title: Screening for prolactin isoforms in the follicular fluid of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.
abstract: The purpose of this prospective and non-randomized study was to identify prolactin (PRL) isoforms in the follicular fluid (FF) of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). The FF from 19 patients was obtained during oocyte retrieval at the University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School. The molecular weight of FF PRL was determined by column chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 HR combined with an immunometric assay. The only PRL isoform detected in FF exhibited a molecular weight of 20.5 kD. The molecular weights of FF PRL and small PRL are essentially identical. The 20.5-kD PRL accounted for 93.1 +/- 9.1% (mean +/- SD) of the recovered PRL after gel chromatography. Total PRL recovery was 74.2 +/- 19%. Thus, the only PRL detected in the FF was the small PRL, the most potent one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Romão
authors.forename: Rui A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferriani
authors.forename: Marcos D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020033:Protein Isoforms
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011388:Prolactin