IgG-antiphospholipid antibodies in follicular fluid of IVF-ET patients are related to low fertilization rate of their oocytes.
OBJECTIVE
Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) failures show an increased incidence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in their blood. The physiological manifestations of aPL in this patient group are nonetheless controversial. Pathological effects of aPL on embryos in vitro have been documented. We questioned whether aPL if found in follicular fluids (FFs) could result in embryonic damage.


METHODS
Blood from 44 patients with three or more IVF-ET failures were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the presence of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM and IgA aPL. Both the 29 aPL-positive and 15 aPL-negative patients gave permission for FF collection during their next IVF-ET attempt for additional aPL determinations.


RESULTS
Patients with no aPL in their blood, had no aPL in their FFs. Patients with IgG and/or IgM aPL in their blood had IgG but not IgM in their respective FFs.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of IgG aPL in FFs and increased infertility length were significantly related to lower fertilization rates, independently. Follicular fluid IgG aPL appears as a risk factor in association with successful IVF-ET outcomes.
Matsubayashi
Hidehiko
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Specialized Clinical Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan. hide-m@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
Sugi
Toshitaka
T
Arai
Tadashi
T
Shida
Masako
M
Kondo
Akane
A
Suzuki
Takahiro
T
Izumi
Shun-ichiro
S
McIntyre
John A
JA
D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009865:Oocytes / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M