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Oxidative stress markers in the follicular fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome correlate with a decrease in embryo quality

  • Reproductive Physiology and Disease
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Elevated oxidative stress has been proposed as an important factor in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-related infertility. Our study was aimed at simultaneously exploring local and systemic oxidative stress in PCOS individuals and its relationship with embryo quality.

Methods

We recruited 86 PCOS cases and 60 controls. Five representative oxidative stress markers, namely, total oxidant capacity (TOC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malonaldehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were measured in both follicular fluid (FF) and serum.

Results

Women with PCOS compared to normal controls had higher levels of TOC in both FF (10.13 ± 2.68 vs.7.03 ± 2.45, P < 0.001) and serum (11.76 ± 2.92 vs. 8.82 ± 2.57, P < 0.001). The oxidative stress index (OSI, the ratio of TOC to TAC) was also higher in PCOS cases. They were still significant after BMI adjustment (Padj<0.01). In addition, the serum OSI level was much higher than the FF OSI level in both groups. Correlation analysis showed that the FF and serum TOC were negatively correlated with the high-quality embryo rate on day 3 and the later blastocyst formation rate in the PCOS group (P < 0.05). The correlation coefficient was higher in FF. Moreover, as the regression analysis data showed, the FF MDA level was significantly associated with embryo quality indicators (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

PCOS was accompanied by elevated oxidative stress in both serum and FF. Even though serum oxidative stress was severe, the study suggested that FF oxidative stress contributed more to embryo quality, to which we should give more attention in the future.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1004000), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31871509, 81622021, and 82071606), National Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (JQ201816), Innovative Research Team of High-Level Local Universities in Shanghai (SSMU-ZLCX20180401), Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province (2019GSF108274), and Young Scholars Program of Shandong University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China

    Yue Liu, Zhiheng Yu, Shigang Zhao, Lei Cheng, Yuanyuan Man, Xueying Gao & Han Zhao

  2. Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China

    Yue Liu, Zhiheng Yu, Shigang Zhao, Lei Cheng, Yuanyuan Man, Xueying Gao & Han Zhao

  3. Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China

    Yue Liu, Zhiheng Yu, Shigang Zhao, Lei Cheng, Yuanyuan Man, Xueying Gao & Han Zhao

  4. Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China

    Yue Liu, Zhiheng Yu, Shigang Zhao, Lei Cheng, Yuanyuan Man, Xueying Gao & Han Zhao

  5. National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China

    Yue Liu, Zhiheng Yu, Shigang Zhao, Lei Cheng, Yuanyuan Man, Xueying Gao & Han Zhao

  6. Jinan, China

    Han Zhao

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  1. Yue Liu
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  2. Zhiheng Yu
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Contributions

Shigang Zhao was responsible for the conceptualization. Zhiheng Yu was responsible for the methodology. Lei Cheng was responsible for the resources. Han Zhao was responsible for the supervision. Yue Liu wrote the original draft. Yuanyuan Man and Xueying Gao were responsible for the review and editing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Han Zhao.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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The approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Liu, Y., Yu, Z., Zhao, S. et al. Oxidative stress markers in the follicular fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome correlate with a decrease in embryo quality. J Assist Reprod Genet 38, 471–477 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-020-02014-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-020-02014-y

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