What next for preimplantation genetic screening? A polar body approach!

Screening of human preimplantation embryos for numerical chromosome abnormalities has been conducted mostly at the preimplantation stage using fluorescence in situ hybridization. However, it is clear that preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) as it is currently practiced does not improve live birth rates. Therefore the ESHRE PGS Task Force has decided to start a proof of principle study with the aim of determining whether biopsy of the first and second polar body followed by subsequent analysis of the complete chromosome complement of these polar bodies using an array based technique enables a timely identification of the chromosomal status of an oocyte. If the principle of this approach can be proven, it is obvious that a multicentre randomized controlled trial should then be started to determine the clinical value of this technique. In this way the ESHRE PGS Task Force hopes to redirect preimplantation screening from the blind alley to the main road of assisted reproduction

Polar body array CGH for prediction of the status of the corresponding oocyte. Part I: clinical results

Several randomized controlled trials have not shown a benefit from preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) biopsy of cleavage-stage embryos and assessment of up to 10 chromosomes for aneuploidy. Therefore, a proof-of-principle study was planned to determine the reliability of alternative form of PGS, i.e. PGS by polar body (PB) biopsy, with whole genome amplification and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) analysis. In two centres, all mature metaphase II oocytes from patients who consented to the study were fertilized by ICSI. The first and second PBs (PB1and PB2) were biopsied and analysed separately for chromosome copy number by array CGH. If either or both of the PBs were found to be aneuploid, the corresponding zygote was then also processed by array CGH for concordance analysis. Both PBs were biopsied from a total of 226 zygotes from 42 cycles (average 5.5 per cycle; range 1-15) in 41 couples with an average maternal age of 40.0 years. Of these, the ploidy status of the zygote could be predicted in 195 (86%): 55 were euploid (28%) and 140 were aneuploid (72%). With only one exception, there was at least one predicted aneuploid zygote in each cycle and in 19 out of 42 cycles (45%), all zygotes were predicted to be aneuploid. Fresh embryos were transferred in the remaining 23 cycles (55%), and one frozen transfer was done. Eight patients had a clinical pregnancy of which seven were evolutive (ongoing pregnancy rates: 17% per cycle and 30% per transfer). The ploidy status of 156 zygotes was successfully analysed by array CGH: 38 (24%) were euploid and 118 (76%) were aneuploid. In 138 cases complete information was available on both PBs and the corresponding zygotes. In 130 (94%), the ploidy status of the zygote was concordant with the ploidy status of the PBs and in 8 (6%), the results were discordant. This proof-of-principle study indicates that the ploidy of the zygote can be predicted with acceptable accuracy by array CGH analysis of both PB

Comment on Checa MA et al. J Assist Reprod Genet DOI 10.1007/s10815-009-9328-4

Comment in J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009 May;26(5):273-283.link_to_OA_fulltex

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption - Connections To Experiment

The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique has been applied to investigate fundamental aspects of matrix-assisted laser desorption. In this paper, we focus on direct comparisons of the results from the simulations with experimental data and on establishing links between the measured or calculated parameters and the basic mechanisms of molecular ejection. The results on the fluence dependence of the ablation/desorption yields and composition of the ejected plume are compared with mass spectrometry and trapping plate experiments. Implications of the prediction of a fluence threshold for ablation are discussed. The strongly forward-peaked velocity and angular distributions of matrix and analyte molecules, predicted in the simulations, are related to the experimental distributions. The shapes and amplitudes of the acoustic waves transmitted from the absorption region through the irradiated sample are compared to recent photoacoustic measurements and related to the ejection mechanisms. The conformational changes during plume evolution and the ejection velocities of analyte molecules are studied and the directions for future investigations are discussed. Finally, we demonstrate that the MD simulation technique can be used to model other processes relevant to mass spectrometry applications, such as laser disintegration of aerosol particles and laser ablation in the presence of photochemical reactions