Effect of DNA damage of cumulus oophorus cells and lymphocytes analyzed by alkaline comet assay on oocyte quality and intracytoplasmic sperm injection success among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Abstract

Cumulus oophorus cells (COC) exhibit a close relationship with the oocytes. We aimed to determine the role of the DNA integrity of COC and lymphocytes on the oocyte and embryo quality and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) success. The COC obtained with the mechanical denudation of each oocyte and the lymphocytes obtained on oocyte retrieval day from 69 infertile polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients were used. The tail length, tail moment and tail DNA percentage were evaluated using an alkaline comet assay. The oocytes and embryos were graded. Clinical pregnancy was defined as the presence of a gestational sac with a beating heart. All of the DNA integrity parameters of the COC and lymphocytes were similar between the good and poor quality oocytes and between the good and poor quality embryos. There was no relationship between the DNA damage parameters and the fertilization and clinical pregnancy. The day 2 hormone levels, body mass index and age were negatively correlated with the DNA integrity parameters. No links were found between the embryo and oocyte scores and the DNA damage parameters. The DNA integrity of the COC and lymphocytes did not seem to be related to the oocyte and embryo quality and ICSI success.