Alteration in the intrafollicular thiol–redox system in infertile women with endometriosis

Young Sik Choi, SiHyun Cho, Seok Kyo Seo, Joo Hyun Park, Seok Hyun Kim, Byung Seok Lee
Reproduction (Cambridge, England) · 2014 · vol. 149(2) , pp. 155–162 · doi:10.1530/rep-14-0438 · PMID:25376627 · W2054276810
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 38 in-corpus citations
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Infertile women with endometriosis showed altered intrafollicular thiol-redox balance and increased inflammatory cytokines compared to controls, impacting oocyte and embryo quality.

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare intrafollicular biomarkers of thiol-redox system and chronic inflammation in infertile patients with and without endometriosis, and examine correlations between biomarkers and IVF outcomes. The study included 65 patients receiving IVF: 31 patients with endometriosis vs 34 patients without endometriosis. Follicular fluid (FF) was obtained from a single-dominant follicle during oocyte retrieval and stored at -70 °C. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), thioredoxin (TRX), TRX-binding protein 2 (TBP2), and peroxiredoxin-4 levels were measured in the FF samples by ELISAs as biomarkers of oxidative stress. The inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1 beta (IL1β), IL6, IL8, and tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) were also measured by ELISAs. GSH levels were significantly lower in the endometriosis group compared with the controls. TBP2 levels were significantly higher in the endometriosis group. IL6, IL8, and TNFα levels were significantly higher in the endometriosis group. The levels of all of the inflammatory cytokines positively correlated with the levels of TRX. GSH levels positively correlated with the number of high-quality embryos. GPX3 and TRX levels negatively correlated with the percentage of mature oocytes. TNFα levels negatively correlated with the cumulative embryo score per embryo. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the number of high-quality embryos was an independent factor predicting clinical pregnancy. In conclusion, there may be an imbalance in the thiol-redox system and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in the intrafollicular microenvironment of infertile patients with endometriosis, which may affect the qualities of the oocyte and embryo.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Infertility, Female Ovarian Follicle Sulfhydryl Compounds Adult Biomarkers Biomarkers Cytokines Cytokines Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Fertilization in Vitro Follicular Fluid Follicular Fluid Humans Infertility, Female Inflammation Inflammation Ovarian Follicle

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