Pregnant women and animals have increased susceptibility to a variety of intracellular pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes (LM), which has been associated with significantly increased level of sex hormones such as progesterone. CD8 T memory(Tm) cell-mediated antigen-non-specific IFN-γ responses are critically required in the host defense against LM. However, whether and how increased pro...

Chronic exposure to growth hormone (GH) was related to the desensitization of the JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathway in liver, as demonstrated in cells, female rats, and transgenic mice overexpressing GH. The cytokine-induced suppressor (CIS) is considered a major mediator of this desensitization. Pregnancy is accompanied by an increment in GH circulating levels, which were reported to be associated ...

objective: silybum marianum has been used for centuries in herbal medicine for treatment of liver diseases. currently, there is no data available on the possible effects of silymarin on fetal development. this study aimed to investigate the teratogenic effect of silymarin on balb/c mice fetuses. materials and methods: a total of 40 pregnant mice were divided into 4 groups of 10 mice each. three...

background: development of the central nervous system (cns) is dependent on interactions between genetic and epigenetic factors, some of which could affect the susceptibility of the developing brain to damaging insults. gestational stress has been shown as a potential factor associated with higher risk of developing certain neurological and psychiatric disorders. this study tested the hypothesi...

background: maternally administered opiates such as morphine represent a serious human health problem. opioid abuse may have unfavorable effects on reproductive organs. objective: the present study evaluates on the effects of morphine on structure and ultrastructure of uterus in balb/c mice. materials and methods: forty balb/c pregnant mice were divided into four groups: two experimental (i and...

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important molecular regulator in biology of reproductive systems. In addition, critical level of NO is essential for Implantation and embryo’s development. However, increased levels of NO can have a wide range of adverse effects. This molecule is synthesized from L-Arginine (L.A) by Nitric oxide Synthetase (NOS) activity. In the current study, the effects of ...

Innate immunity, which is unable to discriminate self from allo-antigens, is thought to be important players in the induction of miscarriages. Here, we show that the administration of IL-12 to syngeneic-mated C57BL/6 mice on gestation day 7.5 (Gd 7.5), drives significant miscarriages in pregnant females. Furthermore, the administration on Gd 7.5 of α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), which is know...

The process of spontaneous abortion involves a complex mechanism with various cytokines, growth factors, and hormones during the pregnancy. However, the mechanism underlying spontaneous abortion by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the serum during the pregnancy is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the serum levels of pro- a...

Hysterectomized pseudopregnant mice had plasma progesterone concentrations on Days 6, 8, 10 or 12 after mating that were greater (P less than 0.05) than those of intact pseudopregnant mice and lower (P less than 0.01) than those of pregnant mice. Concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F-2 alpha on Days 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 after mating were lower (P less than 0.05) in pregnant and hi...