Correlation between follicle levels of superoxide dismutase and oocyte quality, fertilization rates and embryo development
Kably Ambe, A.; Ruiz Anguas, J.án.; Carballo Mondragón, E.; Corona de Lau, C.; Karchmer Krivitsky, S.
Ginecologia y Obstetricia de Mexico 72: 335-344
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-9041 PMID: 15469172 Document Number: 572683
The intraovarian oxidative balance is important during oocyte development, and fertilization. It has been proposed that one of the most important enzymes in the follicle is the superoxide dismutase (SOD). To correlate levels and percentage of SOD activity in follicular liquid with quality, fertilization and embryo development in a group of patients submitted to in vitro fertilization. We obtained 120 follicular liquids from oocytes aspirated in 41 patients during an IVF program and then we followed the development of each oocyte separately. We measured the activity and concentration of SOD in the follicular liquid, and we evaluated the following variables: quality and maturity in the oocytes, as well as fertilization rate, segmentation rate and pregnancy. The statistical analysis was made with ANOVA test and Pearson test. In the analysis of the results, we observed a higher percentage of activity in the SOD in oocytes with good quality (3 and 4) in comparison with poor quality oocyte (1 and 2) (89 and 82% vs 75 and 61% p<0.05). We observed higher concentrations and activity of SOD in oocytes with a good fertilization rate and segmentation (p<0.05). When we analyzed the variables in function of pregnancy, we observed that the embryos that were transferred and developed pregnancy had higher concentrations and activity of SOD than embryos that did not develop pregnancy. Elevated levels and high percentage in the activity of SOD are associated with a better quality in the oocyte, and a good embryo development, influenced by the oxidative balance.