SRI Supplement to Reproductive Sciences - Volume 25 Number 1 - March 2018 - 222A

222A

Reproductive Sciences Vol. 25, Supplement 1, March 2018

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Experiences and Views Surrounding Fertility Preservation in a
Transgender Patient Population. Molly B Moravek,2 Angela K Lawson,1
Halley P Crissman,2 Erica B Mahany,2 John F Randolph,2 Mitchell
B Berger*.2 1Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States;
2
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
INTRODUCTION: Long-term cross-sex hormone therapy and genderaffirming surgery can both affect reproductive capacity, yet there is low
utilization of fertility preservation (FP) by transgender persons undergoing
medical or surgical transition. The objective of this study was to explore
attitudes toward and perceived barriers to FP in a transgender population.
METHODS: Patients presenting to a reproductive endocrinology clinic
for cross-sex hormone therapy at the University of Michigan were invited
to complete an online, anonymous survey that included questions about
fertility and FP. Data was analyzed using Pearson chi-square tests.
RESULTS: Participants included 28 transwomen (mean age 35) and 21
transmen (mean age 30). 61% of transwomen and 67% of transmen were
in a relationship or married. Most respondents (90%) recalled a physician
discussing fertility implications of treatment, but only 25% transwomen
and 33% transmen reported it was important to them to have children
in the future, and only 14% in each group felt it was important to have
a genetically related child. Nine respondents, all transwomen, reported
already having biological children (mean 3 children, range 2-5), and 3
respondents, also all transwomen, had already pursued FP. The most
commonly cited factors influencing FP decision making were desire
for future genetic children (56%), need to stop taking hormones (50%),
treatment delay (40%), and cost (40%). In transmen, need to stop taking
hormones (50%) was also cited as important for FP decision making. Age,
time since transition, and relationship status were not associated with
desire for parenthood or factors influencing FP decision making; however,
in transmen, less time in current relationship was associated with increased
influence of desire for genetic children in FP decision-making (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The low interest in having biological children reported
in this study is in contrast to other studies showing that the majority of
transmen and transwomen desire genetically related children, and should
be explored further to help inform counseling. While personal preferences
regarding future reproduction need to be respected, modifiable barriers
to FP, such as cost and treatment delay, should be addressed to maximize
access for transgender patients who do desire FP.

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Pregnancy Modifies Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk in Mice Fed
a High Fat Diet. Sarah N Scott†, Lucia Y Brown, Tom Jetton, Jenna E
McQuesten, Laura R Hoyt, Sally A Huber, Matthew E Poynter, David H
Townson, Elizabeth Ann Bonney*. University of Vermont, Burlington,
VT, United States.
INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy can be protective against long-term
cardiovascular disease risk through modification of vascular and immune
function. Obesity is a significant stressor that can increase the risk for
adverse pregnancy outcomes. An uneventful pregnancy in an obese
individual may still provide a protective effect. Understanding related
signals and mediators is important. We asked if pregnancy attenuates
cardiovascular inflammation associated with a high fat (HF) diet.
METHODS: Female C57BL/6J mice were fed either a HF (60% fat,
n=28) or control (C, 10% fat n=6) diet for 15 weeks. Mice were mated
to same-diet males. Irrespective of diet 50% conceived. Mice were
periodically weighed and blood concentrations of glucose, cholesterol
and triglycerides were measured. Mice were euthanized at 22-24 weeks of
age. This was 6 weeks after delivery and 2 weeks after nursing in parous
(P) mice. At this time body and individual tissue weights were obtained,
serum was assayed for inflammatory cytokines, and spleen, mesenteric
lymph nodes and pericardial fat were evaluated for leukocyte profiles.
Results were analyzed statistically with unpaired t-test, ANOVA, or
Mann-Whitney test.
RESULTS: HF mice were 2g heavier by study week 4 (p=0.05). P HF
mice gained more weight during the last week of gestation vs. P C mice
(4g, p=0.02). Blood glucose concentrations were within normal range.
Litter size did not differ (6.4 ± 0.7 vs 8 ± 0.6 pups, p=0.2); but pup birth

