Platelet-activating factor-acether is a component of human follicular fluid.

OBJECTIVE

Platelet-activating factor-acether (PAF-acether) presence was investigated in 27 human follicular fluids (FFs).

DESIGN

Aggregation of washed rabbit platelets was used to measure PAF-acether. Data were compared using Student's t-test.

SETTING

Follicular fluids came from the in vitro fertilization program at Antoine Béclère Hospital, and PAF-acether was assayed at Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unités 187 and 200, Clamart, France.

PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: The study concerned five infertile women 29 to 39 years of age.

INTERVENTIONS

Ovaries were stimulated with human menopausal gonadotropin under gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) action.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The height of platelet aggregation was compared between FFs and synthetic PAF-acether.

RESULTS

Mean FF concentration of PAF-acether was 1,367 to 3,467 pg/mL among women. Values were higher for patients in a long than in a short GnRH-a protocol (P less than 0.05). However, PAF-acether concentration was not related to fertilization rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Platelet-activating factor-acether is possibly involved in oocyte release from the follicle, a process occulted by follicular puncture.