Cumulus cell apoptosis changes with exposure to spermatozoa and pathologies involved in infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the incidence of apoptosis in mature oocyte cumulus cells changes after insemination related to infertility.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Public hospital and university.


METHODS
One hundred women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).


METHODS
Collection of cumulus cells from IVF-ET cycles with different infertility etiologies.


METHODS
Detection of apoptosis in cumulus cells; fertilization, embryo quality, and pregnancy rate.


RESULTS
The incubation of cumulus-oocyte-complexes with spermatozoa led to an increase in cumulus cell apoptosis from 34.2 +/- 3.7 to 44.5 +/- 6.3%. After insemination, cumulus cells of poor quality embryos showed a statistically higher apoptotic rate versus cumulus cells of good quality embryos (61.5 +/- 6.4 vs. 40.6 +/- 3.9%). Cumulus cells arising from oocytes with >or=50% fertilization rates after insemination showed higher apoptosis rates did cumulus cells from oocytes with <50% fertilization rates (46.0 +/- 3.7 vs. 33.8 +/- 4.0%). Patients with endometriosis presented higher apoptotic rates before insemination (77.6 +/- 9.06%). Cumulus cells obtained after aspiration showed no differences in their apoptosis rates for the following factors: age of women, aspirated oocytes, estradiol level, fertilization rate, and embryo quality or pregnancy. The apoptotic profile from pregnant women was less than (but not statistically significantly different from) profiles from nonpregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells is associated with exposure to spermatozoa and the cause of infertility.
Díaz-Fontdevila
Marina
M
Institute of Maternal and Child Research, School of Medicine, University of Chile, San Borja Arriarán Clinical Hospital, Santiago, Chile. diazfontdevila@gmail.com
Pommer
Ricardo
R
Smith
Rosita
R
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*