International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Year:2018 | Volume:16 | Issue:8|Papers Count:8

Background: Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is considered as a good marker for quantitative evaluation of ovarian response to the stimulation during assisted reproductive technology cycles. Objective: To evaluate the association between serum AMH level and embryo morphokinetics using time-lapse imaging and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Materials and Methods: We evaluated a total of 547 embryos from 100 women underwent ICSI cycles; 50 women with PCOS and 50 women with tubal factor infertility. Serum AMH level was measured in all participants. Time-laps records were annotated for time to pronuclear fading (tPNf), time to 2-8 cells (t2-t8), reverse cleavage, direct cleavage, and also for the presence of multinucleation. Results: AMH was negatively correlated with t5, t8, and the third cell cycle (p=0. 02, p=0. 02, and p=0. 01; respectively) in PCOS group. AMH had no correlation with embryo kinetics in infertile women with tubal factor infertility. Moreover, AMH level is similar between embryos with and without direct cleavage as well as reverse cleavage and Multinucleation in both groups. The Receiver operating characteristic curves analyses indicated that AMH was not an accurate predictor of clinical pregnancy as well as a live birth (AUC=0. 59 [95% CI, 0. 42-0. 76]) in PCOS women. However, in the women with tubal factor infertility AMH showed a fair prediction value for clinical pregnancy (AUC=0. 64 [95% CI, 0. 48-0. 82]) along with the live birth (AUC=0. 70 [95% CI, 0. 55-0. 85]). Conclusion: Some of the time-lapse embryo parameters may be related to the AMH concentration. However, AMH is not an accurate tool to predict the ICSI outcomes in PCOS women.

Background: Tumor protein p53 (TP53) is a tumor suppressor transcriptional regulator protein which plays a critical role in the spermatogenesis. One of the most important regulators of p53 is Murine double minute 2 (MDM2), which acts as a negative regulator of the p53 pathway. Based on the key role of p53 and MDM2 in germ cell apoptosis, polymorphisms that cause a change in their function might affect germ cell apoptosis and the risk of male infertility. Objective: This study was designed to examine associations of TP53 72 Arg>Pro (rs1042522), and MDM2 309 T>G (rs937283) polymorphisms with spermatogenetic failure in Iranian population. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 150 nonobstructive azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and 150 fertile controls. The two polymorphisms, 72 Arg>Pro in TP53 and 309 T>G in MDM2, were genotyped using PCR-RFLP and ARMSPCR respectively. Results: Our analyses revealed that the allele and genotype frequencies of the TP53 R72P polymorphism were not significantly different between the cases and controls (p=0. 41, p=0. 40 respectively). Also, no significant differences were found in the allelic (p=0. 46) and genotypic (p=0. 78) distribution of MDM2 309 T>G polymorphism between patients and controls. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that polymorphisms of TP53 and MDM2 genes are unlikely to contribute to the pathogenesis of male infertility with spermatogenetic failure.

Background: Leptin resistance is associated with lower reproductive efficiency, with deficiencies in embryo viability and growth leading to low prolificacy and high incidence of intrauterine growth restriction. Objective: We aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the leptin-resistance, evaluating the antioxidant homeostasis of leptin-resistant and lean swine fetuses. Materials and Methods: The study included 70 plasma samples from fetuses at day 62 of gestation (mid-pregnancy), from breeds with (Iberian breed; n=35) and without leptin resistance (25% Large White x 25% Landrace x 50% Pietrain; n=35). The antioxidant status of the plasma samples was determined by photoinduced chemiluminescence whilst systemic oxidative stress was assessed determining plasma hydrogen peroxide concentration by enzimoimmunoassay. Results: Plasma total antioxidant capacity was significantly lower in leptin-resistant fetuses (p=0. 003), whilst systemic oxidative stress was increased (p=0. 02). Conclusion: Our results indicate key differences in the antioxidant status in pregnancies affected by leptin resistance.

Background: The study of microRNA expression can be effective in the diagnosing and treating different diseases. miR-135a is one of the most important microribonucleic acids involved in endometriosis. Among the genes that become the target of the miR-135a and are subjected to changes in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis is HOXA10 gene which is expressed in the endometrium in response to steroid hormones. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of miR-135a and its relationship with the level of HOXA10 gene expression in both endometrial ectopic and eutopic tissues in patients with endometriosis compared to the control samples. Materials and Methods: In this prospective case-control study, both case-eutopic and case-ectopic tissue samples were obtained from 17 women with endometriosis and the eutopic endometrial tissue was sampled from 17 women with normal endometrium as the control group. The gene's expression of miR-135a and HOXA10 were investigated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (q-RT PCR). Results: A significant decrease in the expression of HOXA10 gene was detected in case-eutopic during the luteal phase compared to the control samples (p=0. 001), while in the case-ectopic, the expression of this gene was increased (p=0. 681) compared to the control samples. In addition, the expression miR-135a in the luteal phase showed a remarkable increase in the case-eutopic endometrial tissue (p=0. 026) as well as a significant decrease in the case-ectopic endometrial tissue compared to the control samples (p=0. 008). Conclusion: Considering the inverse relations between the over-expression of miR-135a and the reduction of HOXA10, it seems that miR-135a may be applied as an endometrial diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker.

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is a significant signaling molecule that involves in initiating of differentiation and performs multifunctional effects on embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and embryos. Objective: The goal of the present study was to evaluate an in vitro differentiation model of mouse embryonic stem cells into germ cells, using BMP4. Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, we used Oct4-GFP mouse ESCs to form embryoid body (EB) aggregations for two days. Then, single cells from EB were cultured for four days with BMP4. Using MTT assay and gene expression levels for evaluation of Mvh and Riken by real-time RT-PCR of six concentrations, 12. 5 ng/ ml BMP4 was determined as an optimized dose. Then, the expression level of Fkbp6, Mov10l1, 4930432K21Rik, Tex13, Mvh, Scp3, Stra8, Oct4 were evaluated. Flow cytometry and immunostaning were used to confirm the findings of the real-time RT-PCR. Results: In the +BMP4 group, the genes encoding Riken (p≤ 0. 001) and Mvh (p≤ 0. 001) were found to be increased with significant differences compared with the control group. Mov10l1 (p=0. 22), Tex13 (p=0. 10), Fkbp6 (p=0. 90), Scp3 (p=0. 61) and Stra8 (p=0. 08) were up-regulated without significance differences compared with control group. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the mean number of Mvhpositive cells in the +BMP4 group was greater when compared with ESCs,-BMP4 and EB groups (p=0. 03, p≤ 0. 001, p=0. 02, respectively). Conclusion: Down-regulation of Oct4, expression of germ cells genes and meiosis markers expression raise this hypothesis that ESCs were differentiated by BMP4, and may be introduced into the first meiosis as germ cell-like cells.

Background: Atrazine as a herbicide may affect the human’ s health. Crocin may protect atrazine-induced damages. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of atrazine on mice testicular tissue and sperm parameters and protective effects of Crocin on probably atrazine-induced damages. Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, 24 pregnant Balb/c mice were randomly divided to 4 groups: I: Atrazine (10 mg/kg), II: Atrazine-Crocin, III: Crocin (10mg/kg) and IV: Normal saline. Administrations were done daily by gavage during pregnancy and lactation. In the end, two male offspring were randomly selected from every mother and sacrificed respectively on 23 and 75 postnatal days. Then, their epididymides were removed for sperm parameters investigation and their testes were prepared to evaluate apoptosis by means of TUNEL technique. Results: The mean number of sperms in the atrazine group was lower compared to other groups and increased in the atrazine-crocin group compared with atrazine group significantly (p=0. 001). Sperm abnormality was increased in the atrazine group compared with the normal saline group and decreased in the atrazine-crocin group compared with atrazine group significantly (p≤ 0. 001). TUNEL-positive spermatogonia in 23 days old offspring increased significantly in the atrazine group compared with other groups (p=0. 03). TUNEL-positive spermatogenic cells in 75 days old offspring was significantly increased in the atrazine group compared with the saline group (p≤ 0. 001). Conclusion: Atrazine exposure may lead to decrease the number of sperms, increase sperms abnormality, spermatogenic cell apoptosis and height of germinal epithelium. These complications may improve by crocin administration.

Background: Obesity may establish a crucial barrier for effective fertility treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) females. Objective: To compare results of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in females with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome and further appraise the effect of obesity in PCOS females. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study from June 2015 to July 2016 included non-PCOS and PCOS (recognized by Rotterdam criteria) females who underwent ICSI. The PCOS were further stratified into non-obese and Obese according to the South Asian criteria for body mass index. Results were categorized on the basis of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and transvaginal scan into non-pregnant (β-hCG <25 mIU/ml), preclinical abortion (β-hCG >25 mIU/ml with no fetal cardiac activity) and clinical pregnancy (β-hCG >25 mIU/ml with fetal cardiac activity on transvaginal scan). In addition, reproductive outcomes; implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate among obese and non-obese PCOS and non-PCOS patients were compared. Results: Our results revealed 38. 5% clinical pregnancy rate in non-PCOs females, 23. 8% in non-obese PCOS females whereas 26. 4% in obese PCOS. Preclinical abortions were found to be highest (31. 5%) in non-obese PCOS females and were the lowest (26. 2%) in non-PCOS females. In non-PCOS group and non-obese PCOS females 35. 4% and 44. 6%, respectively, failed to become pregnant. Conclusion: The success after ICSI in terms of number of clinical pregnancies was more in non-PCOS patients as compared to PCOS. Increase in body mass index reflected a negative impact on the reproductive outcome in PCOS patients.

Background: Both oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and estradiol valerate (E2) have been used to schedule a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Since the suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone by OCPs can stay 5-7 days after stopping the pills, it seems that starting the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) after 6 days of pre-treatment discontinuation may be important in IVF outcomes. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the number of mature oocyte and pregnancy rate of three pretreatment methods for fresh embryo transfer cycles. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, two-hundred ten women (18-35 yr and less than 2 previous IVF attempts) undergoing IVF with the GnRH antagonist protocol were randomized to the OCP, E2, and no pretreatment arms. OCP group (n=53) received OCP (ethinyl estradiol30 μ g and levonorgestrel150 μ g), E2 group (n=63) received 4 mg/day oral E2 (17β ‐ E2) for 10 days from day 20 of the previous cycle and GnRH antagonist stimulation was started 6 days after the interruption of OCP and E2. The control group (n =70) did not receive any pretreatment. Results: No significant difference was observed in the mean number of the mature oocyte, endometrial thickness, and embryo quality. The pregnancy rate in E2 group was higher than the two other groups (42. 9% vs 39. 6% and 34. 3% in OCP and control group, respectively), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0. 59). Conclusion: It seems OCP or E2 pretreatment could not improve the fresh IVFembryo transfer outcomes.