The precise determination of zona pellucida (ZP) hardness is largely unknown due to the lack of appropriate measuring and modelling methods. In this study, we have used experimental and theoretical models to describe ...The precise determination of zona pellucida (ZP) hardness is largely unknown due to the lack of appropriate measuring and modelling methods. In this study, we have used experimental and theoretical models to describe the mechanical behavior of a single oocyte cell to improve the assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes by assessing oocyte/embryo quality. This paper presents the development of: i) a microinjection model to estimate the force of ZP penetration, ii) a micropipette aspiration model to determine the corresponding hardness, and iii) an experimental procedure to generate the required data for these two models. Our results show that the estimated penetration force provides a performance target for the penetration process during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), while the estimated corresponding hardness serves as an indicator of the extent of deformation sustained by the oocyte prior to penetration. Evaluation of these results shows that a routine assessment of ZP hardness under microinjection would allow for the identification of certain oocyte pools for which further manipulation is recommended in order to improve injection, hatching and finally ART outcomes.展开更多
Objective:To know whether sperm DNA fragmentation(SDF)affects the clinical outcomes in the cumulative transfers of an intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)cycle along with blastocyst transfers in couples with normozo...Objective:To know whether sperm DNA fragmentation(SDF)affects the clinical outcomes in the cumulative transfers of an intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)cycle along with blastocyst transfers in couples with normozoospermic males.Methods:The study included 252 couples who underwent their first ICSI cycles along with blastocyst transfer and whose male partner semen samples were normozoospermic according to the World Health Organization 2010 criteria.All the couples were classified into two groups based on the SDF:the low SDF group(SDF≤30%,n=162)and the high SDF group(SDF>30%,n=90).Clinical as well as laboratory outcomes were correlated between the two groups.Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed on the post-wash semen samples by acridine orange test.The main outcome measures were the live birth rate and miscarriage rate.Results:A significant decrease in the live birth rates was observed in the high SDF group compared to the low SDF group in fresh embryo transfer cycles(P<0.05).However,no significant difference was observed in the clinical outcomes either in the frozen embryo transfer cycles or in the overall cumulative transfer cycles(P>0.05).No significant difference was observed in the laboratory outcomes between the two SDF groups.A remarkable decrease in sperm motility was observed in the high SDF group compared to the low SDF group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Sperm DNA fragmentation does not affect the clinical outcomes in the cumulative transfers of an ICSI cycle along with blastocyst transfers in couples with normozoospermic males.展开更多
This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-β （ERβ） gene Rsal polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited： in vitr...This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-β （ERβ） gene Rsal polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited： in vitro fertilization （IVF） group, including 374 couples who underwent conventional IVF; intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） group, including 294 couples who underwent an ICSI procedure using ejaculated sperm; and azoospermic group, consisting of 197 couples who underwent ICSI using either testis or epididymis sperm. Rsal polymorphism in the ERβ gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique; fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were evaluated for each group. In each group, no significant differences were found in the overall rates of fertilization and high-quality embryos among GG, AG and AA genotypes. However, the proportion of cycles possessing a satisfactory high-quality embryo rate with the AA genotype was significantly lower than that in the wild-type GG genotype from each group. These results demonstrated that sperm possessing the ERβ RsalA genotype may have reduced fertilization ability and decreased early embryonic developmental potential, which could directly or indirectly contribute to the low fertilization rate and early embryonic developmental arrest in some cases.展开更多
