Ovarian 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity is inversely related to the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment cycles

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 64; no. 3; pp. 590 - 598
• Main Authors: Michael, Anthony E., Gregory, Linda, Piercy, Elizabeth C., Walker, Sheila M., Shaw, Robert W., Cooke, Brian A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.1995
• Subjects: 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; Aging - metabolism; Buserelin - therapeutic use; Chorionic Gonadotropin - therapeutic use; cortisol; Embryo Transfer; Estradiol - blood; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; human granulosa-lutein cells; Humans; Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - metabolism; implantation; IVF-ET; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Menotropins - therapeutic use; Ovary - enzymology; Pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; cortisol; human granulosa-lutein cells; implantation; IVF-ET; 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; pregnancy
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57798-X

To determine the relationship of ovarian 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) activity to the outcome of IVF-ET and to establish whether 11β-HSD activities vary for a given patient between consecutive treatment cycles. Retrospective correlation analysis. Patients were treated and ovarian 11β-HSD activities were measured at independent fertility and biochemistry departments, respectively. Random series of 137 women undergoing a total of 172 treatment cycles for IVF-ET. Subcutaneous buserelin acetate plus IM hMG and hCG for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation; blood samples were collected for plasma LH and steroid determinations. Presence or absence of detectable ovarian 11β-HSD activity, oocyte fertilization rates, and the identification of clinical pregnancies. None of the 101cycles associated with 11β-HSD positive granulosa-lutein cells resulted in clinical pregnancies, whereas the pregnancy rate for the 71 patients with undetectable ovarian 11β-HSD activity was 63.4% per cycle. The incidence of total fertilization failure was lower and the median oocyte fertilization rate was higher in cycles characterized by 11β-HSD-negative cells. Plasma concentrations of LH and E2 were higher in cycles yielding 11β-HSD-negative cells, whereas plasma P, patient age, and the number of oocytes retrieved did not relate to ovarian 11β-HSD activity. For the 35 patients studied in repeat cycles, ovarian 11β-HSD activities did not relate to those in the initial cycles. Ovarian 11β-HSD activity is associated with failure to conceive by IVF-ET. For a given patient, ovarian 11β-HSD activity varies between consecutive treatment cycles. Hence, ovarian 11β-HSD activities may predict the outcome of this assisted reproduction protocol independently in each treatment cycle.