title: Age-related variations in follicular apolipoproteins may influence human oocyte maturation and fertility potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate involvement of specific apolipoproteins in the process of human oocyte maturation and age-related infertility as molecular constituents of follicular fluid.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory-based observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic science laboratory at a large academic institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follicular fluid obtained from healthy women aged 18 to 45 years undergoing in vitro fertilization for unexplained infertility, ovulatory dysfunction, tubal disease, male factor infertility, or oocyte donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific concentration of apolipoproteins and content of lipoprotein particles in follicular fluid and blood plasma as related to reproductive aging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We registered a decline of follicular apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1) and apolipoprotein CII (Apo CII) and an increase of the apolipoprotein E (Apo E) with age, which parallels a lower number of retrieved mature oocytes in older women. Follicular apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B (Apo B), apolipoprotein E, and apolipoprotein C II are present in diverse heterogeneous complexes including very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate-low-density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) that vary with patient age and differ from the blood plasma lipoprotein complexes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age-related variation in follicular apolipoprotein content and distribution in the cholesterol particles may be associated with the decrease in production of mature oocytes and the age-related decline in fertility potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Von Wald
authors.forename: Yevgeniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Monisova
authors.forename: Michele R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: Sang Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Penzias
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Reindollar
authors.forename: Anny
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usheva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D010455:Peptides