Pentoxifylline is not useful in enhancing sperm function in cases with previous in vitro fertilization failure*

Abstract Background Total fertilization failure represents a particularly frustrating condition for couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. With the aim of reducing the occurrence of total fertilization failure, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has become the first choice over conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures although evidence of improved results is still debated and its use in couples without male factor infertility is not recommended. Among the strategies potentially useful to promote the use of conventional IVF, we herein call attention to the late rescue ICSI, which consists in performing ICSI after 18–24 h from conventional insemination on oocytes that show no signs of fertilization. This treatment has however been reported to be associated with a low success rate until recent observations that embryos derived from late rescue ICSI may be transferred after cryopreservation in a frozen-thawed cycle with improved results. The aim of the present study was to assess whether frozen embryos deriving from rescue ICSI performed about 24 h after conventional IVF may represent a valuable option for couples experiencing fertilization failure. Methods A systematic review on the efficacy of late rescue ICSI was performed consulting PUBMED and EMBASE. Results Including twenty-two original studies, we showed that clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer and implantation rate obtainable with fresh embryo transfers after rescue ICSI are not satisfactory being equal to 10 and 5%, respectively. The transfer of cryopreserved rescue ICSI embryos seems to offer a substantial improvement of success rates, with pregnancy rate per embryo transfer and implantation rate equal to 36 and 18%, respectively. Coupling rescue ICSI with frozen embryo transfer may ameliorate the clinical pregnancy rate for embryo transfer with an Odds Ratio = 4.7 (95% CI:2.6–8.6). Conclusion Results of the present review support the idea that r-ICSI coupled with frozen embryo transfer may overcome most of the technical and biological issues associated with fresh transfer after late r-ICSI, thus possibly representing an efficient procedure for couples experiencing fertilization failure following conventional IVF cycles. Trial registration Prospero registration ID: CRD42021239026.

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The expression of human testis‐specific actin capping protein predicts in vitro fertilization outcomes: A novel biomarker of sperm function for assisted reproductive technology

Reproductive Medicine and Biology ◽

10.1002/rmb2.12407 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yusuke Inagaki ◽

Shinichiro Fukuhara ◽

Sohei Kuribayashi ◽

Koichi Okada ◽

Yosuke Sekii ◽

...

Keyword(s):

In Vitro Fertilization ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technology ◽

Reproductive Technology ◽

Human Testis ◽

Sperm Function ◽

Vitro Fertilization ◽

Capping Protein ◽

Actin Capping Protein ◽

Actin Capping

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A Potential Relationship Between Estrogen Receptors Polymorphisms, Sperm Function and in vitro Fertilization Success: A Preliminary Study*

Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.8782 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 304-317

Author(s):

Joanna Talarczyk-Desole ◽

Mirosław Andrusiewicz ◽

Małgorzata Chmielewska ◽

Anna Berger ◽

Leszek Pawelczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

In Vitro Fertilization ◽

Estrogen Receptors ◽

Strong Association ◽

Fertilization Success ◽

World Health ◽

Semen Parameters ◽

Sperm Function ◽

Allele Distribution ◽

Vitro Fertilization

Background: Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and 2 (ESR2) play an important role in regulating fertility in the human reproductive system. Polymorphisms of these receptor genes have been implicated in male infertility in both Chinese and Caucasian populations. However, studies have produced inconsistent results. Spermatozoa defects that result in conception deficiencies could be related to estrogens, their receptors, or genes involved in estrogen-related pathways. This study aims to explore the potential association between the ESR1 and the ESR2 polymorphisms in relation to semen parameters of Caucasian males as well as fertilization success. Materials/Methods: A total of 116 males were included in this study. Forty couples underwent conventional in vitro fertilization, while 76 couples were treated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Standard semen analyses were performed according to the World Health Organization criteria. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphisms were used to determine genotype and allele distributions. Results: A strong association between the ESR1 rs2234693 recognized by PvuII enzyme, genotype/allele distribution and fertilization success was shown. The T allele occurrence was significantly lower in the case of fertilization failure (p = 0.02). Additionally, the TT genotype was absent in the same group (p=0.02). In the case of the remaining analyzed polymorphisms, little to no interdependence of genotype/allele distribution and fertilization success was noted. Conclusions: Apart from ESR1 rs2234693, the study failed to demonstrate that fertilization success was associated with the selected polymorphisms. In most cases, we did not discover a relationship between both estrogen receptors polymorphisms and sperm function.

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