title: High endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA expression is associated with poor IVF outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The success of IVF treatment is dependent upon embryo quality and coordinated growth and differentiation of the endometrium. Aromatase P450 expression in the human endometrium is thought to be restricted to women with proliferative reproductive tract disorders such as endometriosis, leiomyomas and adenomyosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine whether endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA expression is prognostic of IVF outcome, we quantified transcript levels in biopsy specimens from a cohort of subfertile patients awaiting IVF treatment using real-time quantitative PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aromatase P450 transcripts were detected in all endometria examined, although the levels varied considerably between samples, ranging from 0.22 to 486.6 arbitrary units (a.u.). The clinical pregnancy rate in women with high endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA levels (> or = 8.3 a.u.; n = 21) was 9.5% compared with 30.1% in those patients with low expression levels (<8.3 a.u.; n = 101) (P < 0.05). The cycle day of the endometrial biopsy, cause of infertility, age, parity, number of oocytes collected and number of embryos transferred did not differ between patients with high versus low endometrial aromatase P450 mRNA levels (P > 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that endometrial P450 mRNA levels can identify women at increased risk of IVF treatment failure.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Wolfson & Weston Research Centre for Family Health, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 ONN, UK. j.brosens@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brosens
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verhoeven
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianaroli
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gordts
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hazekamp
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hägglund
authors.forename: Tonko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mardesic
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varila
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zech
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brosens
mesh_terms: D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004717:Endometrium / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001141:Aromatase