Damage to sperm DNA was proposed to play an important role in embryonic development.Previous studies focused on outcomes after fresh embryo transfer,whereas this study investigated the influence of sperm DNA fragmenta...Damage to sperm DNA was proposed to play an important role in embryonic development.Previous studies focused on outcomes after fresh embryo transfer,whereas this study investigated the influence of sperm DNA fragmentation index(DFI)on laboratory and clinical outcomes after frozen embryo transfer(FET).This retrospective study examined 381 couples using cleavage-stage FET.Sperm used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)or in vitro fertilization(IVF)underwent density gradient centrifugation and swim up processing.Sperm DFI had a negative correlation with sperm motility(r=−0.640,P<0.01),sperm concentration(r=−0.289,P<0.01),and fertilization rate of IVF cycles(r=−0.247,P<0.01).Sperm DFI examined before and after density gradient centrifugation/swim up processing was markedly decreased after processing(17.1%vs 2.4%,P<0.01;65 randomly picked couples).Sperm progressive motility was significantly reduced in high DFI group compared with low DFI group for both IVF and ICSI(IVF:46.9%±12.4%vs 38.5%±12.6%,respectively;ICSI:37.6%±14.1%vs 22.3%±17.8%,respectively;both P<0.01).The fertilization rate was significantly lower in high(≥25%)DFI group compared with low(<25%)DFI group using IVF(73.3%±23.9%vs 53.2%±33.6%,respectively;P<0.01)but was equivalent in high and low DFI groups using ICSI.Embryonic development and clinical outcomes after FET were equivalent for low and high DFI groups using ICSI or IVF.In this study,sperm DFI did not provide sufficient information regarding embryo development or clinical outcomes for infertile couples using FET.展开更多
目的:分析不同生精功能障碍的无精子症患者行ICSI后其胚胎发育潜能。方法:149例患者分为生精功能正常组,轻度、中度和重度生精功能障碍组,采用经皮附睾精子抽吸术(PESA)或经皮睾丸精子抽吸术(TESA)抽取不同生精功能障碍患者的精子行ICSI...目的:分析不同生精功能障碍的无精子症患者行ICSI后其胚胎发育潜能。方法:149例患者分为生精功能正常组,轻度、中度和重度生精功能障碍组,采用经皮附睾精子抽吸术(PESA)或经皮睾丸精子抽吸术(TESA)抽取不同生精功能障碍患者的精子行ICSI,记录和分析胚胎的正常受精率、卵裂率、优良胚胎形成率以及妊娠率。结果:PESA与TESA组比较,正常受精率(%)为74.9±19.6 vs 66.3±22.7(P>0.05),卵裂率(%)为96.7±8.6 vs 92.8±19.8(P>0.05),优良胚胎率(%)为43.5±26.2 vs 35.0±29.4(P>0.05)以及妊娠率(%)为44.0 vs 52.0(P>0.05),均无统计学差异。生精功能障碍从正常组到重度组的正常受精率(%)变化依次为77.8±18.4、68.4±18.5、73.5±19.8、51.4±27.9,其中轻度生精功能障碍与正常生精组有差异(P<0.05),重度生精功能障碍组与其他各组有统计学差异(P<0.05);胚胎卵裂率(%)变化依次为96.7±9.2、96.5±15.0、93.9±12.1、93.7±11.1,各组无统计学差异;优良胚胎率(%)变化依次为47.1±25.8、40.3±27.6、36.2±23.1、15.0±24.6,重度生精障碍组与其他各组有统计学差异(P<0.05);妊娠率(%)依次为54.8%、50.0%、13.6%、10.0%,有统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论:采用PESA或TESA行ICSI在正常受精率,卵裂率,优良胚胎率以及妊娠率上较均无明显差异。随着患者生精障碍程度的加重,受精率、优良胚胎率以及妊娠率均显著下降,而卵裂率却无明显区别。展开更多
文摘The precise determination of zona pellucida (ZP) hardness is largely unknown due to the lack of appropriate measuring and modelling methods. In this study, we have used experimental and theoretical models to describe the mechanical behavior of a single oocyte cell to improve the assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes by assessing oocyte/embryo quality. This paper presents the development of: i) a microinjection model to estimate the force of ZP penetration, ii) a micropipette aspiration model to determine the corresponding hardness, and iii) an experimental procedure to generate the required data for these two models. Our results show that the estimated penetration force provides a performance target for the penetration process during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), while the estimated corresponding hardness serves as an indicator of the extent of deformation sustained by the oocyte prior to penetration. Evaluation of these results shows that a routine assessment of ZP hardness under microinjection would allow for the identification of certain oocyte pools for which further manipulation is recommended in order to improve injection, hatching and finally ART outcomes.
文摘Objective:To know whether sperm DNA fragmentation(SDF)affects the clinical outcomes in the cumulative transfers of an intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)cycle along with blastocyst transfers in couples with normozoospermic males.Methods:The study included 252 couples who underwent their first ICSI cycles along with blastocyst transfer and whose male partner semen samples were normozoospermic according to the World Health Organization 2010 criteria.All the couples were classified into two groups based on the SDF:the low SDF group(SDF≤30%,n=162)and the high SDF group(SDF>30%,n=90).Clinical as well as laboratory outcomes were correlated between the two groups.Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed on the post-wash semen samples by acridine orange test.The main outcome measures were the live birth rate and miscarriage rate.Results:A significant decrease in the live birth rates was observed in the high SDF group compared to the low SDF group in fresh embryo transfer cycles(P<0.05).However,no significant difference was observed in the clinical outcomes either in the frozen embryo transfer cycles or in the overall cumulative transfer cycles(P>0.05).No significant difference was observed in the laboratory outcomes between the two SDF groups.A remarkable decrease in sperm motility was observed in the high SDF group compared to the low SDF group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Sperm DNA fragmentation does not affect the clinical outcomes in the cumulative transfers of an ICSI cycle along with blastocyst transfers in couples with normozoospermic males.
