Search results for "Cumulus Cells"

Correlation among pAKT, pERK1/2 and DNA fragmentation index in human cumulus cells to determine oocyte competence

2018

The aim was to correlate specific biological aspects of cumulus cells isolated from individual cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with the clinical outcome of the related embryos.

Let's rescue oocytes: in vitro maturation 2.0 is coming

2018

Selection of the best three oocytes for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using apoptotic analysis of cumulus cells

2009

Introduction: We studied the apoptosis rate of the cumulus cells of individual cumulus-oocyte complex (COC), to verify a relationship with clinical outcomes, in terms of pregnancy and implantation rates. Usually oocytes are selected using morphological criteria. We tried to verify if cumulus cell apoptotic rate could be used as a molecular criteria in selecting oocytes with higher implantation potentiality. Material and Methods: The study design consisted in two different trials: in the first we investigated apoptosis rate in cumulus cells of the three selected oocytes, according to Italian law, to be fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In a second trial, average apoptosi…

Transcriptome based identification of mouse cumulus cell markers that predict the developmental competence of their enclosed antral oocytes

2013

BACKGROUND: The cumulus cells (CCs) enveloping antral and ovulated oocytes have been regarded as putative source of non-invasive markers of the oocyte developmental competence. A number of studies have indeed observed a correlation between CCs gene expression, embryo quality, and final pregnancy outcome. Here, we isolated CCs from antral mouse oocytes of known developmental incompetence (NSN-CCs) or competence (SN-CCs) and compared their transcriptomes with the aim of identifying distinct marker transcripts. RESULTS: Global gene expression analysis highlighted that both types of CCs share similar transcriptomes, with the exception of 422 genes, 97.6% of which were down-regulated in NSN-CCs …

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DNA FRAGMENTATION INDEX AND pAKT IN CUMULUS CELLS: NEW MARKERS OF OOCYTE COMPETENCE

2016

The specific LH and FSH polymorphisms could influence the growth of follicles and oocytes.Some studies have shown that certain single nucleotide polymorphisms of FSHR are associated with changes in the ovarian activity, having functional implications in human reproduction. Carriers of polymorphic variant of betaLH show sub-optimal ovarian response to the standard long GnRH-agonist down-regulation protocol, when stimulated with recombinant FSH. No studies have been designed relating the polymorphic variants of FSHR and LHB with the oocyte competence. In previous studies, we demonstrated the correlation between the apoptosis rate and the expression level of some survival pathways molecules, a…

Relationship between apoptosis and survival molecules in human cumulus cells as markers of oocyte competence

2017

SummaryTo select from a single patient the best oocytes able to reach the blastocyst stage, we searched for valuable markers for oocytes competence. We evaluated the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and the level of some survival molecules, such as AKT, pAKT and pERK1/2, in individual cumulus cell–oocyte complexes (COC). The study included normo-responder women. The average age of the patients was 34.3. DFI in cumulus cells was evaluated using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assayin situ. AKT, pAKT and pERK1/2 were measured by immunological assay and densitometric analysis of fluorescent signals using NIS-Elements BR 3.10 image software. Statisti…

Apoptosis rate in cumulus cells can be considerate as an indicator for the selection of embryos to improve ongoing pregnancy and implantation rate

2014

APOPTOTIC ANALYSIS OF CUMULUS CELLS FOR THE SELECTION OF COMPETENT OOCYTES TO BE FERTILIZED BY INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI)

2015

Oocyte quality is one of the main factors for the success of in vitro fertilization protocols. Apoptosis is known to affect oocyte quality and may impair subsequent embryonic development and implantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the apoptosis rate of single and pooled cumulus cells of cumulus cell–oocyte complexes (COCs), as markers of oocyte quality, prior to intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI).We investigated the apoptosis rate by TUNEL assay (DNA fragmentation) and caspase-3 immunoassay of single and pooled cumulus cells of COCs. The results showed that DNA fragmentation in cumulus cells was remarkably lower in patients who achieved a pregnancy than in those who di…

Lower apoptosis rate in human cumulus cells after administration of recombinant luteinizing hormone to women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in vi…

2007

Objective: To investigate the effects of recombinant (r-) LH supplementation in “low responder” patients undergoing ovarian stimulation with r-FSH for an IVF program. The apoptosis rate in cumulus cells was used as an indicator of oocyte quality. Design: Comparison of the rate of DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity in cumulus cells in women stimulated with r-LH and r-FSH, versus patients treated with r-FSH alone (control). Setting: In vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory. Patient(s): Forty patients undergoing assisted fertilization programs treated with a GnRH agonist, or r-FSH treatment begun on day 3 of the cycle (control). In the r-LH group, from day 8 of gonadotropin stimulation, 1…

Differential long non-coding RNA expression profiles in human oocytes and cumulus cells

2018

AbstractProgress in assisted reproductive technologies strongly relies on understanding the regulation of the dialogue between oocyte and cumulus cells (CCs). Little is known about the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the human cumulus-oocyte complex (COC). To this aim, publicly available RNA-sequencing data were analyzed to identify lncRNAs that were abundant in metaphase II (MII) oocytes (BCAR4, C3orf56, TUNAR, OOEP-AS1, CASC18, and LINC01118) and CCs (NEAT1, MALAT1, ANXA2P2, MEG3, IL6STP1, and VIM-AS1). These data were validated by RT-qPCR analysis using independent oocytes and CC samples. The functions of the identified lncRNAs were then predicted by constructing lncRNA-mRNA co…