Blood serum and follicular fluid relaxin: a pilot study of the hormone effects on ovarian function and fertilization efficiency

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Abstract

Hypothesis/aims of study. To date, one of the most important avenues of research in the field of reproductive medicine is the searching for new biochemical markers of oocyte quality and the prediction of the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of relaxin levels in blood serum and follicular fluid on the efficiency of ovulation stimulation, fertilization, and characteristics of the embryos.

Study design, materials and methods. This prospective randomized cohort study included 11 patients undergoing infertility treatment in a superovulation stimulation protocol using gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists. Age, body mass index, hormonal status, ovarian response, endometrial thickness and structure, the number and quality of oocytes and embryos, as well as fertilization efficiency were assessed. The level of relaxin in blood serum and follicular fluid samples was determined on the day of transvaginal follicle puncture using enzyme immunoassay.

Results. A correlation between follicular fluid relaxin levels and body mass index, age, the number of oocytes, and their fertilization efficiency (p < 0.05) was established. Changes in follicular fluid relaxin level were revealed depending on the gonadotropin preparations (p < 0.05) and triggers of final maturation of oocytes (p < 0.05). The tendency of the effect of gonadotropin doses on circulating relaxin levels, and of the hormone itself on endometrial thickness and the quality of oocytes was determined.

Conclusion. Determination of the relaxin concentration can be considered as a promising method for predicting the result of ovarian stimulation and the efficiency of fertilization in IVF protocols.

About the authors

Olesya N. Bespalova

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: shiggerra@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6542-5953
SPIN-code: 4732-8089

MD, PhD, DSci (Medicine), Deputy Director 

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Valeriya A. Zagaynova

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Author for correspondence.
Email: zagaynovav.al.52@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6971-7024
SPIN-code: 7409-4944

MD, Post-Graduate Student. The Assisted Reproduction Technology Department

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Olga V. Kosyakova

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: for.olga.kosyakova@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4116-0222

MD, Post-Graduate Student. The Department of Pathology of Pregnancy N 1

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Alexander M. Gzgzyan

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott; Saint Petersburg State University

Email: ovrt@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3917-9493

MD, PhD, DSci (Medicine), Head of the Department of Reproductology, Head of the Assisted Reproduction Technology Department; Professor. The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Igor Yu. Kogan

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott; Saint Petersburg State University

Email: ovrt@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7351-6900

MD, PhD, DSci (Medicine), Professor, Corresponding Member of RAS, Director; Professor. The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Yulia P. Milyutina

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: milyutina1010@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1951-8312

PhD, Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Natalia N. Tkachenko

the «Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott"

Email: iagmail@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6189-3488

PhD, Head of the Laboratory of Endocrinology

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Valentina L. Borodina

The «Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott»

Email: iagmail@ott.ru

Laboratory Assistant. The Laboratory of Endocrinology

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg State University

Elena A. Lesik

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: ovrt@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1611-6318

PhD, Senior Researcher. The Laboratory of Early Embryogenesis; Embryologist. The Assisted Reproduction Technology Department

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Irina D. Mekina

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: ovrt@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0813-5845

PhD, Senior Researcher. The Laboratory of Early Embryogenesis; Senior Embryologist. The Assisted Reproduction Technology Department

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Evgenia M. Komarova

The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott

Email: ovrt@ott.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9988-9879

PhD, Head of the Laboratory of Early Embryogenesis, Embryologist. The Assisted Reproduction Technology Department

Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

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2. Fig. 1. Correlation between blood serum and follicular fluid relaxin levels and the studied parameters (* p < 0.05)

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3. Fig. 2. a. Blood serum and follicular fluid relaxin levels with the use of gonadotropin preparations in the study groups; b. Blood serum and follicular fluid relaxin levels with the use of triggers of final oocyte maturation in the study groups (* p < 0.05)

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4. Fig. 3. Two-dimensional graph of factorial loads of the studied indicators. Graph numbering: indicators associated with Factor 1: 2, follicular fluid relaxin level; 3, age; 4, blood serum anti-Müllerian hormone level; 7, body mass index; 9, day of puncture; 10, number of punctured follicles; 12, number of oocytes; 14, fertilization efficiency; indicators associated with Factor 2: 1, blood serum relaxin level; 5, blood serum luteinizing hormone level; 6, blood serum follicle-stimulating hormone level; 8, ∑ dose of gonadotropins; 11, endometrial thickness; 13, quality of oocytes; 15, number of blastocysts on day 5; 16, number of good quality embryos on day 5

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Copyright (c) 2020 Bespalova O.N., Zagaynova V.A., Kosyakova O.V., Gzgzyan A.M., Kogan I.Y., Milyutina Y.P., Tkachenko N.N., Borodina V.L., Lesik E.A., Mekina I.D., Komarova E.M.

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