Scientific Abstracts

weight was less (p=0.02) in P HF mice vs. P C. By 22-24 weeks of age
within the HF group P mice had undetectable levels of serum IL-1 β, while
levels in age-matched never pregnant (NP) mice were higher (median 7
pg/ml, range 0.1-11; p=0.01). In addition, P HF mice had lower soluble
ICAM-1 than NP HF (33, range 6.7-48.4 vs. 54 range 21.3-61.3 ng/ml,
p-0.04), indicative of reduced endothelial dysfunction. No differences
in MCP-1, TNF, Serum amyloid A1, IL-6 or P-selectin (p>0.05) were
observed between groups. Conversely, the combined weight of the
heart and pericardial fat mice was greater in P, HF than in NP, HF mice
(0.38±0.017 vs. 0.32± 0.016g, p=0.04). No differences in the profile of
peripheral or pericardial leukocytes were observed between P, HF and NP,
HF (p>0.05), but a subset of P mice whose litters died within 48 hours of
birth had more CD45+ cells/g pericardial fat (p=0.015) and more activated
CD11b+ cells (p= 0.02) in pericardial fat vs. other groups.
CONCLUSION: The interaction between obesity and pregnancy is
complex but does impact cardiovascular health as evidenced by the
biomarkers of inflammation and vascular disease in this study. Pregnancy
incompletely protects against the long term cardiovascular risk associated
with chronic consumption of a HF diet. Supported by The University of
Vermont Office of Undergraduate Research and Department of OB/GYN
and Reproductive Sciences

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Abstract Withdrawn

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Novel Pathways Associated with Indomethacin and Verapamil
Activity on Myometrial Function. Enitome E Bafor†,1 Edward G
Rowan*,2 RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel*.2 1University of Benin, Benin City,
Nigeria; 2University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
INTRODUCTION: Indomethacin and verapamil are known to have
myometrium inhibitory activities primarily related to prostaglandin
synthesis inhibition and calcium channel blockade respectively. However,
these do not appear to completely explain their activities. This study's
objective involved investigating additional pathways involved in the
activity of indomethacin and verapamil on myometrial contractility by the
innovative utilization of altered metabolites and bioinformatics coupled
to functional uterine activity assay.
METHODS: Female virgin C57BL/6 mice were euthanized under CO2.
The uteri were excised, mounted in 3 ml organ baths containing KrebsHenseleit buffer and all conditions were maintained. Single concentrations
of indomethacin (0.1 nM) and verapamil (1 µM) were added for 10 min
to the isolated tissues and without washing, the tissues and buffers were
immediately collected and flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. In the presence
of dry ice, each flash-frozen tissue was homogenized and extracted first
with methanol and then dichloromethane solvents. The buffer was freezedried and similarly extracted. High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)
and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR) were
performed on the extracts. The resulting HRMS data were pre-processed,
analyzed and identified with the online metabolomic data analysis
program, XCMS. The XCMS output were further analyzed using the
Ingenuity Pathway Analysis tool. All NMR datasets were pre-processed
using Mnova v. 8.1 and analyzed using SIMCA-P software package.
RESULTS: Significant pathways for indomethacin and verapamil (p
< 0.05) were extracted via HRMS. For indomethacin, novel detected
pathways included upregulation of glutamate, myoinositol, nitric oxide
and alanine signaling. For verapamil, novel detected pathways included
downregulation of inositol triphosphate, upregulation of sphingosine
signaling and involvement of serotonin (Fig. 1).
CONCLUSION: This study has enabled the detection of novel
signalling pathways and metabolites involved in the myometrial activity
of indomethacin and verapamil that were previously unknown. These
findings therefore provide, new knowledge on the effect of these drugs
on uterine contractility, new target sites and understanding of myometrial
contractility.
Figure 1. Pathways associated with indomethacin and verapamil on
myometrial activity. Detected pathways for indomethacin (A) and
verapamil (B). n= 4 animals.
*Figure(s) will be available online.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SRI Supplement to Reproductive Sciences - Volume 25 Number 1 - March 2018