Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/42609

Author

Wu, Elizabeth Xianshi

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2012

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Pregnancies derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are associated with increased rates of chromosome abnormalities, congenital malformations, low birth weight, pre-term births, multiple gestations, and imprinting disorders. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) enable sub-fertile individuals to circumvent the natural selective pressures involved in human reproduction. The risks of ARTs may be due to the underlying causes of subfertility in these individuals or to the artificial processes used to achieve pregnancy. X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) may be at risk to perturbations in ARTs as it is thought to occur during the blastocyst stage when in vitro culturing would be taking place. We examined the XCI status in females conceived by ICSI (n=70), IVF (n=68), and naturally (NC, n=42).

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/33832

Author

Chan Wong, Edgar Antonio

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2011

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are two of the most common forms of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) used to treat human infertility. Presently, over two million children have been conceived by ART. The majority of these children are born healthy. However, IVF and ICSI have been associated with increased risks of adverse perinatal health outcomes. The higher risk of low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, and small for gestational age are of special concern due to its association with adult-onset diseases. In this thesis project, the effect of ART on the genetic and epigenetic status of the placenta, and their associations with fetal growth restriction are examined.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Copies

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/29282

Author

Minor, Agata

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Abnormal DNA methylation at imprinted and non-imprinted genes has been associated with spermatogenesis failure. However, little information is available regarding DNA methylation at those genes in men affected by severe male factor infertility. We hypothesized a higher incidence of aberrant DNA methylation would be present in the ejaculate and testicular sperm of men affected by severe male factor infertility compared to that in fertile control men. Furthermore, we hypothesized abnormal DNA methylation would also affect non-imprinted genes in the sperm of men affected by severe oligozoospermia.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30478

Author

Wen, Jiadi

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

The ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with TromboSpondin Repeats) are a novel family of secreted metalloproteinases. There is increasing evidence that distinct ADAMTS subtypes play key roles in embryonic development, reproduction and cancer. Nineteen ADAMTS subtypes have been identified in humans but most of them have been characterized only at the structural level. ADAMTS-1, -4, -5, -8, -9 and -15 have been subclassified into a subfamily, known as aggrecanases, owing to their ability to cleave the important extracellular matrix components, versican and aggrecan.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30962

Author

Britton, Ann Patricia

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1991

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

A delicate balance of steroid and gonadotrophic hormones is essential for intrafollicular oocyte maturation and successful fertilization and embryonic development. Previous studies have demonstrated that a superovulatory dose of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) has excessive gonadotrophic activity and alters intrafol1icular steroid hormone levels. In a series of four experiments, the morphology of oocytes and embryos retrieved from immature rats, treated with either a low or high dose of PMSG, and mature, cycling rats was compared to determine whether a superovulatory dose of PMSG has an adverse effect on oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization and embryonic development in immature rats. Morphological criteria for the assessment of intraoviductal oocyte aging were established in the first experiment.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/7255

Author

Fan, Nancy C.

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1995

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

The gonadotropin - releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor is a plasma membrane associated receptor and a member of the GTP - binding protein coupled receptor family. The interaction of the ligand, GnRH, and the GnRH receptor is a critical event in the endocrine control of reproduction. This coupling stimulates the synthesis and release of both luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary. In addition, GnRH - GnRH receptor binding acts locally to regulate human chorionic gonadotropin secretion in the placenta and steroidogenesis in the ovary. The objective of this thesis was to isolate and characterize the gene for the GnRH receptor in human.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/44267

Author

Mahal, Daljeet Singh

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2013

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Disruptions or imbalances of the vaginal microbiome can lead to negative reproductive health consequences for women, including an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, and preterm birth. HIV-positive women may be particularly vulnerable to microbiome disruptions due to the immune dysfunction intrinsic to this disease. The objective of this study was to explore the vaginal microbiome in HIV-positive reproductive-aged women utilizing cpn60 metagenomic profiling and to correlate vaginal bacterial profiles with demographic/clinical variables.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/44653

