Fibronectin and glycosaminoglycans in human preovulatory follicular fluid and their correlation to follicular maturation.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of two extracellular matrix constituents--fibronectin (FN) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG)--in the development of human ovarian follicles. One-hundred-and-one samples of human follicular fluid (HFF) aspirated from patients participating in an IVF-ET programme were assayed for FN, GAG, protein, progesterone (P) and oestradiol (E2). FN/protein and FN/GAG ratios increased significantly with volume of HFF and with follicular P levels. In contrast, GAG/protein ratios decreased significantly with HFF volume, follicular P and E2. Ratios of FN/protein correlated positively with maturity of oocytes; 3.1 +/- 0.5 with dysmature, 4.2 +/- 0.5 with immature, 8.5 +/- 1.0 with intermediate and 7.8 +/- 0.5 with mature oocytes. Ratios of GAG/protein were inversely correlated with maturity of oocytes; 11.0 +/- 1.0 with dysmature, 12.5 +/- 1.4 with immature, 8.9 +/- 0.9 with intermediate and 9.2 +/- 0.5 with mature oocytes. Ratios of FN/GAG correlated with maturity of oocytes; 0.3 +/- 0.02 with dysmature, 0.4 +/- 0.1 with immature, 1.2 +/- 0.2 with intermediate and 1.1 +/- 0.1 with mature oocytes. Furthermore, follicles leading to oocytes which fertilized showed significantly higher FN/protein and FN/GAG ratios than those yielding oocytes which remained unfertilized. In contrast, GAG/protein ratios were significantly lower in follicles with which oocytes fertilized than in those with oocytes which did not fertilize. These results suggest that FN and GAG can be useful markers for follicular development and the potential of the oocyte to be fertilized.