title: Involvement of phenotypes and serum levels of haptoglobin in the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
abstract: Haptoglobin (Hp) possesses many functions in the immune system and angiogenesis as well as scavenging released hemoglobin, and thus it is speculated that Hp may also play a critical role in the reproductive process. To investigate the possible involvement of Hp in the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), the serum Hp of 50 patients who underwent IVF-ET was analyzed by the Western blot method. The results showed a higher pregnancy rate in the patients with the Hp2-2 phenotype (38%) than in those with the Hp2-1 phenotype (16%) (p = 0.08), and the serum alpha 2 subunit levels in the patients who achieved pregnancy within four attempts at IVF-ET were higher than in the others (p < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that Hp is involved in the outcome of IVF-ET.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamasu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishiko
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins