scholarly journals Empty Zona Pellucida Only Case: A Critical Review of the Literature

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 9409
Author(s):  
Charalampos Siristatidis ◽  
Despoina Tzanakaki ◽  
Mara Simopoulou ◽  
Christina Vaitsopoulou ◽  
Petroula Tsioulou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Follicular Development ◽  
Oocyte Retrieval ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Preimplantation Embryo Development

The presence of empty zona pellucida (EZP) in oocytes following oocyte retrieval (OR) during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle presents a major clinical and laboratory challenge in assisted reproduction. It has been attributed to several factors such as the ovarian stimulation protocol employed, the damaging of the follicles during oocyte retrieval (OR) mainly through the high aspiration pressure, during the denudation technique, and the degeneration of oolemma within the zona pellucida (ZP) through apoptosis. The role of ZP is pivotal from the early stages of follicular development up to the preimplantation embryo development and embryo hatching. Polymorphisms or alterations on the genes that encode ZP proteins may contribute to EZP. We present a critical review of the published literature hitherto on EZP and available options when encountered with the phenomenon of EZP. Concerning the former, we found that there is rare data on this phenomenon that merits documentation. The latter includes technical, genetic, and pathophysiological perspectives, along with specific treatment options. In conclusion, we identify the lack of a definitive management proposal for couples presenting with this phenomenon, we underline the need for an algorithm, and indicate the questions raised that point towards our goal for a strategy when addressing a previous finding of EZP.

scholarly journals Endometriosis Associated Infertility: A Critical Review and Analysis on Etiopathogenesis and Therapeutic Approaches

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Lidia Filip ◽  
Florentina Duică ◽  
Alina Prădatu ◽  
Dragoș Crețoiu ◽  
Nicolae Suciu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intrauterine Insemination ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Follicular Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Genetic Profile ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Emerging Therapies ◽  
Treatment Alternatives

Endometriosis represents a frequently diagnosed gynecological affliction in the reproductive timespan of women, defined by symptoms ranging from pelvic pain to infertility. A complex interplay between the genetic profile, hormonal activity, menstrual cyclicity, inflammation status, and immunological factors define the phenotypic presentation of endometriosis. To date, imaging techniques represent the gold standard in diagnosing endometriosis, of which transvaginal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging bring the most value to the diagnostic step. Current medical treatment options for endometriosis-associated infertility focus on either stimulating the follicular development and ovulation or on inhibiting the growth and development of endometriotic lesions. Techniques of assisted reproduction consisting of superovulation with in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination represent effective treatment alternatives that improve fertility in patients suffering from endometriosis. Emerging therapies such as the usage of antioxidant molecules and stem cells still need future research to prove the therapeutic efficacy in this pathology.

Levels of MMP2, TIMP1 and TIMP2 in Follicular Fluids in Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization and Their Relationship to Oocyte Quality

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
Nina P. Ayvazova ◽  
Lyubomira O. Ilieva ◽  
Emiliana I. Konova ◽  
Milena A. Atanasova
Keyword(s):  
Matrix Metalloproteinases ◽  
Ovarian Tissue ◽  
Follicular Development ◽  
Germinal Vesicle ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Oocyte Maturity ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Follicular Fluids

Summary Recently, the important role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been identified in follicular development and subsequent ovulation. Although the role of MMP in ovarian tissue remodeling during folliculogenesis has been well studied, the relationship between matrix protease activity and their inhibitors - Tisue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP) and aging of the oocytes is still unclear. The present study aimed to establish the probable relationship between the expression levels of MMP-2 and TMP-1 and TIMP-2 in follicular fluid with the degree of oocyte maturity and quality. Follicular fluids from 20 women collected on the day of follicular puncture were tested for the presence of MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The oocytes obtained were described in terms of maturity, morphology, and fertilization, as well as the embryo’s quality and rate of development. MMP-2 was significantly higher in follicular aspirates in the first prophase of meiosis - germinal vesicle (GV), compared to aspirates with first metaphase (MI) (p=0.011) and second metaphase (MII) of mature oocytes (p=0.010). The MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio was significantly higher for GV compared to M1 (p=0.011), M2 (p=0.006) and atretic oocytes (p=0.032); (F(3, 71)=2.909, p=0.040). Based on our results, we can conclude that MMP-2 concentration in follicular fluids during the IVF / ICSI procedure had a significant relationship to oocyte maturation levels. It was significantly higher in the case of immature oocytes. On the other hand, oocytes with normal morphology were associated with a significantly higher MMP-2 concentration in follicular fluids.

