Abstract
Follicular fluid (FF) levels of prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), and androstenedione (Δ4A) were related to diversities in oocyte maturation, fertilization, and cleavage among oocytes obtained for in vitro fertilization. Follicles with mature stage I oocytes contained similar concentrations of PRL and E2, more P, and less (Δ4A) compared to follicles containing immature oocytes. Follicles with mature stage II oocytes had higher amounts of P and E2 but similar levels of PRL and (Δ4A) compared to follicles with mature stage I oocytes. Prolactin was lower and E2 higher in FF associated with fertilizable oocytes than in those with unfertilized gametes. Follicles which yielded gametes that ultimately divided to more than four cells had the highest E2 levels, while the lowest E2 concentrations were associated with fertilized, uncleaved eggs. P, (Δ4A), and PRL levels in FF were not related to oocyte cleavage. We conclude that (1) human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) treatment does not necessarily lead to a synchrony or uniformity of preovulatory follicles, (2) maturation of oocytes is associated with rising levels of progesterone and decreasing levels of (Δ4A) in FF, (3) an increased cleavage rate in vitro is associated with higher FF levels of E2, and (4) high levels of PRL in FF are associated with unfertilized oocytes. These findings emphasize that differences in the hormonal milieu surrounding oocytes may have profound effects on the success of in vitro fertilization.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Botero-Ruiz W, Laufer N, DeCherney AH, Polan ML, Haseltine FP, Behrman HR: The relationship between follicular fluid steroid concentrations and successful fertilization of human oocytes in vitro. Fertil Steril 1984;41:820–826
Carson RS, Trounson AO, Findlay JK: Successful fertilization of human oocyte in vitro: Concentration of estradiol17β, progesterone and androstenedione in the antrat fluid of donor follicles. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1982;55:798–803
Fischel EB, Edwards RG, Walters DE: Follicular steroids as a prognosticator of successful fertilization of human oocytes in vitro. J Endocrinol 1983;99:335–344
McNatty KP, Hunter WM, McMeilly AS, Sawers RS: Changes in the concentration of pituitary and steroid hormones in the follicular fluid of human Graffian follicles throughout the menstrual cycle. J Endocrinol 1975;64:555–571
Lee MS, Ben-Rafael Z, Meloni F, Mastroianni L Jr, Flickinger GL: Effects of prolactin on steroidogenesis by human luteinized granulosa cells. Fertil Steril 1986;46:32–36
Demura R, Ono M, Demura H, Shizume K, Oochi H: Prolactin directly inhibits basal as well as gonadotropin-stimulated secretion of progesterone and 17β-estradiol in the human ovary. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1982;54:1246–1250
Richardson DW, Goldsmith LT, Pohl CR, Schallenberger E, Knobil E: The role of prolactin in the regulation of the primate corpus luteum. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1985;60:501–504
Laufer N, Botero-Ruiz W, DeCherney AH, Haseltine F, Polan ML, Behrman HR: Gonadotropin and prolactin levels in follicular fluid of human ova successfully fertilized in vitro. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1984, 58:430–434
Ben-Rafael Z, Kopf GS, Blasco L, Flickinger GL, Tureck RW, Strauss JF, Mastroianni L Jr: Follicular maturation parameters associated with the failure of oocyte retrieval, fertilization, and cleavage in vitro. Fertil Steril 1986;45:51–57
Ben-Rafael Z, Kopf GS, Blasco L, Tureck RW, Mastroianni L Jr: Fertilization and cleavage after reinsemination of human oocytes in vitro. Fertil Steril 1986;45:58–62
Snedecor GW. Cochran WG: Statistical Methods, 6th ed. Ames, Iowa State University Press, 1967, p 120
McNeilly AS, Glasier A, Johassen J, Howie PW: Evidence for direct inhibition of ovarian function by prolactin. J Reprod Fert 1982;65:559–569
Dorrington JH, Gore-Langton RE: Antigonadal action of prolactin: Further studies on the mechanism of inhibition of follicle-stimulating hormone-induced aromatase activity in rat granulosa cell cultures. Endocrinology 1982;110:1701–1707
McNatty KP, Sawers RS, McNeilly AS: A possible role for prolactin in the control of steroid secretion by human Graafian follicle. Nature 1974;250:653–655
Wang C, Hsueh AJW, Erickson GF: Prolactin inhibition of estrogen production by cultured rat granulosa cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol 1980;20:135–144
Brailly S: Androgen and progestins in the human ovarian follicle: Difference in the evolution of preovulatory, healthy nonovulatory, and atretic follicles. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1981:53:128–134
McNatty KP, Baird DT: Relationship between follicle-stimulating hormone, androstenedione and oestradiol in human follicular fluid. J Endocrinol 1978;76:527–531
Thibault C: Are follicular maturation and oocyte maturation independent processes? J Reprod Fert 1977;51:1–15
Meloni F, Ben-Rafael Z, Blasco L, Mastroianni L Jr, Flickinger GL: Bioactive and immunoreactive prolactin in serum and follicular fluid. 33rd Annual Meeting of Society for Gynecological Investigation, Toronto, 19–22 March, 1986, Abstr 279
Forman R, Fishel SB, Edwards RG, Walters E: The influence of transient hyperprolactinemia on in vitro fertilization in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1985;60:517–522
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Fogarty International (NIH, 5TWO3580) Fellow in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, on leave from Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, TelHashomer, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, M., Ben-Rafael, Z., Meloni, F. et al. Relationship of human oocyte maturity, fertilization, and cleavage to follicular fluid prolactin and steroids. J Assist Reprod Genet 4, 168–172 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01555465
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01555465