Mitochondrial DNA in Fresh versus Frozen Embryo Culture Media of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients Undergoing Invitro Fertilization: A Possible Predictive Marker of a Successful Pregnancy

Ghadir A Sayed; Hussein A Al-Sawaf; Ahmed H Al-Sawaf; Mohamed Saeid; Ahmed Maged; Iman Hassan Ibrahim

doi:10.2147/PGPM.S284064

Mitochondrial DNA in Fresh versus Frozen Embryo Culture Media of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Patients Undergoing Invitro Fertilization: A Possible Predictive Marker of a Successful Pregnancy

Pharmgenomics Pers Med. 2021 Jan 11:14:27-38. doi: 10.2147/PGPM.S284064. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Ghadir A Sayed¹, Hussein A Al-Sawaf¹, Ahmed H Al-Sawaf², Mohamed Saeid³, Ahmed Maged², Iman Hassan Ibrahim⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Cairo, Egypt.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
³ Ganna Center for IVF, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Purpose: Frozen embryos transfer (ET) may improve the live-birth and reduce rates of ovarian hyperstimulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Morphological criteria are the classical way for embryo selection, yet recently, many biochemical and genetic markers have been developed. This study aimed to compare fresh and frozen ET using the mtDNA/gDNA ratio of embryo secretome and the possibility of using this ratio as a predictive marker of PCOS pregnancy rate.

Subjects and methods: One hundred PCOS patients undergoing IVF were chosen according to Rotterdam criteria and divided into two groups. Group I (50 with fresh ET), group II (50 with frozen ET), and otherwise 33 apparently healthy women as a control group with fresh ET. We then carried out absolute quantification of embryo culture media mtDNA and gDNA by real-time PCR.

Results: mtDNA/gDNA ratio was significantly low in PCOS embryo culture media in comparison with control. Additionally, while the mtDNA/gDNA ratio was significantly high in pregnant PCOS embryo culture media, it was high, though not statistically significant, in the fresh ET than frozen ET group. mtDNA/gDNA ratio sensitivity and specificity in PCOS embryo culture media as a predictive value of pregnancy rate were (86% and 96%, respectively).

Conclusion: mtDNA/gDNA ratio measurement in PCOS embryo culture media is a novel marker that can be clinically applied as a predictive value of the quality of the morphologically good embryo.

Keywords: fresh embryos transfer; frozen embryos transfer; mtDNA; polycystic ovary syndrome.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.