Noninvasive embryo evaluation method combining timelapse images with biomarkers in follicular fluid and serum

Abstract

香川県立保健医療大学博士（臨床検査学）application/pdfThesis or DissertationTo increase the success rate of assisted reproductive technologies, embryos with high developmental and implantation potential should be identified and selected. Here, we sought to establish a noninvasive and highly accurate embryo selection method by combining time-lapse monitoring parameters（ at S2 and S3） with the following biomarkers in the follicular fluid（ FF） and serum samples obtained from study subjects（ using 70 eggs, FF, and serum in 58 cycles of conventional in vitro fertilization [c-IVF]）: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate（ DHEA-S）, insulin-like growth factor 1 （IGF- 1）, reactive oxygen metabolites （d-ROMs）, biological antioxidant potential （BAP）, and an oxidative stress index （OSI: d-ROMs/BAP × 100）. Our analyses revealed significant positive correlations between some of the biomarkers in FF and serum: DHEA-S（ r=0.88; p<0.01）, IGF-1（ r=0.83; p<0.01）, d-ROMs（ r=0.55; p<0.01）, and OSI （r= 0. 45; p< 0. 01）. The BAP value was higher in FF than in serum in many cases. The follicular OSI in the abnormal fertilization（ AF） group tended to be higher than that in the normalfertilization（NF） group. The FF values of DHEA-S and IGF-1 and the serum DHEA-S tended to be higher in the NF group and blastocyst formation （BF） group. S 2 and S 3 were shortened in the NF and BF groups. These findings suggest that （1） oxidative stress is related to abnormal fertilization, （2） DHEA-S and IGF- 1 are associated with normal fertilization and blastocyst formation, and（ 3） S2 and S3 are useful timepoints for evaluating embryos