N-Acetyl-Cysteine and l-Carnitine Prevent Meiotic Oocyte Damage Induced by Follicular Fluid From Infertile Women With Mild Endometriosis

Author(s)

Giorgi, Vanessa S. I. ^[1] ; Da Broi, Michele G. ^[2] ; Paz, Claudia C. P. ^[3] ; Ferriani, Rui A. ^{[3, 1]} ; Navarro, Paula A. ^{[3, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Gynecol & Obstet, Human Reprod Div, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Genet, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] CNPq, Natl Inst Hormones & Womens Hlth, Brasilia, DF - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES; v. 23, n. 3, p. 342-351, MAR 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 17

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential protective effect of the antioxidants, l-carnitine (LC) and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), in preventing meiotic oocyte damage induced by follicular fluid (FF) from infertile women with mild endometriosis (ME). We performed an experimental study. The FF samples were obtained from 22 infertile women undergoing stimulated cycles for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (11 with ME and 11 without endometriosis). Immature bovine oocytes were submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM) divided into 9 groups: no-FF (No-FF); with FF from control (CFF) or ME (EFF) groups; and with LC (C + LC and E + LC), NAC (C + NAC and E + NAC), or both antioxidants (C + 2Ao and E + 2Ao). After IVM, oocytes were immunostained for visualization of microtubules and chromatin by confocal microscopy. The percentage of meiotically normal metaphase II (MII) oocytes was significantly lower in the EFF group (51.35%) compared to No-FF (86.36%) and CFF (83.52%) groups. The E + NAC (62.22%), E + LC (80.61%), and E + 2Ao (61.40%) groups showed higher percentage of normal MII than EFF group. The E + LC group showed higher percentage of normal MII than E + NAC and E + 2Ao groups and a similar percentage to No-FF and CFF groups. Therefore, FF from infertile women with ME causes meiotic abnormalities in bovine oocytes, and, for the first time, we demonstrated that the use of NAC and LC prevents these damages. Our findings elucidate part of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in infertility associated with ME and open perspectives for further studies investigating whether the use of LC could improve the natural fertility and/or the results of in vitro fertilization of women with ME. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/15070-1 - Evaluation of the effect of antioxidants on in vitro maturation medium supplemented with follicular fluid of infertile women with endometriosis on oocyte and embryo quality using experimental bovine model
• Grantee: Vanessa Silvestre Innocenti Giorgi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master