title: Serum GDF-8 levels change dynamically during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI-ET.
abstract: Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8) is found in the human serum, follicular fluid and granulosa cells. Our previous studies have shown that the human cumulus expansion and steroidogenesis can be regulated by GDF-8. However, thus far, the expression profile of GDF-8 in serum and whether the level of serum GDF-8 influences pregnancy results for patients treated with in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) is totally unknown. In this study, we showed that GDF-8 had a dynamic trend during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) procedure. On human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration day, patients with a GDF-8 level higher than 4.7 ng/ml had lower progesterone levels and a higher pregnancy rate. From hCG day to oocyte pick-up day, patients with a GDF-8 decrease greater than 1.3 ng/ml had a higher progesterone increase and a higher pregnancy rate. Importantly, the levels of GDF-8 were negatively correlated with progesterone levels. Our findings provide evidences that GDF-8 plays an important role in ensuring successful pregnancy by regulating progesterone levels.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
authors.forename: Lanlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
authors.forename: Yiping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
authors.forename: Ruizhe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
authors.forename: Jingyan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Pu
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D055435:Myostatin / Q000097:blood*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D055435:Myostatin; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate