque du groupe B en clinique anténatale et en salle de travail : un problème d’attitude systématique

Journal de Gynecologie Obstetrique et Biologie de la Reproduction - Vol. 34 - N° 2 - p. 115-127

Variations of luteinizing hormone serum concentrations after exogenous human chorionic gonadotropin administration during ovarian hyperstimulation

Changes in luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, and progesterone (P) serum levels before and after preovulatory administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were assayed in 30 patients stimulated with clomiphene citrate (CC) and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) and compared with LH variations in 43 patients submitted to pharmacological hypophysectomy with a gonadotropm-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) and stimulation with hMG. In CC+hMG-treated patients, an endogenous LH surge occurred systematically 4.25±2.75 hours after hCG injection. Multiparametric analysis indicated an inverse correlation between the delay in the initial rise of the LH surge and the increase in P levels during the 6 hours after hCG administration. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist+hMG treatment did not lead to an LH surge after hCG but to a significant fall in LH levels. Thus, exogenous hCG, administered before ovulation, induces an endogenous LH surge if pituitary function is not blocked by a GnRH-a, probably through an increase in P secretion.

Local Applications of GM-CSF Induce the Recruitment of Immune Cells in Cervical Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions

Citation Hubert P, Doyen J, Capelle X, Arafa M, Renoux V, Bisig B, Seidel L, Evrard B, Bousarghin L, Gerday C, Boniver J, Foidart J‐M, Delvenne P, Jacobs N. Local applications of GM‐CSF induce the recruitment of immune cells in cervical low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 126–136

L’échec de fécondation en F.I.V.: intérêt d’un taux de récolte ovocytaire élevé et étude du taux de récidive

ResumeL’analyse de 1132 tentatives de FIV montre comment le taux de récolte détermine la fiabilité de l’estimation de l’échec de fécondation. L’étude de 64 couples ayant réalisé plusieurs tentatives dont une au moins s’est soldée par un échec de fécondation montre que 68,7% d’entre eux obtiennent des embryons lors d’une autre tentative. Les embryons replacés ont les mêmes aptitudes d’implantation et de développement que ceux obtenus par 130 couples ayant subi un premier échec d’implantation. Ces résultats sont mis en relation avec ceux obtenus par insémination subzonale après deux échecs de FIV.SummaryIn case of male indication, IVF is used as the most efficient laboratory test for assessing gamete function. We evaluate how the number of collected oocytes is still a determinant parameter in the establishment of fertilization failure. At least 10 oocytes should be inseminated to conclude to fertilization failure (with a false-negative rate of 10%). We retrospectively analyse all IVF couples (n=64) in our practice who had, besides others, at least one attempt with no fertilization. 68.7% of these couples reached fertilization during another attempt. This value varies from 60 to 90% according to the concentration of motile spermatozoa in the ejaculate. The implantation and development abilities of the replaced embryos are similar to those observed in a reference group consulting for prior implantation failure. These results are discussed in relation to those obtained after subzonal insemination (SUZI) in a group of patients consulting after 2 IVF fertilization failures.