AT-rich interaction domain 1A gene (ARID1A) encodes for a subunit of the switch/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) complex, a chromatin remodeling complex, and it has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cancer types. In this review, we discuss how ARID1A is linked to endometrial cancer and what molecular pathways are affected by mutation or inhibition of ARID1A. We also discuss the potential use of ARID1A not only as a prognostic biomarker, but also as a target for therapeutic interventions.

Turner's syndrome is characterized by an ovarian failure which occurs in most cases before puberty and leads to infertility. In less than 10% of women with Turner syndrome, puberty may occur and spontaneous pregnancies is possible but with a high risk of fetal loss, chromosomal and congenital abnormalities. We present the case of a 33-year-old woman with a mosaic Turner's syndrome karyotype 45,X/47,XXX who conceived spontaneously and had two successful pregnancies. Short stature was the only manifestation of Turner's syndrome. In the present report, we reviewed the available literature on the fertility of women with Turner's syndrome and the phenotypic effects of mosaicism for a 47,XXX cell line in Turner's syndrome.

Background: Infection with human papillomaviruses (HPVs) can cause benign and malignant tumours in the anogenital tract and the oropharynx both in men and women. The aim of the presented study was to investigate cervical, anal, and oral HPV-detection rates among women referred to colposcopy for abnormal Cervical Cancer (CaCx) screening results and assess the concordance of HPV-types among these anatomical sites. Methods: Women referred to colposcopy at a single centre due to abnormal cytology, conducted for CaCx screening, were subjected to cervical Liquid-based Cytology (LBC) smear testing, anal and oral sampling. Routine colposcopy consisted in multiple biopsies and/or Endocervical Curettage (ECC). HPV-detection was performed by PCR genotyping in all three anatomical sites. In high-risk (hr) HPV-DNA positive samples either from anal canal or oral cavity, anal LBC cytology and anoscopy were performed, or oral cavity examination respectively. Descriptive statistics was used for the analysis of HPV-detection rates and phi-coefficient for the determination of HPV-positivity concordance between the anatomical sites. Results: Out of 118 referred women, hr. HPV-DNA was detected in 65 (55.1%), 64 (54.2%) and 3 (2.5%) at cervix, anal canal and oral cavity respectively while low-risk HPV-DNA was detected in 14 (11.9%) and 11 (9.3%) at cervix and anal canal respectively. The phi-coefficient for cervix/anal canal was 0.392 for HPV16, 0.658 for HPV31, 0.758 for HPV33, − 0.12 for HPV45, 0.415 for HPV52 and 0.473 for HPV58. All values were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results suggest that most HPV-types, high-risk and low-risk, detected in the cervix of women with prevalent cervical dysplasia, correlate with the ones detected in their anal canal. This particularly applies for the HPV-types included in the nonavalent HPV-vaccine (HPVs 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58).

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a multi-system disorder of human gestation characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and edema, which resolves with placental delivery. This disease affects 3-14% of all pregnancies worldwide and 5-8% in the USA. Furthermore PE remains one of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. One of the most important goals in obstetrics is the early identification of the patient with an increased risk for PE. This paper unifies the essential and validated findings of past and current scientific investigation which encompass the relationship between PE and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF and its receptors have acquired great interest due to their vital role in neovascularization (vasculogenesis and angiogenesis) in a variety of physical and pathological processes such as the female reproductive cycle, PE, and tumorigenesis. VEGF is secreted in response to tissue hypoxia and endothelial cell damage. Alterations in the circulating levels of this factor may therefore identify those pregnancies with a high possibility of developing PE. This review will summarize the present authors’ current understanding of the role of circulating VEGF in the pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, and prediction of PE.

Dyslipidemia represents a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In addition, severe hypertriglyceridemia is an important cause of acute pancreatitis. Accordingly, the increase in serum lipid levels that is observed during pregnancy has potentially important implications. The management of dyslipidemia in pregnancy is further complicated by the lack of safety data during this period for most of the lipid-lowering agents. In the present review, we discuss the most important lipid disorders in pregnant women and their management. Pregnancy is characterized by increases in both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels, which might result in severe complications both for the mother and the fetus. Accordingly, LDL-C and triglyceride levels should be monitored during pregnancy, particularly in women with a history of dyslipidemia. Diet is the mainstay of management of dyslipidemia in pregnant women and apheresis can also be considered in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or severe hypertriglyceridemia. However, there is a pressing need for studies that evaluate the safety of lipid-lowering agents during pregnancy.