title: (1)H NMR based profiling of spent culture media cannot predict success of implantation for day 3 human embryos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identification of a non-invasive technique to assess embryo implantation potential in assisted reproduction would greatly increase success rates and lead more efficiently to single embryo transfer. Early studies suggested metabonomic analysis of spent culture media could improve embryo selection. The goal of this study is to assess if embryo implantation can be predicted based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) profiles of spent embryo culture media from patients undergoing transfer of multiple embryos on cycle day 3.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study in an academic assisted reproduction technology (ART) program and analyzed the data in a university research center. Two hundred twenty-eight spent culture media samples originating from 108 patients were individually analyzed. Specifically, five distinct sets (1 to 5) of different types of spent media samples (volume ~14 μL) from embryos that resulted in clinical pregnancy (positive heart rate at 6 weeks gestation) (n                   (1) = 29; n                   (2) = 19; n                   (3) = 9; n                   (4) = 12; n                   (5) = 33; n                   (total) = 102) and from embryos that did not implant (n                   (1) = 28; n                   (2) = 29; n                   (3) = 18; n                   (4) = 15; n                   (5) = 36; n                   (total) = 126) were collected on day 3 of embryo growth. The media samples were profiled using (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and the NMR profiles of sets 1 to 5 were subject to standard uni- and multi-variate data analyses in order to evaluate potential correlation of profiles with implantation success.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For set 1 of the media samples, a borderline class separation of NMR profiles was obtained by use of principal component analysis (PCA) and logistic regression. This tentative class separation could not be repeated and validated in any of the other media sets 2 to 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the rigorous technical approach, (1)H NMR based profiling of spent culture media cannot predict success of implantation for day 3 human embryos.
authors.affiliation: Department of OB GYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. rinaudop@obgyn.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rinaudo
authors.forename: Shehua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Uday
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Marcelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cedars
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sukumaran
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szyperski
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000737:chemistry*; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005333:Fetus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D011522:Protons; D011859:Radiography; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D056826:Single Embryo Transfer
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D011522:Protons