Predictive Model for Live Birth at 12 Months After Starting In-Vitro Fertilization Treatment

MedPharmRes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-20
Author(s):  
Vu Ho ◽  
Toan Pham ◽  
Tuong Ho ◽  
Lan Vuong
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Live Birth ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Oocyte Retrieval ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
Significant Difference

IVF carries a considerable physical, emotional and financial burden. Therefore, it would be useful to be able to predict the likelihood of success for each couple. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to develop a prediction model to estimate the probability of a live birth at 12 months after one completed IVF cycle (all fresh and frozen embryo transfers from the same oocyte retrieval). We analyzed data collected from 2600 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at a single center in Vietnam between April 2014 and December 2015. All patients received gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist stimulation, followed by fresh and/or frozen embryo transfer (FET) on Day 3. Using Cox regression analysis, five predictive factors were identified: female age, total dose of recombinant follicle stimulating hormone used, type of trigger, fresh or FET during the first transfer, and number of subsequent FET after the first transfer. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the final model was 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60‒0.65) and 0.60 (95% CI 0.57‒0.63) for the validation cohort. There was no significant difference between the predicted and observed probabilities of live birth (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, p > 0.05). The model developed had similar discrimination to existing models and could be implemented in clinical practice.

Differences between antigenic determinants of pig and cat zona pellucida proteins

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Jewgenow ◽  
M Rohleder ◽  
I Wegner
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Contraceptive Vaccine ◽  
Sperm Binding ◽  
Dependent Inhibition ◽  
Dose Dependent Inhibition ◽  
Dose Dependent

Despite many efforts, the control of reproduction in feral cat populations is still a problem in urban regions around the world. Immunocontraception is a promising approach; thus the present study examined the suitability of the widely used pig zona pellucida proteins (pZP) for contraception in feral domestic cats. Purified zona pellucida proteins obtained from pig and cat ovaries were used to produce highly specific antisera in rabbits. Antibodies against pZP raised in rabbits or lions were not effective inhibitors of either in vitro sperm binding (cat spermatozoa to cat oocytes) or in vitro fertilization in cats, whereas antibodies against feline zona pellucida proteins (fZP) raised in rabbits showed a dose-dependent inhibition of in vitro fertilization. Immunoelectrophoresis, ELISA and immunohistology of ovaries confirmed these results, showing crossreactivity of anti-fZP sera to fZP and to a lesser extent to pZP, but no interaction of anti-pZP sera with fZP. It is concluded that cat and pig zonae pellucidae express a very small number of shared antigenic determinants, making the use of pZP vaccine in cats questionable. A contraceptive vaccine based on feline zona pellucida determinants will be a better choice for the control of reproduction in feral cats if immunogenity can be achieved.

Treatment Options in COVID-19: The Role of Bioavailable Antiviral Ribonucleoside Analog on NHC in vitro

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Bittmann
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Clinical Picture ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
World Health ◽  
Wuhan City ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

On December 31, 2019, WHO was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan City, China. A novel coronavirus was identified as the cause by Chinese authorities on January 7, 2020 and was provisionally named "2019-nCoV". This new Coronavirus causes a clinical picture which has received now the name COVID-19. The virus has spread subsequently worldwide and was explained on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization to the pandemic.

Activation of bovine oocytes by protein synthesis inhibitors: new findings on the role of MPF/MAPKs†

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Valencia ◽  
Felipe Alonso Pérez ◽  
Carola Matus ◽  
Ricardo Felmer ◽  
María Elena Arias
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Cyclin B1 ◽  
Protein Synthesis Inhibitors ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Bovine Oocytes ◽  
Dependent Pathway

Abstract The present study evaluated the mechanism by which protein synthesis inhibitors activate bovine oocytes. The aim was to analyze the dynamics of MPF and MAPKs. MII oocytes were activated with ionomycin (Io), ionomycin+anisomycin (ANY) and ionomycin+cycloheximide (CHX) and by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The expression of cyclin B1, p-CDK1, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-P38 were evaluated by immunodetection and the kinase activity of ERK1/2 was measured by enzyme assay. Evaluations at 1, 4, and 15 hours postactivation (hpa) showed that the expression of cyclin B1 was not modified by the treatments. ANY inactivated MPF by p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05), CHX increased pre-MPF (p-CDK1Thr161 and p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15) at 1 hpa and IVF increased p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 17 hours postfertilization (hpf) (P < 0.05). ANY and CHX reduced the levels of p-ERK1/2 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05) and its activity at 4 and 1 hpa, respectively (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, IVF increased p-ERK1/2 at 6 hpf (P < 0.05); however, its kinase activity decreased at 6 hpf (P < 0.05). p-JNK in ANY, CHX, and IVF oocytes decreased at 4 hpa (P < 0.05). p-P38 was only observed at 1 hpa, with no differences between treatments. In conclusion, activation of bovine oocytes by ANY, CHX, and IVF inactivates MPF by CDK1-dependent specific phosphorylation without cyclin B1 degradation. ANY or CHX promoted this inactivation, which seemed to be more delayed in the physiological activation (IVF). Both inhibitors modulated MPF activity via an ERK1/2-independent pathway, whereas IVF activated the bovine oocytes via an ERK1/2-dependent pathway. Finally, ANY does not activate the JNK and P38 kinase pathways.