文摘This paper aims to determine the possible role of estrogen receptor-β （ERβ） gene Rsal polymorphism on sperm fertility and early embryonic development in humans. Three groups of Chinese men were recruited： in vitro fertilization （IVF） group, including 374 couples who underwent conventional IVF; intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） group, including 294 couples who underwent an ICSI procedure using ejaculated sperm; and azoospermic group, consisting of 197 couples who underwent ICSI using either testis or epididymis sperm. Rsal polymorphism in the ERβ gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique; fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were evaluated for each group. In each group, no significant differences were found in the overall rates of fertilization and high-quality embryos among GG, AG and AA genotypes. However, the proportion of cycles possessing a satisfactory high-quality embryo rate with the AA genotype was significantly lower than that in the wild-type GG genotype from each group. These results demonstrated that sperm possessing the ERβ RsalA genotype may have reduced fertilization ability and decreased early embryonic developmental potential, which could directly or indirectly contribute to the low fertilization rate and early embryonic developmental arrest in some cases.
基金This research was funded by the Basic Science Research Program of Nantong(JC2019017)to XW.
文摘Damage to sperm DNA was proposed to play an important role in embryonic development.Previous studies focused on outcomes after fresh embryo transfer,whereas this study investigated the influence of sperm DNA fragmentation index(DFI)on laboratory and clinical outcomes after frozen embryo transfer(FET).This retrospective study examined 381 couples using cleavage-stage FET.Sperm used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)or in vitro fertilization(IVF)underwent density gradient centrifugation and swim up processing.Sperm DFI had a negative correlation with sperm motility(r=−0.640,P<0.01),sperm concentration(r=−0.289,P<0.01),and fertilization rate of IVF cycles(r=−0.247,P<0.01).Sperm DFI examined before and after density gradient centrifugation/swim up processing was markedly decreased after processing(17.1%vs 2.4%,P<0.01;65 randomly picked couples).Sperm progressive motility was significantly reduced in high DFI group compared with low DFI group for both IVF and ICSI(IVF:46.9%±12.4%vs 38.5%±12.6%,respectively;ICSI:37.6%±14.1%vs 22.3%±17.8%,respectively;both P<0.01).The fertilization rate was significantly lower in high(≥25%)DFI group compared with low(<25%)DFI group using IVF(73.3%±23.9%vs 53.2%±33.6%,respectively;P<0.01)but was equivalent in high and low DFI groups using ICSI.Embryonic development and clinical outcomes after FET were equivalent for low and high DFI groups using ICSI or IVF.In this study,sperm DFI did not provide sufficient information regarding embryo development or clinical outcomes for infertile couples using FET.
文摘目的:分析不同生精功能障碍的无精子症患者行ICSI后其胚胎发育潜能。方法:149例患者分为生精功能正常组,轻度、中度和重度生精功能障碍组,采用经皮附睾精子抽吸术(PESA)或经皮睾丸精子抽吸术(TESA)抽取不同生精功能障碍患者的精子行ICSI,记录和分析胚胎的正常受精率、卵裂率、优良胚胎形成率以及妊娠率。结果:PESA与TESA组比较,正常受精率(%)为74.9±19.6 vs 66.3±22.7(P>0.05),卵裂率(%)为96.7±8.6 vs 92.8±19.8(P>0.05),优良胚胎率(%)为43.5±26.2 vs 35.0±29.4(P>0.05)以及妊娠率(%)为44.0 vs 52.0(P>0.05),均无统计学差异。生精功能障碍从正常组到重度组的正常受精率(%)变化依次为77.8±18.4、68.4±18.5、73.5±19.8、51.4±27.9,其中轻度生精功能障碍与正常生精组有差异(P<0.05),重度生精功能障碍组与其他各组有统计学差异(P<0.05);胚胎卵裂率(%)变化依次为96.7±9.2、96.5±15.0、93.9±12.1、93.7±11.1,各组无统计学差异;优良胚胎率(%)变化依次为47.1±25.8、40.3±27.6、36.2±23.1、15.0±24.6,重度生精障碍组与其他各组有统计学差异(P<0.05);妊娠率(%)依次为54.8%、50.0%、13.6%、10.0%,有统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论:采用PESA或TESA行ICSI在正常受精率,卵裂率,优良胚胎率以及妊娠率上较均无明显差异。随着患者生精障碍程度的加重,受精率、优良胚胎率以及妊娠率均显著下降,而卵裂率却无明显区别。
