Metabolomic profiling by near-infrared spectroscopy as a tool to assess embryo viability: a novel, non-invasive method for embryo selection

Abstract

NIR metabolomic profiling of spent embryo culture media was able to distinguish viable embryos from non-viable embryos for reproduction.

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of day 5 morphology grading and metabolomic Viability Score on predicting implantation outcome

“…Our findings extend previously published data [21][22][23][24] by demonstrating that metabolomic models alone or in combination with morphology allow an improved prediction of embryo viability compared to morphology. Therefore, our study introduces metabolomic profiling as a rapid, and non-invasive technology that can provide an objective assessment aiding in the decision of which embryo(s) to transfer in the IVF laboratory.…”

“…Our initial findings were confirmed in prospective blinded studies using multiple [22] and single embryo transfer [23,24], which also revealed that metabolomic profiling constitutes a parameter independent of morphology [23,24]. In the current study, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to compare NIR spectroscopy-based metabolomics to morphologic grading for predicting outcome in women undergoing single embryo transfer on day 5.…”

“…In our more recent studies [23,24], and in the current study, we utilized NIR spectroscopy as this technology has a sensitivity and specificity comparable to Raman, and is less costly, therefore has more potential for clinical application.…”

“…Sample analysis by NIR spectroscopy Analysis of the individual embryo culture media samples was performed as previously described [21,23,24]. Briefly, the IVF culture media samples were thawed on ice for 30 min, vortexed and then centrifuged for 5 min at 12,000 rpm, and placed in a temperature stabilizer prior to analysis for 4 min at 24.3°C.…”

“…As extensive data from animal models and human IVF [14][15][16] suggest that there are metabolic differences between cleavage stage embryos and blastocysts, a novel spectral model for day 5 embryos was developed as described in our previous publications [21,23,25]. Discrimination between FCA+ and FCA− embryos consisted of determining a parsimonious combination of spectral regions from the NIR metabolomic profiles that estimated pregnancy outcomes by inverse least-squares regression and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization.…”