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Associations between follicular fluid high density lipoprotein particle components and embryo quality among in vitro fertilization patients

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

Follicular redox balance is likely to be important for embryo quality during in vitro fertilization (IVF), and the anti-oxidative high desity lipoprotein (HDL) particle is the sole lipoprotein measured in follicular fluid (FF). Therefore, we investigated FF HDL particle components as predictors of embryo quality during IVF.

Methods

Two research follicles collected from each participant were individually tracked, and 103 women having at least one developed embryo were included in the analysis. Concentrations of 15 non-cholesterol HDL particle components and 26 HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) particle size subfractions were determined. Embryo quality was assessed for embryo cell number, embryo fragmentation, and embryo symmetry. Multivariable Poisson regression with a sandwich variance estimator was used to evaluate associations between HDL particle components and embryo quality, adjusted for covariates.

Results

Higher γ-tocopherol concentration was associated with less embryo fragmentation (relative risk [RR] = 4.43; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.78, 11.06), and higher apolipoprotein A-1 concentration was associated with full embryo symmetry (RR = 3.92; 95 % CI 1.56, 9.90). Higher concentrations of HDL-C subfractions in the large and medium particle size ranges were associated with poorer embryo quality.

Conclusions

FF HDL lipophilic micronutrients and protein components, as well as HDL-C particle size, may be important predictors of embryo quality during IVF.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Ying Wang, PhD MPH for providing critical feedback for this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA

    K. Kim, M. S. Bloom & E. M. Bell

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA

    M. S. Bloom, E. M. Bell & R. M. Yucel

  3. School of Public Health Rm. #149, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA

    M. S. Bloom

  4. Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

    R. W. Browne

  5. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    V. Y. Fujimoto

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  1. K. Kim
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Correspondence to M. S. Bloom.

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Supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (Grant R21 AG03957–01A2).

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Capsule FF HDL lipophilic micronutrients and protein components, as well as HDL-C particle size, may be important predictors of embryo quality during IVF.

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ESM 1

Supplemental Table 1 Assessment of interactions between follicular fluid (FF) high density lipoprotein (HDL) particle components selected as predictors of dichotomized embryo cell number (ECN). (DOCX 27 kb)

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Kim, K., Bloom, M.S., Browne, R.W. et al. Associations between follicular fluid high density lipoprotein particle components and embryo quality among in vitro fertilization patients. J Assist Reprod Genet 34, 1–10 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-016-0826-x

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