title: Distributions of high-density lipoprotein particle components in human follicular fluid and sera and their associations with embryo morphology parameters during IVF.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the sole lipoprotein present in follicular fluid (FF). The objectives of this study were to examine HDL lipid composition and associated enzyme activities in FF and serum and to relate these levels to embryo morphology parameters in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and FF were prospectively obtained from 60 women undergoing IVF. HDL lipids, apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI), paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and paraoxonase 3 (PON3) activities were determined. Bivariate analysis and ordinal logistic regression models were employed to examine the associations between biochemical measures and embryo morphology parameters [embryo cell number (ECN) and embryo fragmentation score (EFS)] as surrogate markers of oocyte health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All biochemical parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in FF than serum except PON3 levels which were significantly higher. FF-HDL cholesterol (OR 0.66, 95%CI 0.46-0.96) and ApoAI (OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.03-0.97) levels were negative predictors for EFS; however, their effects were not independent and the level of one moderated the effect of the other. Limited to Day 3 embryo transfers, FF-PON1-arylesterase activity was a significant positive predictor for ECN (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.01-1.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this pilot study, our data suggests that HDL and its component proteins within FF may play protective roles in the health of the human oocyte and subsequent early embryo development. We describe for the first time the activities of PON1 and PON3 in FF. We suspect that PON3 activity may be locally generated due to higher activities in FF compared with serum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 26 Cary Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. rwbrowne@buffalo.edu
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Shelly
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ocque
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Huddleston
authors.forename: V Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000378:metabolism; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D004950:Esterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016015:Logistic Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D019821:Simvastatin; D004950:Esterases; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; C468406:PON1 protein, human; C113656:PON3 protein, human