title: Follicular-phase ovarian follicular fluid and plasma cytokine profiling of natural cycle in vitro fertilization patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize follicular fluid (FF) and systemic cytokine profiles at various time points during the natural-cycle follicular and periovulatory phases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational clinical study across two consecutive cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital-based in vitro fertilization program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten women undergoing modified natural-cycle in vitro fertilization (MNC-IVF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma and follicular fluid (FF) collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty FF cytokine concentrations from individual follicles and plasma from each patient were determined by fluid-phase multiplex immunoassay in two consecutive cycles: 1) tracking cycle-midfollicular or luteal surge; and 2) treatment cycle-periovulatory (at the time of MNC-IVF). Demographic, cycle, and cytokine data were compared with the use of chi-square, paired-scores t test, or Wilcoxon signed ranks tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fluctuations in various FF cytokines were evident during the follicular phase: Levels of interleukin (IL) 6 and IL-8 were higher in periovulatory samples, and IL-1 receptor antagonist and vascular endothelial growth factor were elevated earlier in the cycle. Luteal surge profiles were similar to those found in periovulatory samples. Conversely, circulatory cytokine concentrations were more stable during the follicular phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings present an extensive physiologic reference profile of FF cytokines associated with antral folliculogenesis and highlight the compartmentalization of systemic and intraovarian cytokine networks in natural cycles.
authors.affiliation: Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N Ellissa
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Baskind
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Research Group, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicolas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.affiliation: Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom. Electronic address: vinay.sharma@leedsth.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Natural cycle; correlations; cytokines; follicular fluid; in vitro fertilization