Estradiol and Progesterone Levels are Related to Redox Status in the Follicular Fluid During In Vitro Fertilization

Abstract

Studies have reported a possible association between the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in follicular fluid (FF) and infertility treatment outcomes. FF analysis can provide important information about oocyte quality. This study aimed to evaluate the possible correlation between oxidative stress biomarker and intrafollicular hormone levels and clinical and laboratory parameters in women during controlled ovarian stimulation. These women were undergoing in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).The FF samples were acquired from September 2012 to February 2014 from women undergoing private fertility treatment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 196 women who were undergoing ICSI and had different infertility diagnoses were recruited. The FF from each patient (average patient age of 36.3 ± 4.3 years) was collected following puncture of just one follicle with the largest diameter. After ruling out blood contamination by spectrophotometry, 163 patient samples were utilized in the study. In the FF, the progesterone levels were negatively correlated with (a) hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity (HPSC) (r = −0.294, P < 0.0001), (b) total number of follicles (r = −0.246, P < 0.001) and (c) total number of oocytes punctured (r = −0.268, P = 0.0001). The concentration of serum estradiol exhibited a positive correlation with intrafollicular HPSC (r = 0.165, P = 0.037). Our data indicate that the FF levels of estradiol and progesterone are related to the FF redox status, which is closely associated with the number of oocytes obtained during ICSI procedures.

Ovarian Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Medical Management

“…The authors have completed their observations on non-human primates with those on human granulosa cells obtained from follicular fluid samples aspirated from patients undergoing an IVF attempt. Consistent with the results in monkeys, human granulosa cells exhibited the age-related downregulation of the transcription of three genes involved in antioxidative pathways-IDH1, PRDX4, and NDUFB10-and this phenomenon was accompanied by an increase in reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in the granulosa cells [18], indicative of oxidative damage as a crucial factor in ovarian functional decay.…”

“…Mitochondrial damage leads to the activation of apoptotic pathways in granulosa cells, which, in turn, decreases the expression of aromatase, which is required for the transformation of androgens to estrogens, thus leading to the prevalence of androgens over estrogens within the follicles [ 18 ]. Androgens and estrogens present in follicular fluid exert rapid non-genomic effects on maturing human oocytes, affecting oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and postfertilization developmental potential rather than the completion of meiosis [ 19 ].…”

Transcriptome Analysis of Porcine Granulosa Cells in Healthy and Atretic Follicles: Role of Steroidogenesis and Oxidative Stress

“…Support for this assumption comes from several, mainly in vitro, studies. For example, it is demonstrated that granulosa cells isolated from ovine and porcine large antral follicles, are protected from oxidative (H 2 O 2 ) stress-induced apoptosis when the culture medium is supplemented with estradiol [ 13 , 14 ]. Direct in vivo evidence for a physiological role of oxidative stress in antral follicular atresia is still largely lacking.…”

Towards Personalized Antioxidant Use in Female Infertility: Need for More Molecular and Clinical Studies

“…DOR is at the origin of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and can be accentuated by a variety of age-unrelated factors [ 7 ], including chromosome X structural abnormalities and X-autosome translocations [ 23 ], single-gene perturbations ( some located on the X-chromosome and others on autosomes [ 24 , 25 ]), mendelian disorders implicated in other pathologies [ 24 ], mutations of genes (both nuclear and mitochondrial ones) affecting mitochondrial function [ 26 , 27 ], and disturbances of cell signaling pathways, especially those involved in cell protection against oxidative stress [ 28 , 29 ]. Independently of the exact cause, DOR and POI converge to mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and diminished ATP production, leading to inflammation, apoptosis, and telomere shortening [ 30 ], in addition to a decrease in the production of estradiol by the granulosa cells [ 31 ], a condition known to reduce oocyte developmental potential by causing an imbalance between nongenomic effects of androgens and estrogens at the oocyte surface [ 32 ].…”