Relationships between lipids levels in blood plasma, follicular fluid and seminal plasma with ovarian response and sperm concentration regardless of age and body mass index / Relación entre los niveles de lípidos en plasma, líquido folicular y plasma seminal con la respuesta ovárica y concentración espermática independientemente de la edad y el índice de masa corporal

Purpose: There is a considerable literature supporting the role of lipids in fertility. However, little is known about their impact on male and female gametes. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between lipids levels in serum, follicular fluid and seminal plasma with ovarian response and sperm concentration regardless of age and body mass index (BMI).Methods: 51 follicular fluid and serum samples of IVF-ICSI cycles and 52 seminal plasma and serum samples of males in the infertility study were analyzed for cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. The parameters used to assess gonadal response were number of mature oocytes in metaphase II and total motile sperm. Differences between groups were studied by means Principal Component Analysis, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson correlation, Student's T, and multivariate linear regression.Results: Using a multivariate linear regression model to exclude the effect of the age and BMI, we found that the lipid profile in follicular fluid and plasma influence inversely and significantly on ovarian response and the number of matured oocytes recovered. Moreover, we found that seminal lipid levels are predictors of seminal quality independent of plasma lipid values.Conclusion: Our current analysis demonstrates the association of low ovarian response and low number of motile sperms with abnormal lipids levels. (AU)

Objetivo: Existen muchas publicaciones que apoyan el papel de los lípidos en la fertilidad. Sin embargo, se sabe poco sobre su impacto en los gametos masculinos y femeninos. Nuestro estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar las relaciones entre los niveles de lípidos en plasma sanguíneo, líquido folicular y plasma seminal con la respuesta ovárica y concentración espermática, independientemente de la edad y el índice de masa corporal (IMC).Métodos: Se analizaron 51 muestras de plasma sanguíneo y líquido folicular de ciclos de FIV-ICSI y 52 muestras de plasma sanguíneo y plasma seminal de varones en estudio de infertilidad para analizar el nivel de colesterol, triglicéridos y ácidos grasos no esterificados. Los parámetros utilizados para evaluar la respuesta gonadal fueron el número de ovocitos maduros y el número total de espermatozoides móviles. Las diferencias entre los grupos se estudiaron mediante la prueba de análisis de componentes principales, la prueba de Kolmogorov-Smirnov, la correlación de Pearson, la T de Student y regresión lineal multivariante.Resultados: Utilizando un modelo de regresión lineal multivariante para excluir el efecto de la edad y el IMC, se encontró que el perfil de lípidos en el líquido folicular y el plasma influyen inversa y significativamente en la respuesta ovárica y el número de ovocitos maduros recuperados. Además, los niveles de lípidos seminales son predictores de calidad seminal independientemente de los valores de lípidos en plasma.Conclusión: Los resultados de este estudio demuestran la asociación de la baja respuesta ovárica y bajo número de espermatozoides móviles con niveles anormales de lípidos. (AU)

Relationships between lipids levels in blood plasma, follicular fluid and seminal plasma with ovarian response and sperm concentration regardless of age and body mass index.

PURPOSE: There is a considerable literature supporting the role of lipids in fertility. However, little is known about their impact on male and female gametes. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between lipids levels in serum, follicular fluid and seminal plasma with ovarian response and sperm concentration regardless of age and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: 51 follicular fluid and serum samples of IVF-ICSI cycles and 52 seminal plasma and serum samples of males in the infertility study were analyzed for cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. The parameters used to assess gonadal response were number of mature oocytes in metaphase II and total motile sperm. Differences between groups were studied by means Principal Component Analysis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson correlation, Student's T, and multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: Using a multivariate linear regression model to exclude the effect of the age and BMI, we found that the lipid profile in follicular fluid and plasma influence inversely and significantly on ovarian response and the number of matured oocytes recovered. Moreover, we found that seminal lipid levels are predictors of seminal quality independent of plasma lipid values. CONCLUSION: Our current analysis demonstrates the association of low ovarian response and low number of motile sperms with abnormal lipids levels.

Can DNA fragmentation of neat or swim-up spermatozoa be used to predict pregnancy following ICSI of fertile oocyte donors?

This study compared the potential of assessing sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) from neat semen and the subsequent swim-up (SU) procedure to predict pregnancy when conducting ICSI of fertile donor oocytes. Infertile females (n=81) were transferred embryos resulting from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of their partner's spermatozoa and proven donor oocytes. This model normalized the impact of female factor in putative sperm DNA repair. Semen was blindly assessed for SDF using Halosperm immediately following ejaculation (NS) and after swim-up at the time of ICSI fertilisation. There was a decrease in SDF values of the ejaculated semen sample following the swim-up protocol (P=0.000). Interestingly, pregnancy could be equally predicted from SDF values derived from either neat or swim-up semen samples. Receiver operator curves and the derived Youden's indices determined SDF cutoff values for NS and SU of 24.8% and 17.5%, respectively. Prediction of pregnancy from NS SDF had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 69%, whereas for SU SDF was 78% and 73%, respectively. While increased levels of SDF negatively impact reproductive outcome, we have shown that a reduction in SDF following sperm selection using ICSI with proven donor oocytes is not mandatory for achieving pregnancy. This suggests that a certain level of DNA damage that is not detectable using current technologies could be impacting on the relative success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. Consequently, we propose a modification of the so called 'iceberg model' as a possible rationale for understanding the role of SDF in reproductive outcome.