Sexual function after sacrospinous fixation for vaginal vault prolapse: bad or mad?

BACKGROUND: The main indication for sacrospinous ligament suspension is to correct either total procidentia, a posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse with an associated weak cardinal uterosacral ligament complex, or a posthysterectomy enterocele. This study aimed to evaluate sexual function and anatomic outcome for patients after sacrospinous ligament suspension. METHODS: For this study, 52 patients who had undergone sacrospinous ligament fixation during the preceding 5 years were asked to complete the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. The patients were vaginally examined using the ICS POP score, and the results were compared with their preoperative status. For statistical analysis, GraphPad for Windows, version 4.0, was used. RESULTS: The 52 patients were examined during a follow-up period of 38 months. No major intraoperative complications were noted. Recurrence of symptomatic apical descent was noted in 6% of the patients and de novo prolapse in 13.5%. Only one patient was symptomatic. Three patients experienced de novo dyspareunia, which resolved in two cases after stitch removal. Sexual function was good, rating higher than three points for each of the domains including satisfaction, lubrication, desire, orgasm, and pain. CONCLUSION: Sacrospinous ligament fixation still is a valuable option for the treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. Sexual function is satisfactory, with few cases of de novo dyspareunia.

Revealing the elusive molecular biology of the vault RNA

Recently several novel and previously reported non-protein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified to be upregulated upon Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in human B-lymphocytes. A group of these significantly upregulated ncRNAs are called vault RNAs (vtRNAs). ,b Only about 5% of the total cellular vtRNAs are connected to the vault particle, the largest known ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) in eukaryotic cells. However the function of this ncRNA family and moreover of the vault particle remains still rather unclear. Our previous findings suggest a link between EBV infection and vtRNA expression. Consequently we are interested which part of the viral genome is responsible for the upregulation and moreover which function the vtRNAs might possess during virus propagation. To address this question we have separately overexpressed specific EBV-encoded, latently expressed proteins in BL2-cells to determine the influence on the vault RNA levels. Thereby we identified one EBV-encoded protein, called Latent Membrane Protein 1 (LMP1), which significantly contributes to the vtRNA upregulation. We used LMP1 mutants to characterize the region of the protein and the responsible pathway for triggering the elevated vtRNA expression. Our results suggest that the NFkB- pathway might be involved in this process. To investigate a possible functional connection between the vtRNA and EBV infection, we have overexpressed vtRNA1-1 in BL41, a cell line usually not expressing this vault RNA. We show that overexpression of vtRNA1-1 leads to a better viral establishment and markedly protects cells from undergoing apoptosis. Knock-down of the major vault protein, the main component of the vault particle, had no effect on EBV infection and apoptosis resistance. Thus these results support the view that the observed phenotype is caused by the vtRNA rather than the vault particle.

Expression of the vault RNA protects cells from undergoing apoptosis

Non-protein-coding RNAs are a functionally versatile class of transcripts found in all domains of life exerting their biological role at the RNA level. Recently, we demonstrated that the vault-associated RNAs (vtRNAs) were significantly up-regulated in human B cells upon Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection [1,2]. vtRNAs are an integral part of the vault complex, a huge and evolutionarily conserved cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complex. The major vault protein (MVP) is the main structural component of the complex while vtRNA accounts for only 5% of its mass. Very little is known about the function(s) of the vtRNAs or the vault complex. In particular the role and significance of the previously observed vtRNA up-regulation upon EBV infection remained unclear. We individually expressed EBV-encoded genes in B cells and found the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) as trigger for vtRNA up-regulation. To unravel a putative functional interconnection between vtRNA expression and EBV infection, we ectopically expressed vtRNA1-1 in human B cells and observed an improved viral establishment. Furthermore, expression of vtRNA1-1 but not of the other vtRNA paralogs protected cells from undergoing apoptosis. Knock-down of MVP had no effect on these phenotypes thus revealing the vtRNA and not the vault complex to contribute to the enhanced EBV establishment and apoptosis resistance. Mutational analysis highlighted the central domain of the vtRNA to be involved in the anti-apoptotic effect. Ongoing research aims at characterizing the target of vtRNA1-1 in the apoptotic pathway. In summary, our data reveal a crucial cellular function for the so far elusive RNA biology of the vtRNAs.

Expression of the vault RNA protects cells from undergoing apoptosis

Non-protein-coding RNAs are a functionally versatile class of transcripts exerting their biological roles on the RNA level. Recently, we demonstrated that the vault complex-associated RNAs (vtRNAs) are significantly upregulated in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected human B cells. Very little is known about the function(s) of the vtRNAs or the vault complex. Here, we individually express latent EBV-encoded proteins in B cells and identify the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) as trigger for vtRNA upregulation. Ectopic expression of vtRNA1-1, but not of the other vtRNA paralogues, results in an improved viral establishment and reduced apoptosis, a function located in the central domain of vtRNA1-1. Knockdown of the major vault protein has no effect on these phenotypes revealing that vtRNA1-1 and not the vault complex contributes to general cell death resistance. This study describes a NF-κB-mediated role of the non-coding vtRNA1-1 in inhibiting both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

Imaging the South Pole-Aitken basin in backscattered neutral hydrogen atoms

The lunar surface is very efficient in reflecting impinging solar wind ions as energetic neutral atoms (ENAs). A global analysis of lunar hydrogen ENAs showed that on average 16% of the solar wind protons are reflected, and that the reflected fraction can range from less than 8% to more than 24%, depending on location. It is established that magnetic anomalies reduce the flux of backscattered hydrogen ENAs by screening-off a fraction of the impinging solar wind. The effects of the surface properties, such as porosity, roughness, chemical composition, and extent of weathering, were not known. In this paper, we conduct an in-depth analysis of ENA observations of the South Pole-Aitken basin to determine which of the surface properties might be responsible for the observed variation in the integral ENA flux. The South Pole-Aitken basin with its highly variable surface properties is an ideal object for such studies. It is very deep, possesses strikingly elevated concentrations in iron and thorium, has a low albedo and coincides with a cluster of strong magnetic anomalies located on the northern rim of the basin. Our analysis shows that whereas, as expected, the magnetic anomalies can account well for the observed ENA depletion at the South Pole-Aitken basin, none of the other surface properties seem to influence the ENA reflection efficiency. Therefore, the integral flux of backscattered hydrogen ENAs is mainly determined by the impinging plasma flux and ENA imaging of backscattered hydrogen captures the electrodynamics of the plasma at the surface. We cannot exclude minor effects by surface features. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.