ABSTRACT
Background: Exact mechanisms of fetal harm following vitrification are still unknown. This study was conducted to evaluate the cryopreservation impact on the expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor [EGFR] gene in mouse 2-cell and blastocysts
Methods: To stimulate ovulation in mice, hCG was injected, followed by collecting 2-cells and blastocysts after 44-46 and 88-89 hr, respectively. These embryos were divided into two case and control groups. The fresh case group was cryopreserved using cryotop and warmed after 4 mounts. Normal 2-cells were selected based on their morphology and their RNA was extracted. Quantitative expression of EGFR gene in both groups was investigated by applying real time-PCR
Results: The statistical real-time [RT]-PCR analyses performed using SPSS revealed that the expression level of EGFR gene was diminished in the case group compared to the control group
Conclusion: The current study indicated the negative effect of cryopreservation on expression amount of EGFR gene in 2-cell and blastocyst mouse embryos
ABSTRACT
Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Environmental and genetic factors are involved in male infertility. The polymorphism studies have a crucial role in disease recognition. Paraoxonase [PON] is an oxidant enzyme which is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PON1 192 Q/R polymorphism and the susceptibility to idiopathic male infertility
Methods: Samples were collected from 220 patients diagnosed with male infertility and 230 controls genotyped by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism [PCR-RFLP]
Results: A significant difference in genotype distributions of PON1 192 Q/R polymorphism was observed between patients and controls [p=0.001]. Our findings revealed that individuals with the variant QR had a significant decreased risk of idiopathic male infertility [OR=0.49, 95%CI=0.33-0.73, p=0.0004]. Moreover, analyses showed that R allele may have a protective effect on susceptibility of idiopathic male infertility [OR=0.31, 95%CI=0.21-0.47, p=0.0001]
Conclusion: The data from this study indicates that the PON1 192 Q/R polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of idiopathic male infertility. However, more studies should be considered with larger number of patients and control subjects to confirm our results
ABSTRACT
Background: Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse. A large proportion of infertile men fail to impregnate their female counterpart due to lack of sperm [azoospermia] or too little sperm [oligozoospermia]. Infertility may also be due to estrogens, infections, heavy metals, cigarette smoking, reactive oxygen species [ROS] and sperm antibodies. Fas is a member of the TNFR [tumor necrosis factor receptor] family that is widely expressed on the surface of many different kinds of cells. Fas gene is involved in the apoptosis process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Fas gene polymorphism in male infertility in a population in north of Iran
Methods: This study involved 132 patients with male infertility and 102 healthy controls. DNA samples were extracted from the peripheral blood and genotyped by RFLP-PCR method. Statistical analysis was performed using MedCalc
Results: The frequencies of AA, AG, GG in patients were 31.81%, 54.54% and 13.63%, respectively and in controls were 45.09%, 47.05%, 7.84%, respectively
Conclusion: It is concluded that there is no significant association between Fas-670A/G gene polymorphism and male infertility [p=0.07]. Further studies with larger numbers of patients are required to elucidate the potential role of Fas gene polymorphism in male infertility
ABSTRACT
Background: it is important to protect oocytes and embryos from oxidative stress in the culture medium. Melatonin has been shown to be a direct free radical scavenger
Objective: Effect of melatonin during in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo development of mouse oocytes was evaluated
Materials and Methods: oocytes from supper-ovulated mouse were divided to two groups: cumulus oocyte complexes [COCs, group I] and denuded COC [d-COCs, group II]. The oocytes were cultured in maturation medium with different doses of melatonin [1×10[1]-10[5] nM] The cumulus expansion and nuclear status were evaluated after 24 h of in-vitro maturation. The oocytes were used for in-vitro fertilization. The fertilized oocytes were cultured in medium supplemented with different doses of melatonin
Results: the expansion [86.79%] and maturation [80.55%] rate of COCs increased in supplemented medium with 10 nM of melatonin vs. control group [73.33%], p=0.006 and p=0.026 respectively], but oocytes without cumulus cells indicated higher maturation rate at higher melatonin doses [10 and 100 ?M, 84.34% and 79.5% respectively[ vs. 69.33% in control group [p=0.002]. Fertilization rate was higher in treated medium with 1 [micro]M of melatonin [93.75%, p=0.007]
The rate of cleavage and blastocyst formation was promoted in medium supplemented with 10 and 100 nM of melatonin [92.37% and 89.36% vs. 81.25% in control group, p=0.002] We observed a dose dependent response to melatonin treatment in this experiment
Conclusion: exogenous melatonin can promote cumulus cell expansion, in vitro oocyte maturation, and embryo development. However we investigated a dose-dependent response in different stages of maturation and development. It may reflect sensitive rate of oocytes and embryos to culture conditions