P-423: High BMP-15 levels in follicular fluid is associated with good oocyte and embryo quality

Abstract

ObjectiveBone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15), an oocyte-derived growth factor, has been proved to be critical for normal fertility in female mammals. However, no dependence relation has been established between BMP-15 and oocyte quality in human ovary. The aim of this study was to investigate the BMP-15 levels in human follicular fluid (FF) and its role in assessing oocyte quality and developmental potential.DesignProspective study.Materials and methodsA total of 84 infertile patients undergoing the first in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) because of tubal obstruction participated in this study. The oocytes of each patient’s first aspirated follicle were individually matured in vitro, and the FF of these follicles was nanalyzed for BMP-15, FSH, estradiol and progesterone levels by western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Embryo quality was categorized as good morphology group if the number of blastomeres was greater than seven cells with less than 5% fragmentation. Fertilization, cleavage and embryo quality outcomes and steroid hormones in FF were related to FF concentration of BMP-15.ResultsComparing BMP-15 levels in FF with the average BMP-15 level, matching oocytes and patients were divided to high group (n=36) and low group (n=48). The clinical characteristics of patients from the two groups were similar in terms of age, body mass index, base FSH, induction days, FSH units used, number of retrieved oocytes and fertilization rate. Among all the 84 samples, 58 (69.0%) oocytes were fertilized, and 53 (91.4%) were cleaved. 15 (28.3%) embryos were morphologically good. Fertilization rates between groups were similar, however, cleavage rate of high group (100%) was significantly higher than that of low group (84.8%, P=0.042). Moreover, only 4 of 28 (14.3%) embryos in low group were good morphology embryos, but 11 of 25 (44%) embryos in high group were good (P = 0.02).BMP-15 levels were significantly inversely correlated with FSH concentrations in FF (Pearson’s r=-0.276, P=0.011). On the contrary, BMP-15 levels were significantly correlated with E2 concentrations (Pearson’s r=0.356, P=0.001). However, the regression analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between BMP-15 levels and progesterone in FF.ConclusionOur study demonstrates that follicular E2 and FSH, but not progesterone, have associations with BMP-15. High follicular BMP-15 level at the time of oocyte collection is correlated with good oocyte and embryo quality. ObjectiveBone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15), an oocyte-derived growth factor, has been proved to be critical for normal fertility in female mammals. However, no dependence relation has been established between BMP-15 and oocyte quality in human ovary. The aim of this study was to investigate the BMP-15 levels in human follicular fluid (FF) and its role in assessing oocyte quality and developmental potential. Bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15), an oocyte-derived growth factor, has been proved to be critical for normal fertility in female mammals. However, no dependence relation has been established between BMP-15 and oocyte quality in human ovary. The aim of this study was to investigate the BMP-15 levels in human follicular fluid (FF) and its role in assessing oocyte quality and developmental potential. DesignProspective study. Prospective study. Materials and methodsA total of 84 infertile patients undergoing the first in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) because of tubal obstruction participated in this study. The oocytes of each patient’s first aspirated follicle were individually matured in vitro, and the FF of these follicles was nanalyzed for BMP-15, FSH, estradiol and progesterone levels by western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Embryo quality was categorized as good morphology group if the number of blastomeres was greater than seven cells with less than 5% fragmentation. Fertilization, cleavage and embryo quality outcomes and steroid hormones in FF were related to FF concentration of BMP-15. A total of 84 infertile patients undergoing the first in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) because of tubal obstruction participated in this study. The oocytes of each patient’s first aspirated follicle were individually matured in vitro, and the FF of these follicles was nanalyzed for BMP-15, FSH, estradiol and progesterone levels by western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Embryo quality was categorized as good morphology group if the number of blastomeres was greater than seven cells with less than 5% fragmentation. Fertilization, cleavage and embryo quality outcomes and steroid hormones in FF were related to FF concentration of BMP-15. ResultsComparing BMP-15 levels in FF with the average BMP-15 level, matching oocytes and patients were divided to high group (n=36) and low group (n=48). The clinical characteristics of patients from the two groups were similar in terms of age, body mass index, base FSH, induction days, FSH units used, number of retrieved oocytes and fertilization rate. Among all the 84 samples, 58 (69.0%) oocytes were fertilized, and 53 (91.4%) were cleaved. 15 (28.3%) embryos were morphologically good. Fertilization rates between groups were similar, however, cleavage rate of high group (100%) was significantly higher than that of low group (84.8%, P=0.042). Moreover, only 4 of 28 (14.3%) embryos in low group were good morphology embryos, but 11 of 25 (44%) embryos in high group were good (P = 0.02).BMP-15 levels were significantly inversely correlated with FSH concentrations in FF (Pearson’s r=-0.276, P=0.011). On the contrary, BMP-15 levels were significantly correlated with E2 concentrations (Pearson’s r=0.356, P=0.001). However, the regression analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between BMP-15 levels and progesterone in FF. Comparing BMP-15 levels in FF with the average BMP-15 level, matching oocytes and patients were divided to high group (n=36) and low group (n=48). The clinical characteristics of patients from the two groups were similar in terms of age, body mass index, base FSH, induction days, FSH units used, number of retrieved oocytes and fertilization rate. Among all the 84 samples, 58 (69.0%) oocytes were fertilized, and 53 (91.4%) were cleaved. 15 (28.3%) embryos were morphologically good. Fertilization rates between groups were similar, however, cleavage rate of high group (100%) was significantly higher than that of low group (84.8%, P=0.042). Moreover, only 4 of 28 (14.3%) embryos in low group were good morphology embryos, but 11 of 25 (44%) embryos in high group were good (P = 0.02).BMP-15 levels were significantly inversely correlated with FSH concentrations in FF (Pearson’s r=-0.276, P=0.011). On the contrary, BMP-15 levels were significantly correlated with E2 concentrations (Pearson’s r=0.356, P=0.001). However, the regression analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between BMP-15 levels and progesterone in FF. ConclusionOur study demonstrates that follicular E2 and FSH, but not progesterone, have associations with BMP-15. High follicular BMP-15 level at the time of oocyte collection is correlated with good oocyte and embryo quality. Our study demonstrates that follicular E2 and FSH, but not progesterone, have associations with BMP-15. High follicular BMP-15 level at the time of oocyte collection is correlated with good oocyte and embryo quality.