BACKGROUND: IVF is limited by low success rates and an unacceptably high multiple pregnancy rate. These outcomes would be improved significantly if a single embryo of high viability could be replaced in each treatment cycle, but widespread acceptance of such a policy is hindered by the lack of predictive factors for embryo selection. We have conducted a retrospective clinical study of a novel non-invasive method of embryo selection based on the depletion/appearance of amino acids in the culture medium. METHODS: Fifty-three cycles of IVF treatment using ICSI were studied. Embryos were cultured for 24 h in 4 microl drops of medium containing a physiological mixture of 18 amino acids. The spent medium was analysed for amino acid content by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The turnover of three amino acids, Asn, Gly and Leu, was significantly correlated with a clinical pregnancy and live birth. These correlations were independent of known predictors, such as female age, basal levels of FSH, embryo cell number and embryo morphological grade. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive assay of amino acid turnover has the potential to improve significantly the prospective selection of the most viable embryos, or single embryo, for replacement in an IVF cycle.
BACKGROUND:IVF is limited by low success rates and an unacceptably high multiple pregnancy rate. These outcomes would be improved significantly if a single embryo of high viability could be replaced in each treatment cycle, but widespread acceptance of such a policy is hindered by the lack of predictive factors for embryo selection. We have conducted a retrospective clinical study of a novel non-invasive method of embryo selection based on the depletion/appearance of amino acids in the culture medium. METHODS: Fifty-three cycles of IVF treatment using ICSI were studied. Embryos were cultured for 24 h in 4 microl drops of medium containing a physiological mixture of 18 amino acids. The spent medium was analysed for amino acid content by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The turnover of three amino acids, Asn, Gly and Leu, was significantly correlated with a clinical pregnancy and live birth. These correlations were independent of known predictors, such as female age, basal levels of FSH, embryo cell number and embryo morphological grade. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive assay of amino acid turnover has the potential to improve significantly the prospective selection of the most viable embryos, or single embryo, for replacement in an IVF cycle.
Authors: Martin D Keltz; Mario Vega; Ido Sirota; Matthew Lederman; Erin L Moshier; Eric Gonzales; Daniel Stein Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2013-08-16 Impact factor: 3.412
Authors: Ioanna Kosteria; Athanasios K Anagnostopoulos; Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein; George P Chrousos; George T Tsangaris Journal: In Vivo Date: 2017 May-Jun Impact factor: 2.155
Authors: Rose G Radin; Sunni L Mumford; Robert M Silver; Laurie L Lesher; Noya Galai; David Faraggi; Jean Wactawski-Wende; Janet M Townsend; Anne M Lynch; Hyagriv N Simhan; Lindsey A Sjaarda; Neil J Perkins; Shvetha M Zarek; Karen C Schliep; Enrique F Schisterman Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2015-08-17 Impact factor: 14.808