Significant reduction in LIFR expression and the reduced activation of subsequent signaling strongly suggest a working model of how the implantation markers, LIF, may affect the endometrium of patients with adenomyosis. These molecular changes supported the declined implantation rates reported in patients with adenomyosis.

Abdominal access in endoscopic surgery carries a finite risk of visceral injury. Bleeding, subcutaneous emphysema, gastrointestinal tract perforation, minor and major vascular injury, and intraperitoneal adhesions are the potential complications associated with abdominal access and creation of pneumoperitoneum. There are 4 basic techniques used to create pneumoperitoneum: blind Veress needle, direct trocar insertion, optical trocar insertion, and open laparoscopy. Veress needle and direct trocar insertion are blind techniques, and their use can result in severe visceral and vascular injuries. To prevent visceral and vascular injuries caused by the technique used for the creation of pneumoperitoneum, laparoscopic surgeons and gynecologists look for safe and effective laparoscopic access techniques. Direct trocar insertion without previous pneumoperitoneum was reported to be a safe alternative to Veress needle insertion. We carried out this study to compare the ease of use, safety, and efficacy of direct trocar insertion with elevation of the rectus sheath and blind insertion of the Veress needle in laparoscopic surgery. In 578 laparoscopic procedures, the patients were assigned to one of the following groups: blind insertion of the Veress needle (group 1, n = 301) and direct trocar insertion with elevation of the rectus sheath using 2 towel clips (group 2, n = 277). Total complication rates were 15.7% (n = 33) and 3.3% (n = 4) in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P< 0.05). Direct trocar insertion with elevation of the rectus sheath using 2 towel clips is an easy, safe, and effective technique.

Among several interleukin (IL)-6 family members, only IL-6 and IL-11 require a gp130 protein homodimer for intracellular signaling due to lack of intracellular signaling domain in the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and IL-11R. We previously reported enhanced decidual IL-6 and IL-11 levels at the maternal-fetal interface with significantly higher peri-membranous IL-6 immunostaining in adjacent interstitial trophoblasts in preeclampsia (PE) vs. gestational age (GA)-matched controls. This led us to hypothesize that competitive binding of these cytokines to the gp130 impairs extravillous trophoblast (EVT) differentiation, proliferation and/or invasion. Using global microarray analysis, the current study identified inhibition of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) as the only gene affected by both IL-6 plus IL-11 vs. control or IL-6 or IL-11 treatment of primary human cytotrophoblast cultures. ISG15 immunostaining was specific to EVTs among other trophoblast types in the first and third trimester placental specimens, and significantly lower ISG15 levels were observed in EVT from PE vs. GA-matched control placentae (p = 0.006). Induction of primary trophoblastic stem cell cultures toward EVT linage increased ISG15 mRNA levels by 7.8-fold (p = 0.004). ISG15 silencing in HTR8/SVneo cultures, a first trimester EVT cell line, inhibited invasion, proliferation, expression of ITGB1 (a cell migration receptor) and filamentous actin while increasing expression of ITGB4 (a receptor for hemi-desmosomal adhesion). Moreover, ISG15 silencing further enhanced levels of IL-1β-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines (CXCL8, IL-6 and CCL2) in HTR8/SVneo cells. Collectively, these results indicate that ISG15 acts as a critical regulator of EVT morphology and function and that diminished ISG15 expression is associated with PE, potentially mediating reduced interstitial trophoblast invasion and enhancing local inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. Thus, agents inducing ISG15 expression may provide a novel therapeutic approach in PE.