Effects of EG-VEGF, VEGF and TGF-β1 on pregnancy outcome in patients undergoing IVF-ET treatment

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the correlation of endocrine glandderived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) with the corresponding reproductive outcome in patients who received in vitro fertilizationembryo transfer (IVF-ET). Methods Sixty-seven women undergoing IVF-ET at a university tertiary hospital were recruited for a prospective study. Concentrations of EG-VEGF, VEGF and TGF-β1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in follicular fluid (FF) collected during oocyte retrieval (OR) and in serum collected 2 days after OR. Results In FF, concentrations of both EG-VEGF and VEGF were negatively correlated with peak E2 and the number of MII oocytes retrieved, and positively correlated with each other. In serum, concentrations of all the three growth factors were positively correlated with the rate of good quality embryo, and with one another. Patients in the pregnancy group had lower peak E2 concentrations and higher serum EG-VEGF concentrations than those in the non-pregnancy group, but such tendency was not observed in the case of VEGF and TGF-β1. Conclusions Both concentrations of EG-VEGF and VEGF in FF were negatively correlated with ovarian response and oocyte maturation. Concentrations of all the three growth factors in serum were positively correlated with embryo quality, but only serum concentrations of EG-VEGF were associated with the pregnancy outcome.

Intrafollicular interleukin-8, interleukin-12, and adrenomedullin are the promising prognostic markers of oocyte and embryo quality in women with endometriosis

“…Even intrafollicular ADM concentration is suggested to be independent of ovarian function parameters [42]. In contrast, a recent study has established a negative correlation between intrafollicular VEGF and ovarian response and oocyte maturation [43]. Also, increased ADM in follicular fluid is associated with a negative IVF outcome [44].…”

Perifollicular blood flow and its relationship with endometrial vascularity, follicular fluid EG-VEGF, IGF-1, and inhibin-a levels and IVF outcomes

“…In this study, follicular fluid EG-VEGF levels increased significantly in the WVFs (1905 ± 243.8 vs. 1586 ± 705.2, p = 0.008), but the FF EG-VEGF levels were similar in the conceptus/ nonconceptus cycles (p > 0.05). A previous study of EG-VEGF levels in follicular fluid and IVF outcomes found a negative correlation between EG-VEGF, VEGF, and oocyte maturity but a positive correlation with embryo quality [11]. The same study reported increased serum EG-VEGF levels in pregnant cases.…”

“…EG-VEGF, also known as prokineticin [9], is an EGspecific vasoactive substance [10]. The expression of EG-VEGF in ovarian tissue was previously reported to be correlated with VEGF [11,12]. In this study, follicular fluid EG-VEGF levels increased significantly in the WVFs (1905 ± 243.8 vs. 1586 ± 705.2, p = 0.008), but the FF EG-VEGF levels were similar in the conceptus/ nonconceptus cycles (p > 0.05).…”

“…EG-VEGF is secreted from theca lutein cells [10]. VEGF acts as a rate-limiting step in capillary network formation in the corpus luteum, and EG-VEGF further stimulates angiogenesis in the midluteal phase and stabilizes angiogenesis [10], and both VEGF and EG-VEGF seem to act synergistically [9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…PFBF was shown to be correlated with follicular oxygenation and VEGF levels [6,13]. There have been few studies of the relationship between EG-VEGF and PFBF [11,12]. Endometrial vascularity is thought to be related to endometrial receptivity [10].…”