The expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 in human follicular fluid is associated with in vitro fertilisation pregnancy

Abstract

Objective To investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the pre-ovulatory follicular fluid and culture media during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle and to develop the zymographic pre-diagnosis marker for successful implantation and pregnancy in human IVF. Design Controlled clinical study.Setting IVF Laboratory, Women's Hospital Infertility Clinic and Dongguk University, Korea.Sample Women undergoing in vitro fertilisation treatment.Methods Experiments were designed for controlled clinical study with women undergoing IVF treatment.MMP-9 expressions in follicular fluid and culture media samples that had been collected during transvaginal oocyte retrieval were measured using zymography. MMP-9 activities and expressions were strongly correlated to a higher rate of fertilisation and pregnancy. Main outcome measures Fertilisation rates and ultrasonic evidence of intrauterine pregnancy by four weeks after embryo transfer. Result MMP-9 activity was significantly higher in the pregnant group than in the non-pregnant group (P < 0.01). In contrast, MMP-2 activity was present in the follicular fluid and culture media of all women, and no difference in its expressions was found between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups. No correlation was found between the MMP-9 expression in follicular fluid and culture media and the fertilisation rates. Conclusion The expression of MMP-9 in the follicular fluid and culture media is a prerequisite for successful pregnancy in IVF cycle. The zymography of MMP-9 activity in follicular fluids of human and culture media was developed as a pre-diagnostic method and zymographic diagnosis marker for successful fertilisation, implantation and pregnancy in human IVF.

Heat stress effects on the cumulus cells surrounding the bovine oocyte during maturation: altered matrix metallopeptidase 9 and progesterone production

“…Heat-induced increases in the production of progesterone attest to the notion that the cumulus cells originating from the heat-stressed oocytes are functionally different from their non-heat-stressed counterparts. Because of the importance of these two cumulus-derived components (Regassa et al 2011) in the developmental competence of the oocyte (Dubois et al 2000, Silva & Knight 2000, Robert et al 2001, Yamashita et al 2003, Lee et al 2005, Aparicio et al 2011, collectively these findings support the notion for some of the negative consequences of heat stress on the cumulus-oocyte complex are mediated through the cumulus. During IVM, MMP9 is expressed exclusively by the cumulus surrounding the oocyte (Regassa et al 2011).…”

“…This transcript has been identified previously as a marker of bovine oocyte competence because its presence was only detected in the granulosa of follicles yielding oocytes competent to undergo development into embryos after fertilization (Robert et al 2001). Lee et al (2005) concluded that high levels of proMMP9 in preovulatory follicular fluid were requisite for successful implantation and pregnancy in human IVF. The absence of MMP9 is detrimental to fertility as deficient mice have smaller litter sizes and increased percentages of infertile breeding pairs (Dubois et al 2000).…”

“…Production of MMPs (MMP9 and MMP2) by the control and heat-stressed cumulus-oocyte complexes Because higher MMP9 levels have been associated with the developmental competence of oocytes (Robert et al 2001), implantation and pregnancy rates (Lee et al 2005, Horka et al 2012, and fertility (Dubois et al 2000), their abundance in the conditioned maturation medium (generated as a part of the transcriptome profiling efforts depicted in Fig. 1) observed after 24 h IVM in the control and heatstressed oocytes was examined.…”

Protein pathways working in human follicular fluid: the future for tailored IVF?

“…Follicle functional microenvironment: a high throughput in-silico approach In the last years, several works have been performed to determine the protein composition of the HFF ( Refs 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12) and the application of high sensitive mass spectrometry approaches has bona fide lead to the identification of the overwhelming majority of the fluid proteins (Refs 5,13,14,15). However, several of those researches were mainly limited to the identification and description of the fluid components without their functional integration.…”

Isoenzymes of Adenosine Deaminase and Metalloproteinases as Biomarkers in in Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer

“…The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to play a central role in embryonic development, morphogenesis, reproduction and tissue resorption and remodeling (9)(10). In humans, MMPs have critical roles throughout various stages of pregnancy, including embryo implantation, trophoblastic invasion, placentation in early gestation and cervical dilatation in later gestation, and feto-maternal membrane lysis.…”