IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 42 / Issue 4 / DOI: 10.12891/ceog1824.2015

Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology (CEOG) is published by IMR Press from Volume 47 Issue 1 (2020). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with S.O.G.

Original Research
Follicular fluid levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors and pregnancy outcome of women participating in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles
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1 Department of Assisted Reproduction, IASO Thessalias, General, Clinic – Private Obstretics, Larissa
2 Laboratory of Physiology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
3 Laboratory of Biology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
4 Department of Assisted Reproduction, IASO Thessalias, General, Clinic – Private Obstretics, Larissa
5 “Embryocosmogenesis”, Assisted Reproduction Unit of Thrace, Alexandroupolis
6 School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis (Greece)
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2015, 42(4), 437–441; https://doi.org/10.12891/ceog1824.2015
Published: 10 August 2015
Abstract

Purpose: The intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome is depended mainly on oocyte quality. Cytokines and their receptors play a critical role in oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo implantation. The purpose of the study was to study the levels of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFA, VEGFR1, VEGFA) in follicular fluids (FF) women participating in ICSI-in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles in relation to cycle’s outcome. Material and methods: One hundred and fifty three samples of 70 women participating in ICSI cycles were classified in three infertility groups: male factor, female factor, and low responders. For controlled ovarian stimulation in male and female factor group, the long agonist protocol with leuprolide and recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was employed, while the antagonist cetrorelix was used in low responders. Cytokines levels were evaluated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: In a total of 153 samples, the overall pregnancy rate was 51.6%., the higher one observed in female factor group (59% vs 37.5% and 28.6% in male a factor and low responders group, p = 0.013. VEGFR2 differed statistically significantly between the two groups, being higher in the pregnancy group [median (IQR): 5,630 (4,870 - 6,651) vs 4938 (4,068 - 6,020) in the non-pregnancy group, p = 0.003]. There were significant correlations between VEGF receptors, differentiated depending on infertility groups. Conclusions: The VEGFA/VEGFR2 system is important in human reproduction and the association pattern between VEGFA receptors may serve as a marker for ICSI outcome. Examination for spermatozoa functional defects may increase pregnancy rate in male factor group.
Keywords
Infertility
VEGFA
VEGF receptors
ICSI IVF
Pregnancy
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