Evaluation of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in in vitro fertilization-conceived mice / 대한생식의학회지

OBJECTIVE: Concerns about the safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) have been raised, as some studies have shown elevated incidence rates of childhood cancer, asthma, allergies, and other diseases in ART-conceived babies. Findings regarding the health of ART-conceived babies are controversial. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) in in vitro fertilization (IVF)-conceived mice in comparison to naturally conceived offspring. METHODS: Mice (6–8 weeks) were divided into two groups (IVF-conceived and naturally conceived) matched by sex, age, weight, and litter size. A 1-mL blood sample was taken and the sera were separated. The oxidant-antioxidant balance was evaluated using a fast and reliable PAB assay. The results were expressed as mean±standard deviation. RESULTS: The mean PAB values (HK units) in the IVF-conceived and naturally conceived groups were 59.70±22.30 and 54.70±18.22, respectively (p=0.82). CONCLUSION: Since free radicals contribute to several pathological conditions and antioxidants play an important protective role against oxidative stress, evaluating the oxidant-antioxidant balance is very important. Although the results of this study showed that the quality of the defense mechanism against free radicals was not significantly different between the IVF-conceived and naturally conceived mice, other parameters of metabolic dysfunction need to be measured.

[Evaluation of thrombophilic factors in women with PCOS]

Polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS] is associated with insulin-induced elevations of plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI-1], the most potent inhibitor of fibrinolysis. Hypofibrinolysis due to increased PAI-1 levels in PCOS patients bears a high risk for miscarriage and some other pregnancy complications which are probably due to increased thrombophilic states. In this study we compared thrombophilic factors in women with PCOS with those of healthy women. This analytical study was performed on 123 infertile women with PCOS as the case group, and 73 women non-PCOS women with male factor infertility as the control group. All the individuals attended Rouin Tan Arsh Hospital for receiving fertility treatment in Tehran, Iran during 2008. Blood samples were taken from both groups on the third day of menstrual cycle for the evaluation of protein S, activated protein C resistance [APC-R], hemocysteine, FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, FBS and 2-hr GTT. The mean protein S and APC-R values were lower in the case group compared to the controls, but the differences were not statistically significant [p=0.752 and p=0.603, respectively]. The mean hemocysteine value was higher in the control than the case groups [13.25 mmol/l vs. 12.49 mmol/l, respectively] but this difference was not significant either [p=0.157]. PCOS and older age tended to elevate hemocysteine [p<0.05]. Comparison of thrombophilic factors in women with PCOS and women without the disease showed no significant statistical differences. PCOS and older age seemed to raise the risk for abnormal changes in hemocysteine levels

Comparison of serum uric acid, iron and total iron binding capacity [TIBC] levels in pre-eclamptic and normal pregnant women

The objective of our study was to compare uric acid, iron and TIBC levels in normal and preeclamptic pregnant women and determine their relations with maternal and fetal complications. A case control study was conducted in 200 normal and preeclamptic pregnant women. At 32-40 weeks of pregnancy [third trimester] a blood test was taken in order to measure the uric acid, iron and TIBC and their relation with maternal and fetal complications. Uric acid level showed significant difference [4.58 +/- 0.73, 4.87 +/- 0.58, p=0.002] between two groups of pre-eclamptic and normal women. The iron and TIBC level had no significant difference in either group. The uric acid level and iron had significant differences between two groups with and without maternal complication, respectively [4.69 +/- 0.66, 5.05 +/- 0.59, p<0.05] [387.42 +/- 82, 405.24 +/- 57, p<0.05]. There was not any difference in three parameters between groups with and without fetal complication. The BMI was significantly higher in preeclamptic group and has positive relation with uric acid level. If we consider 29 as BMI cut-off point; it will be associated with 73% sensitivity and 67% specificity in preeclampsia determination. Using 4.55 as uric acid cut-off point, the sensitivity is 76% and specificity is 49%.Although the higher level of uric acid, higher BMI scale and positive roll-over test are associated with preeclampsia, but they are not very strong predictors as single test