title: Embryo associated immunosuppressor factor (EASF) and serum estradiol synergism in pre-embryonic development after in vitro fertilization.
abstract: The aim of this study was to test whether the level of serum immunosuppressor factor (EASF) and serum estradiol (E2) play a cooperative role in the pre-implantation early embryonic development in IVF-patients. Serum samples were collected from 80 patients undergoing IVF-ET and the level of EASF in patient's sera was assayed using a two-site sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system. Two-hundred fifty-one IVF-culture media were obtained from these patients and the EASF activity was measured using concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte proliferation assay. EASF activity in embryo growth media, quality of ova, number of cells in each pre-embryo at the time of embryo transfer, cycle day 3 serum E2 and peak E2 levels were correlated with pregnancy outcome. Thirty-three out of 80 patients had detectable levels of serum EASF. The number of pre-embryos with > 4 cell stage at the time of embryo transfer correlated with the total number of ova retrieved in patients positive for serum EASF (P = 0.01) and patients that had an ongoing pregnancy at 7-8 weeks (P < 0.01). Ratio of the number of pre-embryos with > 4 cell stage at the time of embryo transfer and total number of ova retrieved correlated with cycle day 3 serum E2 (P < 0.01) and peak E2 (P = 0.01) levels only in patients positive for EASF. The EASF activity of embryo growth media correlated with cycle day 3 serum E2 (P = 0.0001) and peak E2 (P = 0.007) levels only in patients that were positive for EASF and got pregnant after IVF-ET. This study suggests that the levels of serum EASF and E2 may act synergistically in the development of early embryo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mahadevan
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001755:Blastocyst; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D010455:Peptides; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; C025124:early pregnancy factor; D004958:Estradiol