Serum sTREM-1 (soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1) associates negatively with embryo quality in infertility patients

PROBLEM: Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) is a useful biomarker of infection and inflammation. METHOD OF STUDY: We studied serum and follicular fluid sTREM-1 in infertile patients (N = 110) utilizing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Serum and follicular sTREM-1 were in good correlation (Pearson's correlation 0.56, P < 0.0001) with higher values in follicular fluid (140.4 ± 34.4 and 115.6 ± 35.1 pg/mL, t-test, P < 0.0001). Endometriosis associated with lower follicular and serum sTREM-1 compared with male factor infertility patients (age-adjusted r = -25.7 pg/mL, P = 0.018; r = -22.1 pg/mL, P = 0.030). No associations between follicular or serum sTREM-1 and clinical parameters were found, except higher serum sTREM-1 associated with lower embryo quality in all patients (adjusted r = -0.3%, P = 0.033), with a cutoff value between 111.5 and 113.3 pg/mL (OR = 0.38, P = 0.048; OR = 0.34, P = 0.028) predicting that more than 39% of embryos would be with good quality. CONCLUSION: Serum sTREM-1 could represent a prognostic marker for female fecundity, probably indicating impaired inflammatory reaction of immune system.