title: Women with high telomerase activity in luteinised granulosa cells have a higher pregnancy rate during in vitro fertilisation treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of telomerase activity (TA) in human luteinised granulosa cells (GCs) on the outcome of in vitro fertilisation treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six women, aged 23 to 39 years, were enrolled and divided into four groups according to their levels of TA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen cases in group A exhibited nondetectable TA, 16 cases in group B expressed low levels of TA (between 0.1 and 0.65 OD × mm), 14 cases in group C expressed moderate TA levels (between 0.66 and 1.00 OD × mm) and 9 cases in group D expressed high levels of TA (more than 1.00 OD × mm). The level of total serum testosterone (T) was significantly higher in groups C and D than in group A (1.43±0.10 vs. 1.08±0.11 nmol/L, P<0.030 and 1.56±0.08 vs. 1.08±0.11 nmol/L, P<0.005, respectively). The TA level was positively correlated with T (r=0.291, P<0.011). No obvious differences were observed in rates of fertilisation, cleavage, mature oocyte formation or good-quality embryos among the groups. The patients in group D exhibited the highest rates of embryo implantation and clinical pregnancy (with rates of 52.63% and 77.78%, respectively, compared with 18.92% and 29.41% in group A, 25.71% and 37.50% in group B and 48% and 50% in group C, with P<0.018 and P=0.112, respectively). The patients in group D also had a greater likelihood of becoming pregnant than those in group A (OR: 9.703, P < 0.023), group B (OR: 14.765, P<0.009) or group C (OR: 5.560, P=0.103).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Luteinised GCs have a certain potential for proliferation and TA of luteinised GCs may predict the clinical outcomes of IVF treatment. Some unknown regulatory mechanisms between TA and T should be studied in further trials.
authors: Reproductive Medicine Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Wenjun
authors: W
authors: Wang
authors: Yaqin
authors: Y
authors: Mo
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Ma
authors: Nengyong
authors: N
authors: Ouyang
authors: Ruiqi
authors: R
authors: Li
authors: Meiqi
authors: M
authors: Mai
authors: Yingming
authors: Y
authors: He
authors: M M Abide
authors: MM
authors: Bodombossou-Djobo
authors: Dongzi
authors: D
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D034461:Luteinization; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase