Steroid-depleted polycystic ovarian syndrome serum promotes in vitro oocyte maturation and embryo development

Abstract

In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes obtained from patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered as a novel strategy in order to reduce clinical side effects and cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of PCOS whole and steroid-depleted serums on in vitro oocyte maturation indices. Patients with PCOS were selected according to the Rotterdam criteria. Cumulus–oocyte complexes and blood serums were collected and pooled. Cumulus cells and immature oocytes were treated with 10% whole or steroid-depleted serums. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) expression levels in cumulus cells were evaluated by quantitative PCR. Fatty acid composition of cumulus cells was analyzed using gas–liquid chromatography. Polar body observation was considered as the oocyte maturation index. Oleate (1.28-fold, p = .006), SCD1 expression (450-fold, p = .001), and COX2 expression (35-fold, p = .02) in cumulus cell, as well as oocyte maturation (p < .001) and in vitro embryo development (p < .05) were significantly higher in treatment with steroid-depleted serum compared to that of whole serum. Steroid depletion of PCOS serum improved its capacity to increase success rate of oocyte maturation, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection and early embryo development.

Chinese abstract

多囊卵巢综合征类固醇的降低能够促进卵母细胞体外成熟及胚胎发育

摘要

从多囊性卵巢综合征(PCOS)患者身上获得未成熟卵母细胞进行体外成熟被认为是一种降低临床副作用和体外受精(IVF)技术成本的新策略。本研究的目的是评价PCOS全血清和剥离类固醇血清对体外卵母细胞成熟指数的影响。根据鹿特丹标准对PCOS患者进行筛选后, 收集她们的卵母细胞复合物和血清。分别用10%全血清和剥离类固醇血清处理卵丘细胞和未成熟卵母细胞。通过PCR定量硬脂酰辅酶A(SCD1)和环氧酶2(COX2)在卵丘细胞中的表达水平进行评估, 并采用气液色谱法分析卵丘细胞的脂肪酸组成。极体的出现被认为是卵母细胞成熟的标志。与全血清相比, 使用剥离类固醇的血清处理的卵丘细胞中的油酸量(1.28倍,p = 0.006),SCD1表达(450倍,p = 0.001),和COX2表达(35-fold,p1⁄4.02)明显更多, 卵母细胞成熟(p <0.001)和体外胚胎发育(p < 0. 05)的发生也明显更高。PCOS患者剥离类固醇血清提高了其促进卵母细胞成熟、胞浆内精子注射和早期胚胎发育成功率的能力。

关键词: 环氧酶2（COX2）; 卵丘细胞; 体外成熟技术; 多囊卵巢综合征; 硬脂酰辅酶A（SCD1）

Keywords:

• COX2
• cumulus cells
• IVM
• PCOS
• SCD1

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Sarbakhsh, the infertility staff of Tabriz Women University Hospital.

Disclosure statement

There is no potential conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This paper is based on a Master thesis of Medical Biotechnology (Thesis No. 93/2-10/8) supported by a grant from the Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.