Objective: To evaluate the impact of type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms on impaired placentation leading to early pregnancy loss. Methods: Miscarriage materials were obtained from eight pregnant women with type-1 DM without MTHFR polymorphism, eight with MTHFR polymorphisms without type-1 DM, and eight controls with neither DM nor MTHFR polymorphisms. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and Beclin-1 expression were assessed to evaluate placentation. Results: Cytoplasmic LIF, IGF-1, and Beclin-1 expression were decreased in the superficial and glandular epithelial cells of the decidua in both study groups. LIF expression was increased in interstitial trophoblasts in the MTHFR group. IGF-1 expression was decreased in the decidual cells and interstitial trophoblasts in both study groups, while the decrease in stromal cells was noted only in type-1 DM group. Beclin-1 expression was increased in interstitial and villous trophoblasts in both study groups. Conclusion: The expression of IGF-1, LIF, and Beclin-1 are altered in both the decidua and the trophoblasts in pregnancies of women with type-1 DM and MTHFR polymorphisms, compared to normal pregnancies undergoing (elective) terminations.

Objective: To compare fetal cell microchimerism in normal and immunocompromised gestations. Materials and methods: The study consists of two groups of mature female mice. In the control group and the immunocompromised study group, 5 mg of saline and cyclosporine were injected intraperitoneally, respectively. In the second step, all female mice were mated with “Actine-Luc (+) green fluorescent protein (GFP)” transgenic male mice. Immunohistochemical studies (ALPL-antiluciferase, cytokeratin-antiluciferase, and CD 105-antiluciferase) were carried out on maternal liver, skin, and lung tissues at 6–7th and 14–15th gestational days, and postpartum 3–4th, 12th, and 18–24 months. Results: GFP (+) cells were detected in maternal liver and skin but not in lung tissue. Liver was the most affected tissue. GFP was found to be more intense in the immunocompromised group. Conclusion: Fetal microchimerism was demonstrated in maternal liver and skin and found to be more intensive in the immunocompromised group.

Objective: To investigate the effect of repeated povidone-iodine (PVI) application on the ocular surface parameters of patients who received intravitreal injections. Materials and methods: In this prospective study, 52 eyes of 52 patients with age-related macular degeneration who underwent unilateral intravitreal injection at least three times in the last 1 year (intravitreal injection [IVI] group), 52 fellow eyes with no previous intravitreal injection (NIVI group), and 51 eyes of 51 healthy subjects (control) were included. Tear break-up time (TBUT), the Schirmer test, the Oxford staining score, the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, conjunctival impression cytology, and tear inflammatory cytokine levels (interleukin [IL]-1β and IL-6) were analyzed in all participants. Results: The IVI group had lower TBUT and higher Oxford staining score than the NIVI and control groups (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between the groups in the Schirmer test (P=0.161). Conjunctival impression cytology analysis revealed that the IVI group had a significantly lower goblet cell count and significantly higher Nelson staging result than the NIVI and control groups (P<0.05). As a result of tear cytokine analysis, although IVI and NIVI groups had higher IL-1β and IL-6 levels than the control group (P<0.05), there was no difference between NIVI and IVI groups (P≥0.05). Conclusions: Repeated PVI application caused cytotoxic injury to the ocular surface, resulting in goblet cell loss and squamous metaplasia of epithelial cells. As a result, the stability of the tear film layer was found to be impaired and ocular surface–related symptoms developed in patients.