Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Changes of sFas and sFasL, oxidative stress markers in serum and follicular fluid of patients undergoing IVF

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The Fas-Fas Ligand interaction is one of the essential events for the induction of apoptosis whereas the exact role of their soluble forms in the reproductive system is still not fully understood. Also oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of infertility causing diseases in women and has been suggested as one of the important factors that negatively affect IVF outcome. In this study, our aim was to evaluate serum and follicular fluid levels of soluble Fas soluble Fas Ligand, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity in patients undergoing IVF and compared with controls.

Methods

This study included 109 patients. Patients were classified as unexplained infertility (N = 31), PCOS (N = 19), tubal factor (N = 9) and endometriosis (N = 10) and compared with male factor infertility (N = 40) that was the control group. sFas and sFasL levels were measured by immunoassay method. MDA, SOD and TAC levels were measured by colorimetric method.

Results

Patients with unexplained infertility, PCOS and tubal factor had significantly lower sFas levels compared with their controls (respectively, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05). However, SOD activity in unexplained infertility, PCOS and endometriosisgroupswere significantly higher than control group (p < 0.01).Decreased follicular fluid TAC levels were found in all patient groups compared with controls (respectively, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.01).Patients with tubal factor had significantly higher serum sFasL (p < 0.05), but lower follicular fluid sFasL levels (p < 0.05) compared with unexplained infertility. Tubal factor and endometriosis groups had lowerfollicular fluid TAC levels compared to unexplained infertility and PCOSgroups (p < 0.01).

Conclusion(s)

In this study, serum and follicular fluid sFas levels were decreased and antioxidant activity was impaired in infertility, possibly implying increased apoptosis. Especially in unexplained infertility group changes in this parametres more remarkable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. von Rango U, Classen-Linke I, Krusche CA, Beier HM. The receptive endometrium is characterized by apoptosis in the glands. Hum Reprod. 1998;13:3177–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Malamitsi-Puchner A, Sarandakou A, Baka S, et al. Concentrations of angiogenic factors in follicular fluid and oocyte-cumulus complex culture medium from women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Association with oocyte maturity and fertilization. Fertil Steril. 2001;76:98–101.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Malamitsi-Puchner A, Sarandakou A, Baka S, Hassiakos D, Kouskouni E, Creatsas G. In vitro fertilization: angiogenic, proliferative and apoptotic factors in follicular fluid. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2003;997:124–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ueno T, Toi M, Tominaga T. Circulating soluble Fas concentration in breast cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res. 1999;5:3529–33.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Srivastava M, Lippes J, Pichorova R, De los Santos, Anderson DJ. Soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in human reproductive tract fluids. In: Proceedings of the 45th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Gynecologic Investigation, Chicago; 1998. p.T203[abstract].

