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Advances of Molecular Research in Reproductive Endocrinology
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Advances of Molecular Research in Reproductive Endocrinology

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2025) | Viewed by 4169

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giuseppe Gullo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, I.V.F. Public Center, University of Palermo, Via Trabucco, 180, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Interests: endometrial cancer; obstetric and gynecological cancers;reproductive medicine; fertility preservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Antonio Perino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, IVF UNIT, University of Palermo, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Interests: reproductive endocrinology; IVF; stem cells; laparoscopy; infertility; microbioma
Dr. Gaspare Cucinella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aoor Villa Sofia Cervello, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: endoscopy; cancer; laparoscopy; fertility preservation; medical therapies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing utilization of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has allowed many individuals and couples to achieve their dream of starting a family. Since the first birth that used ART over 40 years ago, there have been more than 8 million babies born with the assistance of ART. Recent data have demonstrated that many adult-onset diseases can be traced back to disruptions in early embryonic development or even during gametogenesis; consequently, the concept of the developmental origin of health and disease has been widely accepted. Research on the development, physiology and pathophysiology of reproduction is, therefore, of great importance. A growing body of literature supports the safety and efficacy of fertility preservation in certain patient populations. For example, live birth rates with cryopreserved oocytes in young women are comparable to those with fresh oocytes. Data on the efficacy of ovarian tissue cryopreservation are promising, although still relatively sparse. Additionally, the results of assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) show evident limitations even in the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for aneuploidies, prolonged embryo cultures, selection of embryos, etc. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the obstetric, neonatal and adult health risks of the children conceived via ART. These powerful technologies, such as stem cells and artificial intelligence have led to numerous, important, exciting discoveries on the etiology and molecular mechanisms underlying various reproductive disorders.

This Special Issue is intended to provide an innovative and broad perspective on the research in the field of molecular reproductive biology and medicine, as well as reproductive and developmental biology.

We kindly encourage our colleagues that are involved in all fields of molecular reproduction to make contributions to this Special Issue. High-quality review articles, research articles and communications are all welcome. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Reproductive biology and immunology;
  • Endometriosis,
  • Thyroid dysfunction and reproductive medicine;
  • Reproductive endocrinology;
  • Embryo development;
  • Stem cells in ART;
  • Microbioma in IVF.

Dr. Giuseppe Gullo
Prof. Dr. Antonio Perino
Prof. Dr. Gaspare Cucinella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • embryo development
  • endometriosis
  • fertility preservation
  • artificial intelligence
  • stem cells
  • thyroid disease and reproduction
  • microbioma in ART
  • neonatal outcomes in ART
  • medical, legal and ethical aspects of infertility
  • reproductive immunology

