Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Édesanyák u, 17, H-7624, Pécs, Hungary.
Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013 Jul 17;11:67. doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-11-67.
L-carnitine-mediated beta-oxidation of fatty acids has a well established role in energy supply of oocytes and embryos. Disturbed carnitine metabolism may impair the reproductive potential in IVF and can serve as a biomarker of pregnancy outcome.
Our study was performed between March 24, 2011 and May 9, 2011. We performed 44 unselected IVF cycles, (aged 23-40 years (mean: 32.3+/-5.1 years) and had BMI of 17.3-34.7 (mean: 23.80+/-4.9). Samples were also obtained from 18 healthy women of similar age admitted for minor elective surgery to serve as control for plasma carnitine profile. Serum and follicular fluid (FF) free carnitine (FC) and 20 major acylcarnitines (ACs) were measured by ESI/MS/MS method.
Serum FC and AC levels in IVF patients were comparable to those in healthy control women. In FF FC and short-chain AC concentrations were similar to those in maternal serum, however, the levels of medium-chain, and long-chain AC esters were markedly reduced (p<0.05). The serum to FF ratio of individual carnitine compounds increased progressively with increasing carbon chain length of AC esters (p<0.05). There was a marked reduction in total carnitine, FC and AC levels of serum and FF in patients with oocyte number of >9 and/or with embryo number of >6 as compared to the respective values of <9 and/or <6 (p<0.05).
In IVF patients with better reproductive potential the carnitine/AC pathway appears to be upregulated that may result in excess carintine consumption and relative depletion of carnitine pool. Consequently, IVF patients may benefit from carnitine supplementation.
脂肪酸的 L-肉碱介导的β氧化在卵母细胞和胚胎的能量供应中具有明确的作用。肉碱代谢紊乱可能会损害 IVF 的生殖潜能，并可作为妊娠结局的生物标志物。
我们的研究于 2011 年 3 月 24 日至 2011 年 5 月 9 日进行。我们进行了 44 次未经选择的 IVF 周期，（年龄 23-40 岁（平均：32.3+/-5.1 岁），BMI 为 17.3-34.7（平均：23.80+/-4.9）。还从 18 名年龄相似、因小择期手术入院的健康女性中采集样本，作为血清肉碱谱的对照。通过 ESI/MS/MS 法测定血清和卵泡液（FF）游离肉碱（FC）和 20 种主要酰基肉碱（AC）。
IVF 患者的血清 FC 和 AC 水平与健康对照女性相当。FF 中的 FC 和短链 AC 浓度与母血清相似，但中链和长链 AC 酯的水平明显降低（p<0.05）。随着 AC 酯碳链长度的增加，个体肉碱化合物的血清与 FF 比值逐渐增加（p<0.05）。与卵母细胞数>9 和/或胚胎数>6 的患者相比，血清和 FF 中的总肉碱、FC 和 AC 水平明显降低（p<0.05）。
在具有更好生殖潜能的 IVF 患者中，肉碱/AC 途径似乎被上调，这可能导致过量的肉碱消耗和肉碱池的相对耗竭。因此，IVF 患者可能受益于肉碱补充。
