title: Effects of smoking on the levels of antioxidant beta carotene, alpha tocopherol and retinol in human ovarian follicular fluid.
abstract: The concentrations of beta-carotene, retinol and alpha-tocopherol were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography in ovarian follicular fluid and plasma samples collected at the time of oocyte recovery from patients enrolled in our in vitro fertilization program. The mean beta-carotene levels in follicular fluid [0.182 +/- (SEM) 0.04 nmol/ml] and plasma (0.37 +/- 0.34 mmol/ml) of smokers (n = 5) were significantly (p < 0.025 and p < 0.001, respectively) lower compared with the mean levels in follicular fluid (0.58 +/- 0.10 nmol/ml) and plasma (1.11 +/- 0.09 mmol/ml) in nonsmokers (n = 11). The follicular fluid and plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels were comparable among the nonsmokers and smokers. These findings direct attention to a possible role of the antioxidant beta-carotene, per se, as a biological marker in ovarian oocyte follicular maturation and function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Palan
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Barad
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Romney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013480:Superovulation; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis*; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids