High-density lipoprotein (HDL) in follicular fluid (FF) and its component proteins appear to have protective roles in the health of oocytes and early embryo development, US study findings indicate.
R. Browne, from University at Buffalo, State University of New York, and colleagues determined HDL lipids, apolipoprotein (Apo)AI, paraoxonase (PON)1, and PON3 activity in serum and FF samples obtained from 60 women undergoing IVF.
Embryo cell number (ECN) and embryo fragmentation score (EFS) were used as embryo morphology parameters and surrogate markers of oocyte health.
In FF, all biochemical parameters were significantly lower than in serum, aside from PON3 levels, which were significantly higher in FF than in serum.
EFS was negatively predicted by HDL and ApoAI levels in FF, at respective odds ratios of 0.66 and 0.13. However, their effects were not independent, with levels of one moderating the effects of the other.
In addition, when the analysis was restricted to day 3 embryo transfers, PON1-arylesterase activity in FF was a significant predictor of ECN, at an odds ratio of 1.09.
"Our pilot study establishes the possibility that HDL and/or its component proteins have the potential to predict embryo fragmentation and cell number in women undergoing IVF," the team concludes.
