Assessment of follicular fluid metabolomics of polycystic ovary syndrome in kidney yang deficiency syndrome

Abstract

IntroductionGiven the frequent use of traditional Chinese herbal medicine by women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the absence of robust evidence for taking Chinese herbs in accordance with different traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes (including ‘Kidney Yang Deficiency syndrome’ (KYDS), this study was designed to investigate the metabolomic characteristics of follicular fluid in PCOS patients with KYDS. Method(s)A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect follicular fluid data from 100 infertile women participating in in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols, including 33 patients with KYDS in PCOS and 67 healthy women whose partners showed male factor infertility. Novel SWATHtoMRM metabolomics method was used for providing the broad coverage and excellent quantitative capability to discovery the human follicular fluid metabolites related to PCOS with KYDS. Based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), an analysis platform of follicular fluid (FF) metabolomics was established; and the changes in 2 groups of metabolic profiles were observed by principal component analysis (PCA). Result(s)Significant changes were identified in follicular fluid for example; phenylalanine, tryptophan, hemolysis phosphatidyl choline chloride, linoleic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, vitamin D, and 28 other metabolites. The biochemical changes involved 12 different metabolic pathways, including metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids, and biosynthesis of bile acids. Our results will provide a more objective and scientific understanding of the KYDS of PCOS. ConclusionsAccording to our study, FF metabolomics will not only constitute an important tool with which to study TCM syndrome theory, but will also provide an experimental basis for the use of Chinese herbal medicine to treat individuals with PCOS with KYDS.