Thioredoxin, an antioxidant redox protein, in ovarian follicles of women undergoing in vitro fertilization.
2016
Oxidative stress has a bidirectional role in the development and maturation of zygotes and embryos. Reduction-oxidation reactions and regulatory proteins, such as
thioredoxin(TRX) and
thioredoxin reductase(TRXR), are intimately involved in the regulation of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of TRX mRNA and protein in
ovarian folliclescollected from women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to assess these levels relative to
folliclesize, presence of oocytes, and responsiveness to superovulation.
Follicular fluid(FF) and/or granulosa cells (GCs) from large and small
follicleswere collected at the time of ovum pick-up from 42 IVF patients enrolled in this study. We divided the patients into normal and poor responders (NR and PR, respectively) based on the serum estradiol levels on the day of
human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG) administration. We also compared the TRX concentration in FF (FF-TRX) between oocyte-containing
follicles(Oc+) and empty
follicles(Oc-). The transcript levels of TRX, but not TRXR, were significantly higher in GCs derived from
folliclescollected from NR than PR, as determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. In NR, the FF-TRX was significantly higher in Oc+
folliclesthan in Oc-
folliclesand also in large Oc+
folliclesthan in large Oc-
follicles. Unlike NR, PR exhibited no positive association with elevated FF-TRX and presence of oocytes. Based on its collective anti-oxidative, cytoprotective, and cytokine-like properties of TRX, TRX is likely to be involved in the optimal growth and maturation of
ovarian folliclesand responsiveness to hyperstimulation.
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