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3288 KiB  
Article
Expression of Estrogen Receptors in Main Immune Organs in Sheep During Early Pregnancy
by Zhen Yang, Yaqi Zhang, Zhihong Cao, Zhouyuan Li, Leying Zhang and Ling Yang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3528; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083528 - 9 Apr 2025
Viewed by 341
Abstract
Estrogen exerts its action via estrogen receptors (ERs), including ERα and ERβ, and has effects on immunomodulation during pregnancy. It is known that there are changes in the function of the maternal immune organs during pregnancy. However, it is not clear if early [...] Read more.
Estrogen exerts its action via estrogen receptors (ERs), including ERα and ERβ, and has effects on immunomodulation during pregnancy. It is known that there are changes in the function of the maternal immune organs during pregnancy. However, it is not clear if early pregnancy has effects on the expression of ERα and ERβ in the ovine maternal thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. In this study, these maternal immune organs were harvested at day 16 of the estrous cycle and at days 13, 16, and 25 of pregnancy (n = 6 for each group) after the ewes were euthanized. The mRNA and protein expression of ERα and ERβ were analyzed using real-time PCR and Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. The results reveal that the mRNA and protein expression of both ERα and ERβ were upregulated in the maternal spleen and the expression of ERα and ERβ in the thymus, lymph nodes, and liver was modulated during early pregnancy. In conclusion, early pregnancy modulates the expression of ERα and ERβ in the maternal thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and liver in a tissue-specific manner, which is related to the regulation of maternal immune function during early pregnancy in ewes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Molecular Research in Reproductive Endocrinology)
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19 pages, 4450 KiB  
Article
Formulation and In Vitro Characterization of Granulocyte-Colony-Stimulating-Factor-Loaded Liposomes: Future Prospective in Reproductive Medicine
by Kseniia V. Obedkova, Vladislava V. Khalenko, Dmitry V. Tovpeko, Julian R. Ryzhov, Olesya N. Bespalova and Natalya I. Tapilskaya
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2689; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062689 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 443
Abstract
Drug delivery systems enhance drug efficacy while minimizing side effects. Liposomes, as well-studied and clinically approved carriers, offer biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity, making them suitable for delivering various pharmacological agents. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a key growth factor, has shown therapeutic potential, [...] Read more.
Drug delivery systems enhance drug efficacy while minimizing side effects. Liposomes, as well-studied and clinically approved carriers, offer biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low toxicity, making them suitable for delivering various pharmacological agents. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a key growth factor, has shown therapeutic potential, particularly in infertility treatment. It effectively manages chronic and refractory endometritis by improving endometrial receptivity and increasing embryo implantation success. Studies indicate that G-CSF promotes endometrial growth and enhances the uterine microenvironment, benefiting patients with recurrent implantation failures and chronic endometritis. Encapsulation of G-CSF in liposomes enhances its stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. G-CSF-loaded liposomes were prepared using passive loading via the thin-film hydration method. The size of the liposomes, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential were determined using dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering methods, and the encapsulation efficiency was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The morphology of the liposomes was established and confirmed using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The cytocompatibility of the G-CSF-loaded liposomes was evaluated on human dermal fibroblasts using an MTT assay. The G-CSF-loaded liposomes had an average particle size of 161.9 ± 9.9 nm, a PDI of 0.261 ± 0.03, and a zeta potential of +2.09 ± 0.10 mV, exhibiting high physical stability during long-term storage at +4 °C and 60% humidity. The passive loading method resulted in a 52.37 ± 3.64% encapsulation efficiency of the active substance. The analysis of cell viability revealed no cytotoxicity toward liposomes loaded with G-CSF and demonstrated a dose-dependent effect on the viability of human dermal fibroblasts. Thus, the obtained data confirm the successful preparation of G-CSF-loaded liposomes. However, to fully understand their effectiveness in biomedical applications, further research is needed, including an evaluation of their effectiveness in vivo. Such studies will help in determining the potential of these formulations for specific biomedical purposes and evaluating their safety and efficacy in living systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Molecular Research in Reproductive Endocrinology)
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Review

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20 pages, 963 KiB  
Review
Circulating miRNAs as a Tool for Early Diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer—Implications for the Fertility-Sparing Process: Clinical, Biological, and Legal Aspects
by Roberto Piergentili, Giuseppe Gullo, Giuseppe Basile, Caterina Gulia, Alessandro Porrello, Gaspare Cucinella, Enrico Marinelli and Simona Zaami
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11356; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411356 - 12 Jul 2023
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2504
Abstract
This review article explores the possibility of developing an integrated approach to the management of the different needs of endometrial cancer (EC) patients seeking to become pregnant. Life preservation of the woman, health preservation of the baby, a precocious and—as much as possible—minimally [...] Read more.
This review article explores the possibility of developing an integrated approach to the management of the different needs of endometrial cancer (EC) patients seeking to become pregnant. Life preservation of the woman, health preservation of the baby, a precocious and—as much as possible—minimally invasive characterization of the health and fertility parameters of the patient, together with the concerns regarding the obstetric, neonatal, and adult health risks of the children conceived via assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are all essential aspects of the problem to be taken into consideration, yet the possibility to harmonize such needs through a concerted and integrated approach is still very challenging. This review aims to illustrate the main features of EC and how it affects the normal physiology of pre-menopausal women. We also focus on the prospect of a miR-based, molecular evaluation of patient health status, including both EC early diagnosis and staging and, similarly, the receptivity of the woman, discussing the possible evaluation of both aspects using a single specific panel of circulating miRs in the patient, thus allowing a relatively fast, non-invasive testing with a significantly reduced margin of error. Finally, the ethical and legal/regulatory aspects of such innovative techniques require not only a risk-benefit analysis; respect for patient autonomy and equitable health care access allocation are fundamental issues as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Molecular Research in Reproductive Endocrinology)
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