Oocyte polarized light microscopy, assay of specific follicular fluid metabolites, and gene expression in cumulus cells as different approaches to predict fertilization efficiency after ICSI

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Research

Valentina Biasoni¹  Francesca Evangelista¹  Alberto Revelli¹  Chiara Benedetto¹  Andrea Carosso¹  Stefano Canosa¹  Milena Maule²  Elisabetta Aldieri³  Loredana Bergandi³  Oleksii A. Skorokhod³  Maria Diletta D’Eufemia⁴  Nicola Colacurci⁴  Angela Bertagna⁵ 

[1] Chair of Gynecology and Obstetrics 1, Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, S. Anna Hospital, University of Torino, Torino, Italy;Department of Medical Sciences, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Torino, Torino, Italy;Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy;Department of Woman, Child, General and Special Surgery, Second University of Napoli, Naples, Italy;Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy;

关键词: Oocyte;    Fertilization;    Follicular fluid;    Cumulus cells;    Amh;    Polarized light microscopy;    Oxidative stress;    AMH receptor type II;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12958-017-0265-2

 received in 2017-01-10, accepted in 2017-06-15,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe complex relationship between oocyte morphology, specific follicular fluid metabolites, gene expression in cumulus granulosa cells, and oocyte competence toward fertilization and embryo development still needs further clarification.MethodsForty-six oocytes retrieved from the largest pre-ovulatory follicle of patients undergoing intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were considered assessing: (a) oocyte morphological characteristics at polarized light microscopy (PLM), (b) specific follicular fluid (FF) metabolites previously suggested to influence oocyte competence (AMH, markers of redox status and of cytotoxicity), (c) transcription of AMH and AMH type II receptor genes in cumulus cells. Data were analyzed using mono-parametric tests and multivariable logistic analysis in order to correlate morphological and biochemical data with fertilization.ResultsComparing normally fertilized oocytes (n = 29, F group) with unfertilized (n = 17, nF group) we observed that: (a) the meiotic spindle area and major axis were significantly higher in nF group and in fertilized oocytes undergoing an early embryo development arrest; (b) AMH level in FF was comparable in F and nF groups; (c) the FF of nF group contained significantly higher levels of cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase) and oxidative stress (Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, 4-hydroxynonenal-protein conjugates) markers; (d) cumulus cells of nF group showed significantly higher AMH receptor type II gene expression.ConclusionsTaken together, these observations suggest that an excessive cytotoxicity level can alter AMH signal transduction within cumulus cells, in turn leading to partial inhibition of aromatase activity, altered cytoplasmic maturation and increased oxidative stress, factors able to impair oocyte fertilization competence and embryo growth.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017