scholarly journals Luteal phase support for in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection fresh cycles: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanglin Wu ◽  
Songying Zhang ◽  
Xiaona Lin ◽  
Shasha Wang ◽  
Ping Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Live Birth ◽  
Pregnancy Outcomes ◽  
Luteal Phase ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Oocyte Retrieval ◽  
Gnrh Agonists ◽  
Ongoing Pregnancy ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Lps Treatment

Abstract Background Various luteal phase supports (LPSs) have been proven to increase the pregnancy rate in fresh cycles of in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection; however, there is still significant debate regarding the optimal use of LPS. Methods A systematic review with the use of a network meta-analysis was performed via electronic searching of Ovid MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar (up to January 2021) to compare the effectiveness and safety of various LPSs, as well as to evaluate the effects of different initiations of LPSs on pregnancy outcomes. The primary outcomes included live birth and ongoing pregnancy, with the results presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Eighty-nine randomized controlled trials with 29,625 women comparing 14 interventions or placebo/no LPS treatments were included in the meta-analyses. No significant differences were found in terms of the pregnancy outcomes when LPS was started within 48 h after oocyte retrieval versus a delayed initiation between 48 h and 96 h after oocyte retrieval. The addition of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists to progesterone vaginal pessaries showed a significant benefit in terms of live birth (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.78). Only human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) was found to be more efficacious than the placebo/no LPS treatment in terms of live birth (OR 15.43, 95% CI 2.03 to 117.12, low evidence). Any active LPSs (except for rectal or subcutaneous progesterone) was significantly more efficacious than the placebo/no LPS treatment in terms of ongoing pregnancy, with ORs ranging between 1.77 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.90) for the vaginal progesterone pessary and 2.14 (1.23 to 3.70) for the intramuscular progesterone treatment. Among the comparisons of efficacy and tolerability between the active treatments, the differences were small and very uncertain. Conclusion Delays in progesterone supplementation until 96 h after oocyte retrieval does not affect pregnancy outcomes. The safety of GnRH agonists during the luteal phase needs to be evaluated in future studies before the applications of these agonists in clinical practice. With comparable efficacy and acceptability, there may be several viable clinical options for LPS.

542 Objective Sleep Duration, Sleep Timing and Completion of In Vitro Fertilization Cycles; a Prospective Cohort Study

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A214-A214
Author(s):  
Chawanont Pimolsri ◽  
Xiru Lyu ◽  
Cathy Goldstein ◽  
Chelsea Fortin ◽  
Sunni Mumford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Transfer ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Circadian Misalignment ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Sleep Timing

Abstract Introduction Sleep duration and circadian misalignment have been linked to fertility and fecundability. However, sleep in women undergoing IVF has rarely been examined. This study investigated the role of sleep duration and timing with completion of an IVF cycle. Methods Prospective study of women undergoing IVF at a tertiary medical center between 2015 and 2017. Sleep was assessed by wrist-worn actigraphy 1–2 weeks prior to the initiation of their IVF cycle. Reproductive profile, IVF cycle details, demographic and health information were obtained from medical charts. Sleep duration, midpoint and bedtime were examined in relation to IVF cycle completion using logistic regression models, adjusted for age and anti-Müllerian hormone levels. A sub-analysis excluded women who worked non-day shifts to control for circadian misalignment. Results A total of 48 women were studied. Median age was 33y (range 25–42), with 29% of women older than 35 years. Ten women had an IVF cycle cancellation prior to embryo transfer. These women had shorter sleep duration, more nocturnal awakenings, lower sleep efficiency, and later sleep timing in comparison to those who completed their cycle. Twenty-minute increases in sleep duration were associated with lower odds of an uncompleted IVF cycle (OR = 0.88; 95% CI 0.78, 1.00). Women with later sleep midpoints and later bedtime had higher odds of an uncompleted cycle relative to those with earlier midpoints and earlier bedtime; OR=1.24; 95% CI 1.09, 1.40 and OR=1.33; 95% CI 1.17, 1.53 respectively, per 20-minute increments. These results were independent of age, levels of anti-Müllerian hormone, or sleep duration, and remained unchanged after exclusion of shift-working women. Conclusion This study demonstrated the influence of sleep duration and sleep timing on the odds of an uncompleted IVF cycle prior to embryo transfer. Sleep is a modifiable behavior that may contribute to IVF cycle success. Support (if any):

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