  6. Sarandakou A, Malamitsi-Puchner A, Baka S, Rizos D, Hassiakos D, Creatsas G. Apoptosis and proliferation factors in serum and follicular fluid from women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 2003;79:634–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Murphy AA, Santanam N, Parthasarathy S. Endometriosis: a disease of oxidative stress? Semin Reprod Endocrinol. 1998;16(4):263–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Agarwal A, Gupta S, Sharma RK. Role of oxidative stress in female reproduction. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2005;3:28.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Agarwal A, Said TM, Bedaiwy MA, Banerjee J, Alvarez JG. Oxidative stress in an assisted reproductive techniques setting. Fertil Steril. 2006;86(3):503–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Marsillach J, Checa MA, Pedro-Botet J, Carreras R, Joven J, Camps J. Paraoxonase-1 in female infertility: a possible role against oxidative stress-induced inflammation. Fertil Steril. 2010;94(3):1132–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Attaran M, Pasqualotto E, Falcone T, et al. The effect of follicular fluid reactive oxygen species on the outcome of in vitro fertilization. Int J Fertil Womens Med. 2000;45(5):314–20.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Oyawoye O, Abdel Gadir A, Garner A, Constantinovici N, Perrett C, Hardiman P. Antioxidants and reactive oxygen species in follicular fluid of women undergoing IVF: relationship to outcome. Hum Reprod. 2003;18(11):2270–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. McCord JM, Fridovich I. The utility of superoxide dismutase in studying free radical reactions. I. Radicals generated by the interaction of sulfite, dimethyl sulfoxide, and oxygen. J Biol Chem. 1969;244(22):6056–63.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Agarwal A, Said TM. Oxidative stres, DNA damage and apoptosis in male infertility: a clinical approach. BJU Int. 2005;95(4):503–37.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Pasqualotto EB, Agarwal A, Sharma RK, et al. Effect of oxidative stress in follicular fluid on the outcome of assisted reproductive procedures. Fertil Steril. 2004;81(4):973–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Wiener-Megnazi Z, Vardi L, Lissak A, et al. Oxidative stress indices in follicular fluid as measured by the thermochemiluminescence assay correlate with outcome parameters in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 2004;82 Suppl 3:1171–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Das S, Chattopadhyay R, Ghosh S, et al. Reactive oxygen species level in follicular fluid-embryo quality marker in IVF? Hum Reprod. 2006;21(9):2403–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Mor G, Straszewski S, Kamsteeg. The Fas/Fas ligand system in reproduction: survival and apoptosis. The Sci World J. 2002;2:1828–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Abdelmeged AN, Yasser IA, Elmoghazi DE, Eissa MK. Evaluation of sFas in serum and follicular fluid during ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction. Middle East Fertil Soc J. 2011;16(1):50–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Onalan G, Selam B, Baran Y, et al. Serum and follicular fluid levels of soluble Fas, soluble Fas ligand and apoptosis of luteinized granulosa cells in PCOS patients undergoing IVF. Hum Reprod. 2005;20(9):2391–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Onalan G, Selam B, Onalan R, Geyhan T, Cincik M, Pabuccu R. Serum and follicular fluid levels of soluble Fas and soluble Fas ligand in IVF cycles. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2006;125:85–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Garcia-Velasco JA, Mulayim N, Kayisli UA, Arici A. Elevated soluble Fas ligand levels may suggest a role for apoptosis in women with endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2002;78(4):855–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Hockenbery DM, Oltvai ZN, Yin XM, Milliman CL, Korsmeyer SJ. Bcl-2 functions in an antioxidant pathway to prevent apoptosis. Cell. 1993;75:241–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bojes HK, Datta K, Xu J, et al. Bcl-xL overexpression attenuates glutathione depletion in FL5.12 cells following interleukin-3 withdrawal. Biochem J. 1997;325:115–9.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Dimmeler S, Haendeler J, Sause A, Zeiher AM. Nitric oxide inhibits APO-1/Fas-mediated cell death. Cell Growth Differ. 1998;9:415–22.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Tamarit J, Cabiscol E, Ros J. Identification of the major oxidatively damaged proteins in Escherichia coli cells exposed to oxidative stress. J Biol Chem. 1998;273:3027–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hunt CR, Sim JE, Sullivan SJ, et al. Genomic instability and catalase gene amplifcation induced by chronic exposure tooxidative stress. Cancer Res. 1998;58:3986–92.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Pasqualotto EB, Lara LV, Salvador M, Sobreiro BP, Borges E, Pasqualotto FF. The role of enzymatic antioxidants detected in the follicular fluid and semen of infertile couples undergoing assisted reproduction. Hum Fertil (Camb). 2009;12(3):166–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Chattopadhayay R, Ganesh A, Samanta J, Jana SK, Chakravarty BN, Chaudhury K. Effect of follicular fluid oxidative stres on meiotic spindle formation in infertile women with polycyctic ovarian syndrome. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2010;69:197–202.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Prieto L, Quesada JF, Cambero O, et al. Analysis of follicular fluid and serum markers of oxidative stress in women with infertility related to endometriosis. Fertil Steril. 2012;98(1):126–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Agarwal A, Gupta S, Sekhon L, Shah R. Redox considerations in female reproductive function and assisted reproduction: from molecular mechanisms to health implications. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2008;10(8):1375–403.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Chandra A, Surti N, Kesavan S, Agarwal A. Significance of oxidative stress in human reproduction. Arch Med Sci. 2009;5(1A):S28–42.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Sabatini L, Wilson C, Lower A, Al-Shawaf T, Grudzinskas JG. Superoxide dismutase activity in human follicular fluid after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1999;72(6):1027–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Younis A, Clower C, Nelsen D, et al. The relationship between pregnancy and oxidative stress markers on patients undergoing ovarian stimulations. Assist Reprod Genet. 2012;29(10):1083–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Li J, Foote RH, Simkin M. Development of rabbit zygotes cultured in protein-free medium with catalase, taurine, or superoxide dismutase. Biol Reprod. 1993;49:33–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Gönenç A, Hacışevki A, Tavil Y, Çengel A, Torun M. Oxidative stress in patients with essential hypertension: a comparison of dippers and non-dippers. Eur J Int Med. 2013;24:139–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Gönenç A, Atak Y, Orman MN, Şimşek B. Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant systems in hemodialyzed patients. Dial Transplant. 2002;31:88–96.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Gönenç A, Hacışevki A, Griffiths HR, Torun M, Bakkaloğlu B, Şimşek B. Free radical reaction products and antioxidant capacity in beating heart coronary artery surgery compared to conventional bypass. Biochem Moscow. 2011;76:677–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Bedaiwy M, Agarwal A, Said TM, et al. Role of total antioxidant capacity in the differential growth of human embryos in vitro. Fertil Steril. 2006;86(2):304–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Appasamy M, Jauniaux E, Serhal P, Al-Qahtani A, Groome NP, Muttukrishna S. Evaluation of the relationship between follicular fluid oxidative stress, ovarian hormones, and response to gonadotropin stimulation. Fertil Steril. 2008;89(4):912–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work was supported by Gazi University Research Foundation (Project no. 02/2011-36). Our sincere thanks are due to Assoc. Prof. İ.Safa Gürcan, Department of Biometry, Veterinary Faculty, Ankara University for the assistance in data analysis.

Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVF Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Özal University, Ankara, Turkey

    Aslıhan Pekel

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

    Aymelek Gönenç

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey

    Nilgün Öztürk Turhan

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Özal University, Ankara, Turkey

    Hasan Kafalı

Authors
  1. Aslıhan Pekel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aymelek Gönenç
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nilgün Öztürk Turhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hasan Kafalı
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aymelek Gönenç.

Additional information

Capsule Decreased serum/follicular fluid sFas and impaired antioxidant activity implies possible increased apoptosis in infertility. Especially in unexplained infertility, changes in this parameters are more remarkable.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pekel, A., Gönenç, A., Turhan, N.Ö. et al. Changes of sFas and sFasL, oxidative stress markers in serum and follicular fluid of patients undergoing IVF. J Assist Reprod Genet 32, 233–241 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0396-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0396-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation