Wang Yanqiu, Wei Hui, Ji Yazhong, Liu Feiping, Shen Zhijun, Zhang Xunyi
Department of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, P.R. China.
Exp Ther Med. 2021 Feb;21(2):138. doi: 10.3892/etm.2020.9570. Epub 2020 Dec 14.
Oocyte quality deteriorates with female age and numerous indicators of oocyte quality exist. In the present study, the levels of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in the follicular fluid (FF) and cumulus cells (CCs) of infertile females in 3 different age groups were assessed to determine the relationship between CFTR and female age. The general features of the 3 groups, including age, body mass index, infertility duration, basal hormone levels and the number of retrieved oocytes were compared. The FF CFTR levels of the 3 groups were also compared and multiple age-related indicators of oocyte quality were analyzed, including the estradiol levels on the human chorionic gonadotropin injection day, the morphologically normal oocyte rate and the available or high-quality embryo rate. Immunofluorescence and PCR analyses were performed to examine CFTR expression in CCs around oocytes. The results indicated differences in general features and several indicators of oocyte quality among the 3 groups and significant differences in CFTR. The FF CFTR level was positively correlated with age, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence and PCR. Collectively, these results indicated that CFTR expression in FF and CCs may be associated with oocyte quality based on the age of individuals undergoing the assisted reproduction technique.
卵母细胞质量会随着女性年龄的增长而下降，并且存在许多卵母细胞质量的指标。在本研究中，评估了3个不同年龄组的不孕女性卵泡液（FF）和卵丘细胞（CCs）中囊性纤维化跨膜传导调节因子（CFTR）的水平，以确定CFTR与女性年龄之间的关系。比较了3组的一般特征，包括年龄、体重指数、不孕持续时间、基础激素水平和回收的卵母细胞数量。还比较了3组的FF CFTR水平，并分析了多个与年龄相关的卵母细胞质量指标，包括人绒毛膜促性腺激素注射日的雌二醇水平、形态正常的卵母细胞率和可用或高质量胚胎率。进行了免疫荧光和PCR分析以检测卵母细胞周围CCs中CFTR的表达。结果表明3组之间在一般特征和几个卵母细胞质量指标上存在差异，CFTR也存在显著差异。FF CFTR水平与年龄呈正相关，这通过免疫荧光和PCR得到证实。总体而言，这些结果表明，基于接受辅助生殖技术的个体年龄，FF和CCs中CFTR的表达可能与卵母细胞质量相关。
