RESUMO
ABSTRACT: We aimed to investigate ovarian reserve status, and explore differences in ovarian reserve between fertile and infertile healthy Chinese women of reproductive age.We recruited 442 fertile women aged 23 to 49âyears (mean: 35.22â±â4.91âyears) as subjects, and 196 infertile women aged 23 to 46âyears (mean: 32.34â±â4.34âyears) as controls. For all participants, a number of parameters were tested on days 2 to 4 of a spontaneous cycle, including basal serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), ovarian response prediction index (ORPI), and antral follicle count (AFC).There were significant differences in terms of AFC, serum AMH levels, and ORPI among subject subgroups (10.58â±â5.80; 2.533â±â2.146âng/mL; 1.28â±â1.87; respectively), and among control subgroups (12.44â±â5.69; 3.189â±â2.551âng/mL; 1.88â±â2.68; respectively) (Pâ<â.01 for all). For both subjects and controls, AFC, AMH levels, and ORPI decreased gradually with increasing age, and presented with similar age-related trends; there were positive correlations between AMH and AFC (Pâ<â.001), and negative correlations between age and AFC, AMH, ORPI (Pâ<â.05 for all). There was a significant difference in age (Pâ<â.001), serum E2 (Pâ<â.01), and AMH (Pâ<â.01) levels between subjects and controls; however, when controlling for confounding factors (age, body mass index, total testosterone, and LH), we found no differences between the 2 groups with regards to the serum levels of AMH, FSH, E2, and AFC (Pâ>â.05 for all). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the significant variables of subjects and controls for evaluating ovarian reserve included age, AMH and ORPI, and ORPI was more valuable than other variables.A diminished ovarian reserve was one of the manifestations caused by female aging. When confounding factors were controlled for, we found no differences in ovarian reserve when compared between fertile and infertile women, and no correlation with infertility.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/fisiologia , Fertilidade/fisiologia , Infertilidade Feminina/fisiopatologia , Reserva Ovariana/fisiologia , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Hormônio Antimülleriano/sangue , China , Estradiol/sangue , Feminino , Hormônio Foliculoestimulante/sangue , Humanos , Infertilidade Feminina/sangue , Hormônio Luteinizante/sangue , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Folículo Ovariano/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Curva ROC , Testosterona/sangue , Adulto JovemRESUMO
In the field of assisted reproductive technology, female fertility preservation, particularly ovarian tissue cryopreservation in adolescent cancer patients, has attracted much attention. Melatonin (MLT) is well known for its antioxidative and anti-apoptotic properties; however, whether it can ameliorate the cryoinjury and inhibit the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cryopreserved ovarian tissues (OTs) has not yet been reported. Here, we demonstrated that MLT could protect follicular integrity; prevent cell apoptosis; decrease ROS, malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) levels; and increase activities of glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cryopreserved OTs. Furthermore, these effects may be related with the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway, as evidenced by increased mRNA levels of Nrf2 downstream genes, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), SOD, and CAT. In summary, MLT can not only directly scavenge ROS but also significantly induce the activation of antioxidative enzymes via the Nrf2 signaling pathway, which is a new mechanism underlying the protection effects of MLT on cryopreserved OTs.