C-reactive protein level and pregnancy rate in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI

C-reactive protein [CRP] can be increased after hormonal stimulations. The changes of CRP might affect the success of in-vitro fertilization [IVF]. The aim of this study was to determine the possible relationship between the serum CRP level and outcome of controlled ovarian stimulation, and pregnancy rate in patients undergoing IVF or intra cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]. This prospective cross sectional study was performed in Avicenna Infertility Clinic on 70 consecutive infertile patients [Jan 2008-Aug 2009] who were candidate for IVF/ICSI, using standard long GnRH agonist protocol. Blood was drawn 4 times during the cycle, on first day of stimulation, the day of HCG injection, the day of ovum pick up, and the day of embryo transfer. In 82.2% of cases, the serum CRP level was higher in day of HCG injection than first day of stimulation and also the day of ovum pick up the day of HCG injection. The ratio of CRP level in the day of transfer to the day of ovum pick up, was significantly higher [ratio >/= 1.23] in patients who became pregnant after ICSI [p=0001]. All patients with less than this Ratio have not been pregnant. Controlled ovarian hyper stimulation and puncture of ovaries can potentiate systemic stimulation. Increasing serum CRP level in day of embryo transfer rather than ovum pick up can predict the success in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI

Tyrosine phosphorylation pattern in sperm proteins isolated from normospermic and teratospermic men

In mammalian system, spermatozoa are not able to fertilize the oocyte immediately upon ejaculation, thus they undergo a series of biochemical and molecular changes which is termed capacitation. During sperm capacitation, signal transduction pathways are activated which lead to protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Tyrosine phosphorylated proteins have an important role in sperm capacitation such as hyperactive motility, interaction with zona pellucida and acrosome reaction. Evaluation of tyrosine phosphorylation pattern is important for further understanding of molecular mechanisms of fertilization and the etiology of sperm dysfunctions and abnormalities such as teratospermia. The goal of this study is to characterize tyrosine phosphorylation pattern in sperm proteins isolated from normospermic and teratospermic infertile men attending Avicenna Infertility Clinic in Tehran. Semen samples were collected and the spermatozoa were isolated using Percoll gradient centrifugation. Then the C with 5% CO[2] in 3% Bovine Serum spermatozoa were incubated up to 6h at 37 Albumin-supplemented Ham's F-10 for capacitation to take place. The total proteins from spermatozoa were extracted and were subjected to SDS-PAGE before and after capacitation. To evaluate protein tyrosine phosphorylation pattern, western blotting with specific antibody against phosphorylated tyrosines was performed. The results upon western blotting showed: 1] at least six protein bands were detected before capacitation in the spermatozoa from normospermic samples. However, comparable levels of tyrosine phosphorylation was not observed in the spermatozoa from teratospermic samples. 2] The intensity of protein tyrosine phosphorylation appears to have been increased during capacitation in the normospermic relative to the teratospermic group. For the first time, these findings demonstrate and suggest that the differences in the types of proteins and diminished tyrosine phosphorylation efficiency in sperm from teratospermic men may be responsible for their compromised capacitation and low fertilization success rates