title: Influence of ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI on the antioxidant defence system and relationship to outcome.
abstract: Ovarian stimulation is used with IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles to obtain multiple oocytes and improve pregnancy rates; however, it also induces perturbation in the oxidant-antioxidant balance leading to oxidation stress. The present study monitored the plasma antioxidant status in women undergoing a long agonist protocol of ovarian stimulation at three different time points: at baseline (T0), after pituitary suppression (T1) and on the day of oocyte retrieval (T2). The antioxidant composition of follicular fluid samples collected on T2 was also evaluated. Significant decreases (P < 0.05) of plasma vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids were found between T1 and T2 but not between T0 and T1. At T2, high plasma vitamin E was associated with high numbers of total and mature oocytes retrieved per patient, which, in turn, were favourable for achieving pregnancy. Accordingly, women who became pregnant presented higher vitamin E concentrations both in plasma and FF than those who did not. In conclusion, this study confirmed the occurrence of significant modifications of the plasma antioxidant profile during ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophins; at the same time, it was found that both systemic and follicular antioxidant status may be related to IVF/ICSI outcome.
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Italy. Electronic address: serena.benedetti@uniurb.it.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tagliamonte
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Stefani
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Primiterra
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Polli
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catalani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Italy.
authors.forename: Serafina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Battistelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, University of Urbino 'Carlo Bo', Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canestrari
authors.affiliation: Physiopathology of Reproduction Unit, 'Cervesi' Hospital, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bulletti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D006062:Gonadotropins; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: antioxidant profile; assisted reproduction; follicular fluid; ovarian stimulation; oxidation stress; pregnancy