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Pérez-Sánchez M, Pardiñas ML, Díez-Juan A, Quiñonero A, Domínguez F, Martin A, Vidal C, Beltrán D, Mifsud A, Mercader A, Pellicer A, Cobo A, de Los Santos MJ. The effect of vitrification on blastocyst mitochondrial DNA dynamics and gene expression profiles. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:2577-2589. [PMID: 37801195 PMCID: PMC10643482 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Does vitrification/warming affect the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and the gene expression profile of blastocysts? METHODS Prospective cohort study in which 89 blastocysts were obtained from 50 patients between July 2017 and August 2018. mtDNA was measured in a total of 71 aneuploid blastocysts by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Transcriptomic analysis was performed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in an additional 8 aneuploid blastocysts cultured for 0 h after warming, and 10 aneuploid blastocysts cultured for 4-5 h after warming. RESULTS A significant decrease in mtDNA content just during the first hour after the warming process in blastocysts was found (P < 0.05). However, mtDNA content experimented a significantly increased along the later culture hours achieving the original mtDNA levels before vitrification after 4-5 h of culture (P < 0.05). Gene expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis revealed that such recovery was accompanied by upregulation of pathways associated with embryo developmental capacity and uterine embryo development. Interestingly, the significant increase in mtDNA content observed in blastocysts just after warming also coincided with the differential expression of several cellular stress response-related pathways, such as apoptosis, DNA damage, humoral immune responses, and cancer. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating in humans, a modulation in blastocysts mtDNA content in response to vitrification and warming. These results will be useful in understanding which pathways and mechanisms may be activated in human blastocysts following vitrification and warming before a transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pérez-Sánchez
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Luisa Pardiñas
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Díez-Juan
- Department of Research, Igenomix, Parque Tecnológico, Rda. de Narcís Monturiol, nº11, B, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alicia Quiñonero
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Domínguez
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Angel Martin
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmina Vidal
- Department of Gynaecology, IVIRMA Global, Plaça de La Policía Local, 3, Valencia, 46015, Spain
| | - Diana Beltrán
- IVF Laboratory, IVIRMA Global, Plaça de La Policía Local, 3, 46015, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amparo Mifsud
- IVF Laboratory, IVIRMA Global, Plaça de La Policía Local, 3, 46015, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amparo Mercader
- IVF Laboratory, IVIRMA Global, Plaça de La Policía Local, 3, 46015, Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Pellicer
- Department of Gynaecology, IVIRMA Global, Largo Ildebrando Pizzetti, 1, Rome, 00197, Italy
| | - Ana Cobo
- IVF Laboratory, IVIRMA Global, Plaça de La Policía Local, 3, 46015, Valencia, Spain
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Pardiñas ML, Nohales M, Labarta E, De los Santos JM, Mercader A, Remohí J, Bosch E, De los Santos MJ. Elevated serum progesterone does not impact euploidy rates in PGT-A patients. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:1819-1826. [PMID: 34008094 PMCID: PMC8324650 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02197-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Some women undergoing stimulated cycles have elevated serum progesterone (P) on the day of ovulation trigger, but its effect on embryo quality is unclear. We analyze embryo quality among patients with high and low serum P undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). METHODS This retrospective study included 1597 patients divided into two groups by serum P values: < 1.5 ng/mL or ≥ 1.5 ng/mL. A gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol was established for each patient. Serum P levels were measured on the day of triggering. Propensity score matching and Poisson regression were done. Age, body mass index, and ovarian sensitivity index were also compared. RESULTS Elevated serum P was not significantly associated with euploid embryo rate or other embryo-quality variables evaluated in our study. Age was the only variable associated with euploidy rate (per MII oocyte, P < 0.001; per biopsied embryo, P = 0.008), embryo biopsy rate (P < 0.001), absolute number of euploid embryos (P = 0.008), and top-quality embryo rate (P = 0.008). Categorical variables decreased in value for every year of increased age in patients with high serum P. CONCLUSIONS Elevated serum P did not affect the number of euploid and good-quality embryos for transfer in GnRH antagonist intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Contrary to the clear influence of premature P elevation on endometrial receptivity based on literature, our results may help to tip the balance towards the absence of a negative effect of P elevation on embryo competence. More studies are needed to fully understand the effect of P elevation on reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mar Nohales
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Labarta
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Amparo Mercader
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Remohí
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ernesto Bosch
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria José De los Santos
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain
- OB/GYN Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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