Female infertility is associated with an altered expression of the neurokinin B/neurokinin B receptor and kisspeptin/kisspeptin receptor systems in ovarian granulosa and cumulus cells

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the expression profile of TAC3, TACR3, KISS1, and KISS1R in mural granulosa and cumulus cells from healthy oocyte donors and patients with different infertility etiologies, including advanced maternal age, endometriosis, and low ovarian response. DESIGN: Genetic association study. SETTING: Private fertility clinic and public research laboratory. PATIENT(S): Healthy oocyte donors and infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. INTERVENTION(S): IVF. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Gene expression levels of KISS1, KISS1R, TAC3, and TACR3 in human mural granulosa and cumulus cells. RESULT(S): Infertile women showed statistically significantly altered expression levels of KISS1 (-2.57 ± 2.30 vs. -1.37 ± 2.11), TAC3 (-1.21 ± 1.40 vs. -1.49 ± 1.98), and TACR3 (-0.77 ± 1.36 vs. -0.03 ± 0.56) when compared with healthy oocyte donors. Advanced maternal age patients, endometriosis patients, and low responders showed specific and altered expression profiles in comparison with oocyte donors. CONCLUSION(S): Abnormal expression levels of KISS1/KISS1R and TAC3/TACR3 systems in granulosa cells might be involved in the decreased fertility associated to advanced maternal age, endometriosis, and low ovarian response.