title: A new approach to evaluate aging effects on human oocytes: Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize from a vibrational point of view the alterations caused by aging on human oocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive biology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private assisted reproductive technology clinic, synchrotron beam line, and university infrared laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty women of different ages (30 ± 2 and 39 ± 2 years) selected on the basis of detailed inclusion criteria and submitted to controlled ovarian stimulation according to a specific protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collection of 68 supernumerary oocytes that were not used during the IVF cycle from the above cited consenting patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focal Plane Array Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of human oocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific spectral differences were highlighted in the two experimental groups of oocytes. In particular, in oocytes of 39-year-old women, the occurrence of peroxidative processes and a decrease in the amount of carbohydrates were observed, together with alterations in the phospholipid membrane, proteic pattern, and nucleic acids content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, FTIR spectroscopy was applied to human oocytes, leading to strong evidence of damage from aging in the gametes of mature women, which could be related to a decline in reproductive function. All the information obtained may be considered useful to improve the scientific knowledge on human reproduction and to exploit new strategies for detecting oocyte aging.
authors.affiliation: Tecnobios Procreazione, Centre for Reproductive Health, Bologna, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gioacchini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giorgini
authors.affiliation: SISSI Beamline, Elettra Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaccari
authors.affiliation: SISSI Beamline, Elettra Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferraris
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze, Ingegneria dei Materiali, Ambiente e Urbanistica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabbatini
authors.affiliation: Tecnobios Procreazione, Centre for Reproductive Health, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Tecnobios Procreazione, Centre for Reproductive Health, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy. Electronic address: o.carnevali@univpm.it.
authors.forename: Oliana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Carnevali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods*
keywords: FPA FTIR; Human oocytes; aging damage; vibrational spectroscopy