Author

Nguyen, Tuan-Anh Thi

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2013

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Human newborns exposed in utero to maternally administered SSRIs such as fluoxetine (FX) have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including poor neonatal adaptation. This comprises respiratory difficulty, jitteriness, cyanosis when feeding and persists for several days after birth. Several potential mechanisms underlying these symptoms have been proposed: 1) acute toxicity to the drugs (i.e. serotonin syndrome), 2) withdrawal syndrome due to the sudden discontinuation of maternal-fetal placental drug transfer at birth or 3) an SSRIs-elicited alteration in fetal brain development. However, the actual mechanism has not been elucidated.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/42242

Author

So, Wai Kin

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2012

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity contributes to the development of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), a common and lethal female malignancy. Elucidating the regulation of EGFR function will improve treatments for EOC and the survival of patients. This study aims to elucidate the role of Sprouty (SPRY) proteins, which are EGFR regulators, in EOC.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/43273

Author

Asghari Roodsari, Alaleh

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2012

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Light microscopy has remained the primary tool for the assessment of embryo quality and the selection of embryos for transfer in clinical IVF practice. Recent studies have suggested that metabolomic profiling of embryo culture media can distinguish human embryos with better implantation potential. We therefore undertook the following study to further assess the usefulness of metabolomic profiling ?spent? embryo culture medium using Raman spectroscopy. Methods: Patients undergoing IVF+/-ICSI treatment from the UBC Centre for Reproductive Health were recruited for study.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/35861

Author

Hong, Eui-ju

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2011

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) binds androgens and estrogens with high affinity, and regulates the distribution of these sex steroids in the blood and other biological fluids. Liver is the primary site of SHBG production, but the human SHBG transcription unit responsible for this is also expressed in proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) epithelial cells in a transgenic mouse model. Unlike hepatocytes which actively secrete SHBG and retain little immunoreactive SHBG within their cytoplasm, an incompletely glycosylated SHBG isoform has been found to accumulate inside PCT cells. These cells are androgen target cells, and the presence of SHBG within them accentuates androgen-dependent regulation of gene expression mediated by the androgen receptor (AR).

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/29783

Author

Zou, Junxuan

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

The distintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin repeats (ADAMTS) are members of a gene family of secreted, multidomain and multifunctional proteinases that are able to proteolytically degrade a diverse array of cellular, extracellular and extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates. We examined the presence of ADAMTS in first trimester human placenta and only ADAMTS-12 was present in cultures of invasive extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVT) at significantly higher levels than in poorly invasive JEG-3 chorocarcinoma cells. Immunohistochemistry staining of chorionic villi derived from first trimester human placenta demonstrated that ADAMTS-12 was intensively immunolocalized in the cytotrophoblast layer but weakly immunolocalized in the poorly-invasive syncytial trophoblast layer.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/28961

Author

Shi, Fengtao

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Activin A (homodimer of inhibin βA-subunit) is known to increase inhibin βB-subunit and inhibin B (heterodimer of inhibin α- and βB-subunit) levels and decrease progesterone accumulation in human granulosa cells. Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is a potent paracrine regulator of ovarian function, but its overall effects, particularly relating to activin A actions, are unknown. We examined the potential crosstalk between activin A and GDF9 in primary cultures of human granulosa-lutein (hGL) cells. Pretreatment of hGL cells with GDF9 for 24 h resulted in an increased expression of activin receptors and Smad2/3, and decreased inhibitory Smad7 activity. These effects were attenuated by BMP type II receptor ectodomain (BMPR2 ECD), a GDF9 antagonist.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/34980

Author

Chen, Junling

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Nuclear receptors including estrogen receptors (ERs) and progesterone receptors (PRs) are activated by their ligands as well as by signaling pathways in response to peptide hormones and growth factors. In gonadotrophs, gonadotropin releasing hormones (GnRHs) act via the GnRH receptor (GnRHR). Both GnRH-I and GnRH-II activate an estrogen response element (ERE)-driven luciferase reporter gene in LβT2 mouse pituitary cells, and GnRH-I is more potent in this regard.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30021

Author

Poon, Song Ling

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

2010

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

It is increasingly apparent that GnRH-II acts as an autocrine/paracrine regulator in non-pituitary tissues, in addition to its role in the regulation of gonadotropin synthesis, and is an important player in cancer cell biology. High levels of GnRH-II and GnRHR in malignant ovarian tumors as compared with benign ovarian tissues underlies the importance of understanding GnRH-II function in ovarian cancer. In an attempt to define the regulation of GnRH-II in these tissues, we found that a cyclic-AMP responsive element (CRE) is critical for GnRH-II promoter transcription.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9760

Author

Ong, Aldrich Dixon

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1999

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer in the Western world, but comparatively little is known about its development. Epithelial ovarian carcinomas are thought to originate in the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), i.e. the mesothelium covering the ovary, but experimental evidence for this origin has been lacking. Contrary to most epithelia where neoplastic progression is associated with loss of E-cadherin, this cell-cell adhesion molecule is sparse in normal human OSE but its expression increases in ovarian epithelial metaplasia and neoplasia.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6811

Author

Vaananen, Jeffrey Eric

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1997

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

These studies examined the effects of prostaglandin-F[sub 2a] (PGF[sub 2a]) on progesterone and 178-estradiol (estradiol) production, as well as DNA and PGF[sub 2a]-receptor (PGF[sub 2a]-R) mRNA levels, in the human granulosa-luteal cell (GLC). Additionally, the interactions of PGF[sub 2a] with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) were examined, with respect to progesterone and estradiol production.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6615

Author

Vaananen, Celine Claire

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1997

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

The studies undertaken herewithin sought to characterize the pattern of regulation of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) mRNA levels in the rat ovary. The demonstration of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) transcripts in steroidproducing and steroid-dependent tissues suggests that GnRH may be implicated in the modulation of steroid action in those target tissues. Expression of GnRH-R mRNA increases in gonadal tissues and the pituitary with age, supporting the concept of GnRH as a local regulator in the developing rat as well as in the adult.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6315

Author

Chen, Victor

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1997

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

There is increasing evidence to suggest that activin can function as an autocrine/paracrine regulator in various tissues, including the reproductive system. At the cellular level, activin acts via a family of activin receptor (ActR) subtypes which includes two type I (ActRI and ActRLB) and two type II (II and ILB) receptors. The role of activin in the human placenta is not clearly understood. In this study, the detection of inlubin/activin subunit and ActRI mRNA were examined in first trimester cytotrophoblasts, term cytotrophoblasts, extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells, immortalized extravillous trophoblast (LEVT) cells, JEG-3 cells, decidual tissue, and decidual cells.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf

Website

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/10789

Author

Lee, Pearly S.N.

Place of Publication

[Vancouver, BC?]

Publisher

University of British Columbia

Publication Date

1999

Subject

Faculty of Medicine

Theses

Abstract

It is well established that LH action is mediated primarily by adenylate cyclase/cAMP. Conversely, the role of inositol phosphate/calcium in LH signalling has only recently been investigated. We examined the effects of gonadotrophins on intracellular calcium mobilisation in HEK293 cells transiently transfected with human wild type or chimeric gonadotrophs receptors (n=3400). Intracellular free calcium concentration was measured using fura-2 microspectrofluorimetric techniques. Human LH (2-4 μg/ml) arid CG (10 IU/ml) consistently evoked oscillatory calcium signals in HEK293 cells transfected with hLHr, whereas hFSH (2-4 μg/ml) failed to elicit any calcium responses.

Language

English

Material Type

Thesis

Call Number

Thesis Shelf