Follicular fluid cytokine concentration impact on oocyte maturity, embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes during ovarian stimulation cycles in infertile women

Since cytokines in follicular fluid play an important role in ovulation and oocyte maturation, they also have an essential role in reproductive processes such as fertilization, early embryonic development, and implantation potential. The present study was performed aimed to evaluate the effect of these cytokines on oocyte maturation and embryo quality during assisted reproductive therapy (ART) and pregnancy outcomes of primary infertile women.

This case-control study was performed in 2020 on 44 infertile women undergoing ART in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute. The relationship between the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in follicular fluid of each patient was assessed by Enzyme linked immune sorbent assay. The results were statistically analyzed by demographic and embryological variables of patients. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) and non-parametric statistical tests. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The total fertilization rate in patients was 62.7%, the total oocyte maturation rate was 78.6% and the total pregnancy rate was 22%.There was a positive significant correlation between IL-6 concentration and fertilization rate (P = 0.04), but no significant correlation was found between the concentration of other studied cytokines with patients' age and BMI, oocyte maturation and fertilization rate and embryo quality (P≥0.05).

In the present study, there was no relationship between the concentrations of cytokines IL-6, IL-12, TGF-ß and TNF-α in the follicular fluid of infertile women with oocyte maturation, embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes. More extensive studies with more samples are suggested to validate the results.